UFL to Relocate Michigan Panthers Ahead of 2026

The United Football League announced it will relocate the Michigan Panthers — along with the Memphis Showboats and San Antonio Brahmas — ahead of the 2026 season, citing stadium constraints and a new focus on smaller, more intimate venues. League officials and local reporting said Ford Field is incompatible with the Panthers’ needs because it is too large and costly, despite the team’s rising attendance and recent on-field success, including back-to-back championship appearances and a loss in the 2025 title game. Ownership changes this year, including Mike Repole joining the UFL ownership group, have refocused the league on sustainable venues, deeper local-market engagement and measured expansion planning. The league said it remains open to returning to Detroit if a suitable venue emerges, will outline next steps next week, and signaled potential broader expansion in 2028. The Panthers, a franchise revived in 2022 and tracing roots to the original 1983 USFL team, will be out of Michigan for now as the UFL pursues its revised business strategy.