XFL was a professional football league in the United States. The XFL included eight teams. The teams were divided into the XFL North and XFL South divisions. Each division had four teams.
The XFL had a 10-game regular season that ran from February to April. The top two teams in each division advanced to the playoffs. The playoff winners advanced to the XFL championship game. The league had teams in Arlington, Texas; Houston; Las Vegas; Orlando; St. Louis; San Antonio; Seattle; and Washington, D.C.
XFL rules differed slightly from those of the National Football League (NFL), the major U.S. professional football league. The XFL had unique rules on such plays as kickoffs, points after a touchdown, and punts. For example, XFL teams could not kick the ball for points after a touchdown. Instead, they tried to pass or run the ball in from the 2-yard line (for 1 point), 5-yard line (2 points), or 10-yard line (3 points). The XFL rules were designed to provide for less stoppage time than in the NFL, and coach-to-player radio communication was less restricted.
The XFL began play in 2020. However, the league was forced to cancel most of its regular season because of the COVID-19 pandemic (worldwide epidemic). It suspended its operations in April and filed for bankruptcy shortly thereafter. Later in 2020, a group of investors that included Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson bought the XFL. The league resumed play in 2023. Later that year, the XFL and the United States Football League merged to form the United Football League (UFL). The UFL began play in 2024.
A previous version of the XFL existed in 2001. That league suffered from financial difficulties and ceased operations after one season.
