The USFL returned in 2022, bringing professional minor league football back for the first time since 2020. The XFL was revived in 2020, but COVID-19 stopped the season midway. With new ownership and another season prepped and ready to kick off, what are the XFL stadiums in which the eight franchises will be playing? Here’s a list of all the home stadiums and some background info on each.
List of XFL Stadiums
The USFL utilized a single host city, Birmingham, AL, to play all its regular-season games, then transitioned to Canton, Ohio, for the postseason in 2022. On the contrary, The XFL found stadiums for all eight franchises during the 2020 revival and in 2023.
While seven teams will return from the 2020 season, the San Antonio Brahmas will be a brand new franchise in 2023. Some of the stadiums have much larger capacities, but the XFL plans on only opening the lower bowls in each stadium. The larger stadiums give the league more flexibility for larger crowds in the postseason.
Let’s take a closer look at each of the eight XFL Stadiums.
Choctaw Stadium
- Team: Arlington Renegades
- Location: Arlington, TX
- Year Opened: 1994
- Capacity: 25,000
- Other occupants: North Texas SC, Dallas Jackals
Opened in 1994, Choctaw Stadium served as the home of the Texas Rangers, a Major League Baseball team, for 26 seasons. Currently, on its fifth name, it was known as “The Ballpark in Arlington” for ten years. While the name changed back in 2014 to Globe Life Park in Arlington, the Rangers moved to the brand-new Globe Life Field in 2020.
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The Arlington Renegades return for their second season at the stadium as one of three current tenants. Bob Stoops leads the Renegades as head coach. They will likely have former New Orleans Breakers QB Kyle Sloter leading the offense. Sloter led the Breakers to the USFL semi-final, where they fell to the eventual champions, the Birmingham Stallions. The Renegades also drafted popular former NFL punter Marquette King.
Audi Field
- Team: D.C. Defenders
- Location: Washington, D.C.
- Year Opened: 2018
- Capacity: 20,000
- Other occupants: D.C. United, Washington Spirit
D.C. United and the Washington Nationals shared RFK Stadium from 2005-2007. After citing scheduling issues with the MLB team, D.C. United pushed for the construction of its stadium.
After years of conflict between the district and neighboring states, the franchise and D.C. agreed upon a location in Buzzard Point for Audi Field. Opened in 2018, Audi Field was home to solely soccer teams until 2020, when they joined the list of XFL Stadium for the D.C. Defenders.
Former Virginia State University HC Reggie Barlow will coach the Defenders this season. The Defenders have plenty of options at QB. Jordan Ta’amu also transitioned from the USFL to XFL, like Sloter. Former Renegades QB Eric Dungey returns for his second season, and University of Miami standout QB D’Eriq King rounds out the room.
TDECU Stadium
- Team: Houston Roughnecks
- Location: Houston, TX
- Year Opened: 2014
- Capacity: 40,000
- Other occupants: Houston Cougars
The first of the XFL Stadiums that shares a venue with another football team, TDECU Stadium opened in 2014 as the home of the Houston Cougars. The Houston Roughnecks will be the second tenant ever in the stadium.
Former NFL defensive coordinator Wade Phillips takes over as head coach for the Roughnecks in 2023. This squad should feature one of the better defenses in the league, given Phillips’ background and rèsumè.
The question is, how will the offense fair? The original QB signed to the team, Kurt Benkert, decided he didn’t want to move his family to Texas and pulled out. With three total Texas teams in the league, the Roughnecks need to provide some fireworks to stay relevant.
Camping World Stadium
- Team: Orlando Guardians
- Location: Orlando, FL
- Year Opened: 1936
- Capacity: 60,219
- Other occupants: Citrus Bowl, Cheez-It Bowl
Opened in late 1936, Camping World Stadium has seen a slew of tenants in its 86-year history. It is almost 50 years older than the second-oldest stadium on this list, Cashman Field. As of 2023, the Orlando Guardians will be the only team to call Camping World Stadium home.
However, the venue has hosted the Citrus Bowl since 1947 and the Cheez-It Bowl since 2001. Camping World was also one of the original XFL stadiums for the Orlando Rage in 2001, known then as the Florida Citrus Bowl.
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Terrell Buckley leads the Guardians onto the field as HC this season. A former Jim Thorpe Award winner and Super Bowl XXXVI champion, this will be Buckley’s gig as a head coach. A longtime cornerbacks coach at the collegiate level, Buckley spent the last eight seasons coaching at Power Five schools.
While not a new team, the XFL moved the former New York Guardians franchise to Orlando for the 2023 season.
Alamodome
- Team: San Antonio Brahmas
- Location: San Antonio, TX
- Year Opened: 1993
- Capacity: 64,000
- Other occupants: UTSA Roadrunners, Alamo Bowl
The Alamodome opened in 1993 and was initially home to the San Antonio Spurs, an NBA franchise. The Spurs called the Alamodome home for a decade before moving to the AT&T center in 2003.
However, the venue was built as a multi-purpose indoor stadium and has also hosted the Alamo Bowl since opening. In 2011, the UTSA Roadrunners accepted an invitation from the Western Athletic Conference and have played at the dome since then.
The only brand new franchise in 2023, the San Antonio Brahmas take the place of the defunct Los Angeles Wildcats. Longtime Pittsburgh Steelers WR and Super Bowl XL MVP Hines Ward gets his first head coaching opportunity with the Brahmas. The roster is loaded with players who have some professional football experience. Notable standouts include former NFL QB Reid Sinnet, RB Kalen Ballage, and 2020 XFL RB Jacques Patrick.
Lumen Field
- Team: Seattle Sea Dragons
- Location: Seattle, WA
- Year Opened: 2002
- Capacity: 69,000
- Other occupants: Seattle Seahawks, Seattle Sounders FC, OL Reign
The Seattle Sea Dragons are the only XFL franchise to share a home stadium with an NFL team. Lumen Field, home of the Seattle Seahawks, opened back in 2002. The lead-up to the construction of Lumen Field led to an ownership change for the NFL franchise.
After a failed proposal, former owner Ken Behring threatened to sell or move the team. Local billionaire Paul Allen stepped in to buy the team in 1997, but only if a new stadium could be built. An agreement was finally made in 1998.
The Seattle XFL franchise sees a slight name change in 2023, going from Dragons to Sea Dragons. A football coach since 1998 and an NFL player from 1979 to 1987, Jim Haslett will be the HC in Seattle.
The most significant buzz surrounding the Sea Dragons’ roster is WR Josh Gordon’s return to football. An extremely talented NFL receiver to a few franchises, Brown’s career was riddled with suspensions due to violations of the NFL’s drug policy. Many fans will be excited to see what his return to the field entails.
The Dome at America’s Center
- Team: St. Louis Battlehawks
- Location: St. Louis, MO
- Year Opened: 1995
- Capacity: 66,965
- Other occupants: None
Football returns to St. Louis! Home of the St. Louis Rams for 20 years, the team and city could not agree to terms on a new venue, and the Rams relocated to Los Angeles. When the XFL announced the league would place a franchise in the city, the fans in St. Louis welcomed the Battlehawks with open arms.
The Battlehawks played their first XFL game on February 23, 2020, and boasted the largest opening day attendance (29,554). The Dome at America’s Center is the only XFL stadium without an additional tenant.
Former NFL TE Anthony Becht will lead the Battlehawks as HC. Including a stint with the San Diego Fleet of the Alliance of American Football as a tight ends coach, this will be Becht’s second coaching job.
While St. Louis has done a great job building its roster, the inexperience of the coaching staff is a cause for concern. While no one knows for sure what these teams have in store, the inexperience could cause the Battlehawks to get out to a slow start.
Cashman Field
- Team: Vegas Vipers
- Location: Las Vegas, NV
- Year Opened: 1983
- Capacity: 12,500
- Other occupants: Las Vegas Lights FC
Cashman Field, the second oldest stadium on the list, was initially built as a baseball stadium in 1983 for the Triple-A Las Vegas Stars Minor League Baseball team before being renovated into a soccer stadium in 2019. The Vegas Vipers will be the first football team to call the stadium home, though the venue also currently hosts the Las Vegas Lights Football Club.
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Like the Orlando Guardians, the Vegas Vipers were relocated ahead of the 2023 season. In 2020, the Vipers were located in Tampa Bay. However, intending to move the Guardians to Orlando, the XFL shifted the Vipers to Las Vegas. The Vipers will be led by former NFL DB, Super Bowl XXXV champion, and Pro Football Hall of Famer Rod Woodson. The Vipers poached two notable USFL quarterbacks for their roster, Luis Perez and Bryan Scott.
