It took a while for the merger between the XFL and USFL to make progress toward their first combined season. Suddenly, the UFL is moving quickly.
The combined league was officially announced on Sunday. On Friday, the UFL will hold its dispersal draft.
Each of the eight holdover teams from the two leagues will be permitted to protect up to 42 players, while also selecting up to 20 players from the rosters of the eight teams that won’t be surviving the merger.
A second dispersal draft of players not protected or selected on Friday will happen on January 15.
The UFL will have eight teams for 2024: the Arlington Renegades, the Birmingham Stallions, the Michigan Panthers, the Houston Roughnecks, the Memphis Showboats, the D.C. Defenders, the San Antonio Brahmas, and the St. Louis Battlehawks.
The new league starts playing games on March 30.