Key Takeaways
- The 2026 UFL playoffs feature the top‑four teams: Orlando Storm (1 seed), St. Louis Battlehawks (2), Louisville Kings (3), and DC Defenders (4).
- Semifinals are Sunday, June 8: Defenders @ Storm at 3 p.m. ET (Daytona Beach) and Kings @ Battlehawks at 6 p.m. ET (St. Louis).
- The United Bowl championship will be held June 13 at 3 p.m. ET at Audi Field in Washington, D.C.
- ABC, the ESPN App, and the UFL streaming hub will broadcast both semifinal games and the championship.
- Orlando finished the regular season 8‑2, St. Louis and Louisville each 6‑4 (St. Louis holds the tiebreaker), and DC ended 5‑5 to clinch the final playoff spot.
- Orlando swept the season series against DC (Weeks 9 and 10), while St. Louis defeated Louisville in their lone meeting (Week 6), securing the Kings’ lower seed despite identical records.
The 2026 United Football League playoffs are set, with the four best regular‑season clubs advancing to a single‑elimination bracket that culminates in the United Bowl on June 13. The Orlando Storm, who posted an impressive 8‑2 record in their inaugural UFL season, earned the top seed and home‑field advantage for the first semifinal. They will host the defending champion DC Defenders, who squeaked into the postseason with a 5‑5 record. The game is scheduled for 3 p.m. Eastern Time at Daytona Stadium in Daytona Beach, Florida, because Orlando’s usual venue, Inter & Co Stadium, is unavailable due to an international soccer friendly involving England and Costa Rica on June 10.
In the second semifinal, the No. 2 St. Louis Battlehawks will welcome the No. 3 Louisville Kings to The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. ET. Both clubs finished the regular season at 6‑4, but St. Louis claimed the tiebreaker after a dominant 16‑3 victory over Louisville in Week 6. That win not only gave the Battlehawks the higher seed but also gave them a psychological edge heading into the matchup.
The winners of these two contests will meet in the United Bowl, which will be played at Audi Field in Washington, D.C., the home of the DC Defenders. The championship kickoff is slated for 3 p.m. ET on June 13. Audi Field, a soccer‑specific stadium that also hosts major league soccer matches, will provide a neutral yet high‑profile setting for the league’s title game.
Broadcast details have been confirmed to maximize fan accessibility. ABC will televise both semifinal games and the United Bowl, ensuring a wide over‑the‑air audience. Simultaneously, the ESPN App will stream the events live for subscribers, and the UFL’s own streaming hub will offer another digital option for fans who prefer the league’s platform. This multi‑channel approach aims to capture both traditional television viewers and the growing segment of sports consumers who favor online streaming.
The regular‑season standings that determined the playoff field reflect a competitive league. Orlando’s 8‑2 record showcased a potent offense and solid defense, highlighted by back‑to‑back wins over the Defenders in Weeks 9 (27‑19) and 10 (29‑23). St. Louis and Louisville each finished 6‑4, with the Battlehawks’ Week 6 victory over the Kings serving as the decisive tiebreaker. DC’s 5‑5 mark was enough to edge out the Houston Gamblers, Birmingham Stallions, Dallas Renegades, and Columbus Aviators, all of whom finished at 4‑6 or worse.
Looking at the season series, Orlando’s sweep of DC gave them confidence heading into the semifinal, while St. Louis’s singular win over Louisville not only secured the tiebreaker but also demonstrated their ability to perform in clutch situations. These head‑to‑head results, combined with overall records, shaped the seeding and set the stage for what promises to be a tightly contested postseason.
In sum, the 2026 UFL playoffs present a compelling narrative: a debut powerhouse Orlando Storm seeking to validate their strong rookie campaign, a battle‑tested St. Louis Battlehawks looking to leverage their tiebreaker advantage, a hungry Louisville Kings squad aiming to overturn a earlier loss, and the defending champion DC Defenders aiming to repeat despite a marginal regular‑season record. Fans can follow every snap via ABC, the ESPN App, or the UFL streaming hub, with the championship game set to crown the league’s best at Audi Field on June 13.