Last month it was revealed that the eight remaining AFL teams were forming Arena Football One (AF1). Since then the league has dropped a lot of details, including expansion.
The new league does not seem to be slowing down anytime soon. They kicked off free agency earlier this week and now they have more details around expansion and scheduling timelines.
The good news is, the wait does not seem to be long.
Commissioner Jeff Fisher said, “As we prepare for the 2025 AF1 season, we are excited about the interest and passion from teams, communities, and fans. Our expansion application process is one of the most thorough in the 50-yard game. We are excited to share the teams that will be joining for our premiere season in the coming weeks.”
At the moment AF1 has announced 11 teams, but the above statement shows that we should know the final totals soon.
- Albany Firebirds
- Billings Outlaws Billings
- Monterrey Kings
- Nashville Kats
- Orlando Predators
- Salina Liberty
- Southwest Kansas Storm
- Stockton Crusaders
- Washington Wolfpack
- Wichita Regulators
- Wilkes-Barre (Name TBD)
AF1 has been good about keeping constant updates coming to fans, so we’ll keep you updated as more comes out on their upcoming season.
Do you plan on tuning into AF1 in 2025? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments below or join the conversation on Discord.
You can read the full press release below:
Arena Football One continues to prepare for our Debut Season in 2025 as the premier destination for Arena Football. We know that you, the fans, are excited and chomping at the bit to know which cities will be part of AF1 in 2025 and when the season will start.
Thanks to the excitement and engagement from arena fans worldwide, we have had an influx of candidates to join AF1 as expansion teams for the 2025 season. All this interest from teams, cities, and organizations would not have been possible without the support of the best fanbase, Arena Football fans.
Commissioner Jeff Fisher said, “As we prepare for the 2025 AF1 season, we are excited about the interest and passion from teams, communities, and fans. Our expansion application process is one of the most thorough in the 50-yard game. We are excited to share the teams that will be joining for our premiere season in the coming weeks.”
As a result of this renewed and intense interest from far and wide, we have decided to extend our deadline for expansion candidates to submit all documentation and supporting artifacts to be granted an AF1 team.
This expansion application process is one of the most robust in the industry and includes documented commitments from arenas, financial documentation proving viability, statements of commitment to AF1, and an expansion fee.
All of these documents require time to diligently prepare on the team level, and time to review on the league level. As a result, we have extended our deadline for expansion applications until October 31, 2024. We will release our schedule for 2025 no later than the second week of November.
Arena Football and the 50-yard game has been plagued by instability and empty promises. Arena Football One is committed to stabilizing this environment and working to develop the model for what our game has been and will be again for our players, fans, and communities,” said CEO Jerry Kurz. “Through a rigorous and industry-leading vetting process, we will bring in teams that are capable of meeting our goal of being the premiere 50-yard league and keeping the great sport of Arena Football thriving and growing for years to come.”
There has long been a pattern of arena and indoor football leagues over-extending themselves and disappointing fans with non-viable teams. AF1 is working tirelessly to ensure that we kickoff our Premiere Season with the strongest teams possible. And, more importantly, that we end the season with those same teams.
