Michigan Panthers 1 of 4 UFL teams reported to relocate for 2026. Here's what we know
The Michigan Panthers may be no more. Or more accurately, they might not be playing in Michigan next season.
As first reported by Pro Football Newsroom's James Larsen, the Panthers are one of four USFL teams to be relocated for the 2026 season, along with the Houston Roughnecks, Birmingham Stallions and Memphis Showboats. The UFL has neither confirmed nor denied the news, releasing this statement in response:
"Every year, the League office looks at planning for next season and beyond. At this point, we have nothing to report on any unauthorized speculation."
All four of teams were part of the USFL conference. Larsen also reports that the UFL is abandoning the USFL/XFL conference branding.
According to Larsen, two of the four new markets will be in Boise, Idaho and Columbus, Ohio. The remaining two will be in cities yet to be determined in Florida and Kentucky. The Panthers have not made an official relocation announcement.
The Panthers were initially announced as a USFL franchise in 2021, while they played their first season in 2022, going 2-8 in their inaugural season. When the XFL and USFL merged ahead of the 2024 season, the Panthers stayed on as part of the USFL conference.
The Panthers, along with the other seven USFL teams, played all their home games at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama, in the league's inaugural 2022 season. The Panthers moved to Ford Field in Detroit for the 2023 season, where they have played their home games over the last three seasons.
The Panthers had their most successful season in 2025, going 6-4 and making the UFL championship game for the first time, losing to the D.C. Defenders 58-34. Additionally, quarterback Bryce Perkins was named UFL MVP on June 13.
The UFL has had a tough time attracting eyeballs over the last couple of years, with Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reporting that the league's year-over-year in-person attendance fell by 5% in 2025, while the league's television audience fell by 20%. Interestingly, the only UFL team that saw an increase in attendance was Michigan, which saw a 30.1% increase to 11,681 fans per home game.
But according to Larsen, Ford Field played a big role in why the Panthers are moving. Larsen says that the stadium charges the UFL $500,000 for each Panthers home game, also saying the relationship between the league and the stadium has "fizzled out" over the last couple of years.
That $500,000 per game figure has yet to be confirmed. The city of Detroit manages Ford Field, which is also home of the NFL Detroit Lions.
Still, UFL officials said in May they were confident the league would grow, as the unified league just wrapped up its second year.
This was the second iteration of the Panthers as a USFL team in Michigan, the first coming during the original USFL run from 1983-84. That team won the USFL title in 1983 but ceased operation after the following season.
You can reach Christian at [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan Panthers 1 of 4 UFL teams reported to relocate. Here's what we know