Now that the XFL and USFL merger is official, the United States Football League (USFL) has informed the Players Association that only four teams will survive the merger. It is presumed that four XFL teams will also survive the merge, but the XFL has yet to make an official announcement.
The four teams that will be eliminated from the 2024 USFL/XFL season are Pittsburg, New Jersey, New Orleans, and Philadelphia. The four teams that will advance to the new league are Michigan, Houston, Memphis, and Birmingham. This announcement suggests that the XFL will lose the Houston Roughnecks unless there are plans for two teams from Houston.
In 2022, the XFL had eight teams: Arlington, Houston, Orlando, San Antonio, D.C., Seattle, St. Louis, and Las Vegas.
When Is the 2024 USFL/XFL Season?
Russ Brandon, former Buffalo Bills, and Sabres president will head the new merged USFL/XFL season and told reporters that the new season will kick off on March 30th, 2024. Brandon said the leagues are still finalizing details and will share more about the new USA football league in the coming weeks.
Can You Bet On The USFL/XFL 2024 Season?
At the time of this writing, there are no gambling odds for the new XFL/USFL season, but as kickoff draws closer and more definitive announcements are made, we are sure there will be plenty of XFL betting lines.
Online and in-person gambling was a big part of the 2022 XFL Season, as the league was initially launched before sports betting exploded across the United States.
What Are The Differences Between The XFL and USFL?
Given that both leagues play American football, the two leagues are similar with only minor differences, including kickoff yard line, one or two feet in bounds, roster size, and various other minor changes. To learn more about all the differences, see our guide to the XFL vs. USFL.
It has yet to be determined what rules will be implemented by both leagues for the 2024 season, but the league will have eight total teams, four from each club. More details concerning the merger will be announced soon, and then we will know if this is a one-year merger or if the new league will be here to stay from here on out.