In 1926, the Louisville Colonels, formerly the Louisville Brecks, played their one and only season in the National Football League (NFL). In March of 2026, the Louisville Kings of the United Football League (UFL) will kick off their inaugural season in the city. Over the years, Kentucky had drifted in and out of the conversation as an expansion site for professional football. Only now, 100 years later, have these discussions come to fruition with the return of professional football to Louisville.
On Wednesday, Oct. 8, the UFL announced the addition of the Louisville Kings. They are one of three new teams in the upcoming season, along with the Columbia Aviators and the Orlando Storm. These three teams replace last year’s Memphis Showboats, Michigan Panthers and San Antonio Brahmas.
The UFL was created in 2023 when the Extreme Football League (XFL) and the United States Football League (USFL) merged. The league has the support of many influential people and companies, including Mike Repole, Impact Capital, RedBird Capital Partners, Fox News, Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia and ESPN. The UFL intends to create a successful, sustainable spring football league that serves as a developmental system for the NFL.
When looking for a home for the newest team, Louisville stood out to the UFL.
“Louisville meets our criteria for a football-crazy community, coupled with an intimate venue. The football history, strength of the business community, stadium availability and most importantly, the fan base, made Louisville the right choice,” said Steve Macy, Louisville Kings vice president of team business operations.
So far, the reception of the team throughout the city has been enthusiastic. The brand-new UFL Kings Instagram account has amassed almost 11,000 followers and is still growing.
The Kings’ connection to the city already runs deeper than just their location. Their name was picked to reflect a variety of influences that represent the heart of Louisville: most notably horse racing, known as “the sport of kings.”
“A variety of factors went into the name, especially the historical associations that the name has with the cities. With Louisville being the home of Churchill Downs, the Kentucky Derby and horse racing being the sport of kings, and King Louis XVI, it was obvious that the team should be called the Louisville Kings,” Macy said.
Further strengthening local ties, University of Louisville (UofL) football alum Eric Wood serves as the league ambassador for the Kings, and Chris Redman, a graduate from both Louisville Male High School’s and UofL’s football programs, has recently been announced as the head coach.
“Chris Redman represents the greatness of Louisville football. As the head coach of the Kings, he will combine his knowledge and expertise acquired at the University and in the NFL with his deep roots and pride in his hometown as he builds a new winning tradition in the Bluegrass State,” UFL President and CEO Russ Brandon said in a press release.
When the team was announced, their home game site was also revealed. All eight teams are based in, and practice in, Arlington, Texas at the UFL Headquarters. Each team has a “home market” where they interact with fans and play their home games. The Kings will be playing at Lynn Family Stadium, which is in the heart of downtown Louisville and is the home of both the Racing and Louisville City football clubs. American football has never been played at the venue before, but the choice has some benefits. As professional football player agent Ferrell Elliot explained, the venue can serve as a catalyst for excitement, energy and new fans.
“Here in Louisville, we don’t have access to professional sports, so we’re likely to have pretty aggressive attendance. People, out of curiosity, [are] coming, and some people don’t follow soccer, but might be making their first trip to Lynn Family Stadium. So it’s a smaller venue, and hopefully [they] can fill it up. That creates an air of excitement for the players, and it benefits the league,” Elliot said.
The UFL traditionally looks for smaller venues like Lynn Family Stadium to create louder, more energized environments for their fans. Along with this, the league has made some changes to the rules and regulations of traditional football and football broadcasting in order to make the game more engaging and exciting. Among these changes is the introduction of the “super challenge,” a rule in which coaches can challenge any type of officiating decision twice throughout the game, and the absence of extra point kicks after touchdowns. Instead, teams can choose between three options for additional offensive plays for either one, two or three points.
The league will also allow up to ten players on each team to have helmet speakers and be included in on-field player-coach communications. The NFL limits this opportunity to each team’s quarterback. The idea is to reduce the number of offensive-play calling mistakes and to make the game faster and more error-free. They will also use body-camera footage into the broadcasts, something never done in the NFL or college football.
Overall, these and more changes to the game aim to make it a more engaging experience for both the viewer and the player.
“If a game has become lopsided in score, there is a way for the losing team to catch up. And that’s an element to the game that’s pretty exciting,” Elliot said.
It’s still unclear whether or not these methods will prove successful. Viewership of UFL games decreased by 20% in their 2025 season compared to their inaugural 2024 season. Similarly, the attendance across all games dropped 5%. The relocation and renaming of three teams, including the Kings, could give the league the boost it needs in viewership and fan support. The choice of a passionate city like Louisville is a step toward garnering more support for the UFL, and it’s up to the city to show that support and help the league reach success.
“There are too many people to call out, but we have already felt the love from those who have helped us connect with business leaders and fans all over the Louisville market. The team has aspirations to continue to connect and be involved in city events like the Holiday Parade,” Macy said. “We can’t wait to see a packed Lynn Family Stadium decked out in Kings’ green; if their passion is an indicator, we will have a massively successful season.”
As Louisville expands, city officials and citizens will continue to look for opportunities to add exciting and engaging elements to the area. While professional football has yet to see sustained success in the city, the passion for sports is clear. Louisville’s soccer teams have sustained ticket sales and attendance, and the UofL’s sports teams continue to draw large crowds.
For Manual football player Darien Allen (12, HSU), the representation of professional football in the city offers exciting opportunities.
“I do plan on attending maybe a couple games to check out the team and see the next team play. I would say I’m fairly excited because this opens up new opportunities for people in Louisville to have the chance to play at the next level,” Allen said.
The UFL season kicks off in late March, and schedules have not yet been announced. Only time will tell how the UFL Kings will fare, but for a city that has experienced a 100-year drought of professional football, it’s an opportunity to rally behind an organization and help it reach new heights.
“I am incredibly grateful and excited for the opportunity to represent the new Louisville Kings. Louisville is home. I’ve been fortunate to have so many people support me throughout my career and I know they’ll be behind me and the Kings as we work to bring a championship to this city. I am ready to get started building a team and coaching staff with championship-level experience. We’re going to make Louisville proud,” Redman said.
