Federal regulators approved the merger of the XFL and USFL spring football leagues and the combined league will debut on March 30.
XFL chief executive Russ Brandon will serve as the leading executive of the new venture, according to a report on Thursday in Sports Business Journal.
“We are pleased to have completed the antitrust review process in connection with the proposed merger of the XFL and USFL and intend to play a combined season this spring kicking off on Saturday, March 30,” the two leagues said in a statement. “We are now finalizing terms of the definitive agreement and will share more about this new League in the coming weeks.”
It is not yet known how many teams will participate in the joint format. Each league had eight teams in 2023.
Other details including the league’s name, broadcast rights and player contract terms are still being negotiated.
The XFL and USFL announced plans to merge in September. The USFL re-launched in 2021 and is owned by Fox Sports. The XFL returned in 2022, owned by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and business partner Dany Garcia.
–Field Level Media
