The 2026 UFL season is upon us starting Friday night, when the Birmingham Stallions begin their redemption tour against the new kids on the block, the Louisville Kings.
Birmingham’s quest for a four-peat ended at the hands of the D.C. Defenders, who kick off the weekend slate against the St. Louis Battlehawks.
I’m going to run down the UFL Week 1 matchups, and share my free betting picks for each.
UFL picks for Week 1
Picks made on 3-27.
Click on each pick to jump to the full analysis.
United Football League predictions and odds for Week 1
All odds courtesy of bet365.
Birmingham Stallions vs Louisville Kings
Friday, 8:00 p.m. ET, FOX
| Stallions | Kings | |
|---|---|---|
| -4.5 (-110) | Spread | +4.5 (-110) |
| -250 | Moneyline | +205 |
| Over 42.5 (-110) | Total | Under 42.5 (-110) |
How old am I? AJ McCarron is now a head coach? Where did the time go?
Nonetheless, he takes over a Birmingham Stallions squad that opens the season with the best preseason odds to win it all.
It’s a new era for the Louisville Kings, with much of the pieces coming over from the defunct Memphis Showboats. Jason Bean will take the franchise’s first snap, with Chris Redman at the helm for the first game.
The Showboats were often a trainwreck, so the Stallions should welcome the newest team into the league with a whipping.
Pick: Stallions -4.5 (-110 at bet365)
D.C. Defenders vs St. Louis Battlehawks
Saturday, Noon ET, ESPN
| Defenders | Battlehawks | |
|---|---|---|
| -3.5 (-105) | Spread | +3.5 (-115) |
| -205 | Moneyline | +170 |
| Over 44.5 (-110) | Total | Under 44.5 (-110) |
How’s that for a little disrespect — the defending champs start their season on the road, in one of the UFL's rowdiest environments in St. Louis. They’ll play a Battlehawks team that features a new head coach (former NFL receiver Rickey Proehl), new QB (Brandon Silvers) and new RB (Jarveon Howard).
The D.C. Defenders bring back Jordan Ta’amu at pivot, coming off a year with 2,156 pass yards and a league-best 17 TD passes. D.C. also returns most of a dominant defense from a year ago.
St. Louis beat the Defenders in the 2025 regular season finale to earn the top seed, only for D.C. to top them in the Conference Final en route to the chip. I’d say there’s stuff on the line here, and these defenses won't take any prisoners.
Pick: Under 44.5 (-110 at bet365)
Houston Gamblers vs Dallas Renegades
Saturday, 4:00 p.m. ET, FOX
| Gamblers | Renegades | |
|---|---|---|
| +4.5 (-105) | Spread | -4.5 (-115) |
| +190 | Moneyline | -230 |
| Over 39.5 (-110) | Total | Under 39.5 (-110) |
It's an all-Texas opener with a lot of turnover. Bob Stoops was replaced by Rick Neuheisel in Dallas (née Arlington), while Kevin Sumlin is now at the helm in Houston (who are now called the Gamblers after previously competing as the Roughnecks) in lieu of CJ Johnson.
Neuheisel is putting his stamp on the team early, naming Austin Reed the starting QB over veteran Luis Perez.
Nolan Henderson will get the start for Houston, after getting little dabbles in the offense over the last couple of years. Expect plenty of RPO out of the Gamblers’ sets.
Will these new battery mates of coach and player gel right away? I’m skeptical, so give me the Under.
Pick: Under 39.5 (-110 at bet365)
Columbus Aviators vs Orlando Storm
Sunday, 8:00 p.m. ET, ESPN
| Aviators | Storm | |
|---|---|---|
| +1.5 (-120) | Spread | -1.5 (+100) |
| -105 | Moneyline | -115 |
| Over 41.5 (-110) | Total | Under 41.5 (-110) |
The Columbus Aviators franchise begins in Orlando against the newly-inaugurated Storm, with Ted Ginn Jr. as Columbus’ first head coach. He’ll start long spring footballer Jalan McClendon at QB.
He faces off against another ex-NFLer turned head coach in Anthony Becht, who comes over after three solid seasons in St. Louis.
There appears to still be a QB battle in Orlando between Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Jack Plummer, which doesn’t sound great heading into the season opener.
However, I'm counting on Becht to get the most out of the rest of his roster and grind out a win.
Pick: Storm -1.5 (+100 at bet365)
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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