This week, news broke that Boise’s Stadium at Expo Idaho is going to increase overall capacity. Launched in 2026, the soccer venue currently seats around 7,000 people. However, with AC Boise moving up to the USL, the team needs a more suitable size for hosting games.
This is a potentially significant development for the United Football League (UFL). Last year, multiple reports surfaced that the UFL held talks with Boise to place a relocated team in the city. Signs pointed in the direction of the league heading there this past spring.
Those reports were corroborated by Boise State columnist B.J. Rains. He stated that the UFL had a “verbal agreement” in place to put a team in Boise for the 2026 UFL season. The two were already discussing game dates, with Albertsons Stadium as the host.
However, the paradigm shifted in the summer, and the deal was off. Billionaire entrepreneur Mike Repole bought in to the league, taking over majority stake. Ultimately, the UFL decided not to venture up north, and instead kept the Birmingham Stallions at Protective Stadium.
There are multiple reasons for this – but, one has to assume that Repole did not like the look of Albertsons Stadium. It’s a very unique brand, as the Boise State Broncos rock the orange and blue – which is well represented at the venue with blue turf. Between that, and Albertsons seating capacity at over 36,000 people, Boise fell through the cracks.
The other option was to play at the new soccer stadium which was being built for AC Boise. That never came to fruition, however, as the original plans only fit 6-7k in the stands.
Now, Boise could reasonably be back on the table – if the UFL still wants it. With Stadium at Expo Idaho expected to hold around 10,000 people for the upcoming USL season, the renovations should be completed in time for the UFL to latch on as well. It’d be the smallest venue in the UFL – but, they’ve already agreed to expand to Oklahoma City in 2028, and that field will only seat 10k. Clearly, Repole doesn’t mind the idea of a number that low, as long as they can sell out every week.
Boise is an intriguing market for the United Football League. It’s on the small side, but the town has a history of supporting their minor league teams. Of course, support for the Boise State Broncos is incredibly impressive.
TV wise, it’s significantly smaller than other markets in the league currently. Nielsen TV has Boise ranked as the 97th largest media market in the country – well below other counterparts. That said, the Boise metro – and Idaho as a whole – has been one of the fastest growing areas in the country over the past decade.
Geographically, there’s certainly some concern. Boise is far away from all of the UFL’s current markets. The league currently operates out of the Arlington, Texas area. Those chartered flights will not be cheap. However, one can’t deny the appeal that Boise brings – especially with a venue that only seats 10,000 people. It’d be a guaranteed sellout every week with proper marketing and branding. There are no professional teams to compete with in the entire state.
The United Football League is set to announce their two new markets soon. Mike Repole posted that we would have news by October 1st the latest. As it stands right now, we don’t expect Boise to be in the top two for 2027 – but, it’s spring football. Anything can change at any given moment. With that said, Boise should be a top candidate for expansion in 2028-2030.
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