Pro Football Is Coming Back to Columbus in 2026

Philadelphia Union v Columbus Crew SC — Source: Emilee Chinn / Getty

Columbus is getting a new professional football team!

Spring pro football league, The United Football League (UFL), announced it’s relocating one of its franchises to Columbus for the 2026 season. The team will play at Historic Crew Stadium, the original home of the Columbus Crew.

The UFL hasn’t revealed which current team is making the move. BodyArmor & Vitaminwater co-founder and UFL investor Mike Repole confirmed that two relocations are in the works, Columbus being one of them.

“The UFL selecting Historic Crew Stadium to host a team’s home games is a further testament to the first-class fan experience at our venue,” said a Crew spokesperson. “It also advances our commitment to bringing major events to Columbus that highlight our city and drive economic impact.”

It’s the first time Columbus will host a professional football team since the AFL’s Destroyers, who played at Nationwide Arena from 2004 to 2008 and briefly in 2019.

The UFL currently has eight teams:

Birmingham Stallions
Houston Roughnecks
Memphis Showboats
Michigan Panthers
Arlington Renegades
DC Defenders
San Antonio Brahmas
St. Louis Battlehawks

Historic Crew Stadium has a deep legacy in sports, opening in 1999 as the first soccer-specific stadium in MLS. It hosted Crew matches until 2021, as well as major U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Team games, World Cup qualifiers, high school football, and even the 2020 MLS Cup Final.

While the team name and full rollout are still TBD, pro football is officially returning to Columbus.