Ahead of the 2023 season, the XFL has announced the location for the upcoming season in eight cities, including three that do not have NFL teams.
The XFL has officially taken root. Co-owners Dany Garcia, who also serves as chairwoman, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson unveiled the cities and venues that will be home to the league’s eight teams. It’s the most tangible puzzle piece in what has been a string of announcements in 2022, including a new logo, a new brand identity, a litany of hirings, partnerships, and scouting combines.
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The eight head coaches were originally introduced in April, and now, each has a new home. The release also listed the coaching staff of each XFL team. The cities and venues are as follows:
- Longtime Oklahoma University head coach Bob Stoops will coach the team in Arlington, Texas, at Choctaw Stadium.
- Former Dallas Cowboys head coach Wade Philips will spearhead the team in Houston.
- NFL Hall of Famer Rod Woodson will serve as head coach of the team in Las Vegas. (The team does not yet have a stadium location.)
- Former Steelers wideout Hines Ward will lead the team that will be placed in San Antonio, Texas, that will play in the Alamodome.
- Jim Haslett, who served as the New Orleans Saints’ head coach from 2000-05 will be the head coach of the team in Seattle. Haslett’s team will play at Lumen Field.
- Reggie Barlow, who coached at HBCUs Alabama State University and Virginia State University, will coach the team in Washington, D.C., at Audi Field.
- Super Bowl XXXVI champion Terrell Buckley will be the head coach of the team in Orlando. The team will play in Camping World Stadium.
- Anthony Becht, a former NFL tight end, will coach the team based in St. Louis.
Three of the eight cities announced do not have NFL teams. San Antonio has never had an NFL team. In contrast, last November, the city St. Louis settled a lawsuit for $790 million with the NFL and Rams owner Stan Kroenke over the team’s relocation to Los Angeles in 2016.
“Today, our league takes another step closer to 2023 kickoff as we officially announce where our teams will play,” said Garcia in a release. “What brings a league to life is the passion of the fandom behind it. We’ve had a clear vision for the XFL — the values to instill, the diversity of our leaders, the innovation of the game, and how we want to deeply engage with our communities so they can help bring this vision to life. In each of these cities, we will co-create with our fans and build these teams from the ground up so that they represent the unique fabric of our communities. We welcome all football fans to join us as we get ready for kickoff in February.”
“As Dany, Gerry Cardinale, and I put pen to paper rebuilding this league, the first thing we identified as one of the most important elements for the XFL to be successful was selecting the iconic cities and venues for our teams,” Johnson added in a statement. “We have been working on cool, new logos and innovative uniforms that match the dynamic and innovative vision of our league. We can’t wait to share in the electrifying excitement from fans once they meet their new ‘hometown team.’ We’ll see you at kickoff.”
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