New Family-Friendly League for Fans of America’s Favorite Sport
BIRMINGHAM, Ala., March 7, 2022 – After using social media to reveal the first look at all eight team’s matchups today, the new United States Football League (USFL) announces its 2022 schedule. During the 10-week inaugural regular-season, each of the USFL’s eight teams plays division foes twice and teams of the opposite division once.
“Football is America’s favorite sport, so we’re proud to give fans 10 weeks of highly competitive regular-season matchups this spring,” said Daryl Johnston, USFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations. “We’re confident and ready to kick-off our inaugural season on April 16. Our eight teams are loaded with incredible players, and we anticipate heated rivalries to develop as the season unfolds. We purposely back-loaded divisional matchups down the stretch to make for an exciting run-up to the playoffs.”
Week 1 begins with the USFL inaugural kickoff game on Saturday, April 16, at Birmingham’s state-of-the-art Protective Stadium, site of most regular-season games. The primetime (7:30 PM ET/6:30 PM CT) matchup pits the North Division New Jersey Generals against the South Division Birmingham Stallions and will be presented live on FOX, NBC, and Peacock. It is the first scheduled sports competition to air at the same time on two competitive networks since Super Bowl I broadcasted on NBC and CBS, January 15, 1967.
Week 1 inter-divisional matchups continue Sunday, April 17, in a triple-header with the Houston Gamblers at Michigan Panthers (12:00 PM ET), Philadelphia Stars at New Orleans Breakers (4:00 PM ET), and Tampa Bay Bandits at Pittsburgh Maulers (8:00 PM ET). With the USFL’s family-friendly ticket pricing, two adults with up to 6 children can attend all three games for $20 total.
All tickets will be “single day,” which allows entry to all USFL games played on any one date. Adult general admission tickets for regular-season games are $10. A “Touchdown 10-Pack,” which includes 10 single-day adult general admission tickets, costs a discounted $90. In addition, each adult holding a general admission ticket can receive up to three free single day tickets for children under 15.
General admission, premium, and reserved tickets are now available for purchase at theUSFL.com.
“Being family-friendly is a core value that will drive the new USFL,” said Edward Hartman, Executive Vice President of Business Operations. “We’re making USFL games affordable so families can be together while enjoying these professional football matchups this spring. It’s a big part of our strategy to deliver a world-class fan experience that is fun, exciting, and engaging.”
Week 2 gives fans the first of six divisional rivalry weekends this season. On Friday, April 22, a North Division primetime matchup pits the Michigan Panthers at New Jersey Generals (8:00 PM ET). New rivalries continue Saturday, April 23, with the USFL’s first “Keystone State Battle” as the Pittsburgh Maulers face the Philadelphia Stars (12:00 PM ET). Later that day, South Division foes Birmingham Stallions and Houston Gamblers faceoff (7:00 PM ET). Rivalry weekend concludes on Sunday, April 24, with New Orleans Breakers at Tampa Bay Bandits (3:00 PM ET).
All regular-season team versus team matchups are listed below. Specific dates, start times, and location are set for Week 1 and Week 2. Starting in Week 3, games will be assigned specific dates and times on the Monday two-weeks prior (e.g., Week 3 specifics will be announced on Monday, April 18, Week 4 specifics on Monday, April 25, etc.).
The League will play all regular-season games on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday in Birmingham. The top two teams in the North and South Divisions will battle in two playoff semifinal games on Saturday, June 25, with the division winners matching up in the first-ever USFL Championship Game on Sunday, July 3. All three postseason games will be played at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.
The USFL will announce the 2022 television schedule for the inaugural season tomorrow. USFL social media channels will provide coverage of all 10 rounds of Supplemental Player Draft on March 10 starting at 7:00 PM ET and lasting approximately 3.5 hours.
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About the USFL
The United States Football League (USFL) is a new, independent football league that is not affiliated with the defunct 1980s league or its owners. The inaugural USFL season will kick off April 16 with eight teams split into two divisions: the Birmingham Stallions, Houston Gamblers, New Orleans Breakers, and Tampa Bay Bandits in the South Division; and the Michigan Panthers, Pittsburgh Maulers, New Jersey Generals, and Philadelphia Stars in the North Division. Each team will play a 10-game schedule, followed by semifinals on June 25 between the top two teams in each division and a championship game on July 3 between division winners. The USFL will complete its inaugural Player Draft with a supplemental round on March 10. Players will report to training camps on March 22.
Each USFL team will carry a 38-man active roster plus a seven-man practice squad, and players will receive base compensation in addition to being eligible for victory bonuses. NBC Sports and FOX Sports are the League’s official media partners and will broadcast all 43 regular- and postseason games on FOX, FS1, NBC, USA, or Peacock networks. Brian Woods is President of Football Operations, and former Dallas Cowboys standout and long-time NFL on FOX game analyst Daryl Johnston is Executive Vice President of Football Operations. Former NFL Vice President of Officiating and FOX Sports’ NFL and college football rules analyst Mike Pereira is Head of Officiating, and FOX Sports’ Edward Hartman is Executive Vice President of Business Operations. For more information, visit http://theUSFL.com and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
USFL 2022 REGULAR-SEASON MATCHUPS
WEEK 1 (April 16-17 at Protective Stadium)
New Jersey Generals at Birmingham Stallions (Saturday 4/16 at 7:30 PM ET)
Houston Gamblers at Michigan Panthers (Sunday 4/17 at 12:00 PM ET)
Philadelphia Stars vs. New Orleans Breakers (Sunday 4/17 at 4:00 PM ET)
Tampa Bay Bandits at Pittsburgh Maulers (Sunday 4/17 at 8:00 PM ET)
WEEK 2 (April 22-24 at Protective Stadium)
Michigan Panthers at New Jersey Generals (Friday 4/22 at 8:00 PM ET)
Pittsburgh Maulers at Philadelphia Stars (Saturday 4/23 at 12:00 PM ET)
Birmingham Stallions at Houston Gamblers (Saturday 4/23 at 7:00 PM ET)
New Orleans Breakers at Tampa Bay Bandits (Sunday 4/24 at 3:00 PM ET)
WEEK 3 (April 30-May 1)
Birmingham Stallions at New Orleans Breakers
New Jersey Generals at Philadelphia Stars
Pittsburgh Maulers at Michigan Panthers
Tampa Bay Bandits at Houston Gamblers
WEEK 4 (May 6-8)
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 (May 13-15)
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 (May 21-22)
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 (May 28-29)
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 (June 3-5)
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 (June 11-12)
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 (June 18-19)
Birmingham Stallions at Tampa Bay Bandits
Michigan Panthers at Pittsburgh Maulers
New Orleans Breakers at Houston Gamblers
Philadelphia Stars at New Jersey Generals
