July 30, 2026 will without end be the day the Birmingham Stallions died.
From what began as whispers grew louder right into a reality as Birmingham loses another professional football team.
The UFL formally introduced the transfer saying that Birmingham, in addition to Houston shall be departing the league. In what the UFL is citing as a “strategic market realignment” and “long-term growth strategy”, the league introduced they will transfer to 10 groups by 2028, with a purpose of 12 by 2030.
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In addition to that information, Oklahoma City, OK has emerged as a market for the UFL and is scheduled to being operations in 2028.
UFL Co-owner Mike Repole issued a statement on the league’s changes.
“Departing a market is never easy and this decision is not a reflection of the dedication shown by players, coaches, fans, local partners, or civic leaders in Birmingham or Houston. We are grateful for their passion, commitment, and support, which have helped shape the continued evolution of the UFL,” Repole stated.
“My mission is to build a league that is not only sustainable today, but also successful and thriving for decades to come. Building a spring football league has required discipline and difficult decisions, which have been guided by our clear long-term vision. Every market evaluation begins with the same three principles I have said since day one – the right market, the right sized venue, and a passionate fan base.”
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Repole additionally despatched a message to the followers of the Stallions, and town of Birmingham.
“With Birmingham, this decision was 100% due to the wrong sized venue,” Repole stated.
“I appreciate the passion of the fans and respect the history of the Birmingham Stallions. It was clearly my decision that with the wrong sized venue spring football could not succeed in Birmingham. Even on opening day, when 16,000 Stallions fans showed up, the energy, passion, and game atmosphere was not felt due to the size of the venue. We’ve been transparent with local mayors and city leadership that we’d love to return as soon as the right stadium solution becomes available, and we are willing to participate in accelerating those efforts.”
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