USFL 2022: What to know ahead of inaugural season's debut this weekend
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The United States Football League kicks off its inaugural 2022 season this weekend in Birmingham, Alabama, giving fans across the country some spring football with a twist.
All eight teams will play in Birmingham Alabama, at both Protective Stadium and Legion Field, during the season.
USFL playoff games will be played in Canton, Ohio, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, a 20,000-seat facility adjacent to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Wait, how is the USFL formatted again?
There are eight teams in the new USFL, split into two divisions: North and South.
In the North, the USFL has the Michigan Panthers, New Jersey Generals, Philadelphia Stars and Pittsburgh Maulers. The South includes the Birmingham Stallions, Houston Gamblers, New Orleans Breakers and Tampa Bay Bandits.
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Each team plays a 10-game schedule, with teams in the same division playing each other twice and teams in the other division once. The top two teams in each division will play against each other in the semifinals on Saturday, June 25 followed a week later by the championship game on Sunday, July 3.
USFL season debuts April 16: How to watch
The 2022 USFL regular season begins April 16 and runs through mid-June, followed by the playoffs.
The first game features the Generals against the Stallions, which kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 16. The game airs on both FOX and NBC, making it the first scheduled sporting event to air on competing broadcast networks since Super Bowl I in 1967 — which was shown on both CBS and NBC, according to FOX Sports.
"The first game played in any new league is itself historical, and having the USFL’s inaugural game simulcast by NBC and FOX makes it even more so," said FOX Sports CEO and Executive Producer Eric Shanks. "It’s rare when two competitors can come together and see how cooperation can lead to long-term benefit."
Tickets for the inaugural game are on sale at Ticketmaster.com, running $10 for adults and free for kids under the age of 15.
USFL 2022 broadcast team
FOX Sports‘ 2022 USFL broadcast team will be led by Emmy Award-winning broadcaster Curt Menefee alongside analyst Joel Klatt, the network’s longtime lead college football analyst.
Play-by-play announcer Kevin Kugler and analyst Mark Sanchez will also contribute to FOX Sports’ USFL coverage. Analyst Brock Huard will weigh in from the sidelines in select USFL matchups, the network said.
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Full 2022 USFL schedule
Week 1
Saturday, April 16: New Jersey Generals at Birmingham Stallions (7:30 PM ET – FOX & NBC)
Sunday, April 17: Houston Gamblers at Michigan Panthers (12:00 PM ET – NBC)
Philadelphia Stars at New Orleans Breakers (4:00 PM ET – USA Network)
Tampa Bay Bandits at Pittsburgh Maulers (8:00 PM ET – FS1)
Week 2
Friday, April 22: Michigan Panthers at New Jersey Generals (8:00 PM ET – USA Network)
Saturday, April 23: Pittsburgh Maulers at Philadelphia Stars (12:00 PM ET – FOX)
Birmingham Stallions at Houston Gamblers (7:00 PM ET – FS1)
Sunday, April 24: New Orleans Breakers at Tampa Bay Bandits (3:00 PM ET – NBC)
Week 3
Saturday, April 30: Tampa Bay Bandits at Houston Gamblers (4:00 PM ET – FOX)
Pittsburgh Maulers at Michigan Panthers (8:00 PM ET – FOX)
Sunday, May 1: Birmingham Stallions at New Orleans Breakers (2:30 PM ET – USA Network)
New Jersey Generals at Philadelphia Stars (8:00 PM ET – Peacock)
Week 4
New Jersey Generals at Pittsburgh Maulers
Houston Gamblers at New Orleans Breakers
Philadelphia Stars at Michigan Panthers
Tampa Bay Bandits at Birmingham Stallions
Week 5
Birmingham Stallions at Philadelphia Stars
Michigan Panthers at Tampa Bay Bandits
New Orleans Breakers at New Jersey Generals
Pittsburgh Maulers at Houston Gamblers
Week 6
Houston Gamblers at New Jersey Generals
Michigan Panthers at Birmingham Stallions
Pittsburgh Maulers at New Orleans Breakers
Tampa Bay Bandits at Philadelphia Stars
Week 7
Birmingham Stallions at Pittsburgh Maulers
New Jersey Generals at Tampa Bay Bandits
New Orleans Breakers at Michigan Panthers
Philadelphia Stars at Houston Gamblers
Week 8
Houston Gamblers at Tampa Bay Bandits
Michigan Panthers at Philadelphia Stars
New Orleans Breakers at Birmingham Stallions
Pittsburgh Maulers at New Jersey Generals
Week 9
Houston Gamblers at Birmingham Stallions
New Jersey Generals at Michigan Panthers
Philadelphia Stars at Pittsburgh Maulers
Tampa Bay Bandits at New Orleans Breakers
Week 10
Birmingham Stallions at Tampa Bay Bandits
Michigan Panthers at Pittsburgh Maulers
New Orleans Breakers at Houston Gamblers
Philadelphia Stars at New Jersey Generals
Playoffs
Saturday, June 25
Championship Game
Sunday, July 3