USFL Playoff Games Will Not Be Played In Birmingham

LOS ANGELES, CA —While the new United States Football League will play its regular season schedule in Birmingham, the league announced Wednesday that its postseason will be played in Ohio.

The league announced it has reached an agreement with Hall of Fame Village, LLC to hold its inaugural playoffs and championship game at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio.

City officials in Birmingham said the decision not to play the USFL playoffs in Birmingham was due to preparations for the World Games 2022 which are set to begin July 7.

Related: USFL Announces Season Launch In Birmingham

The USFL playoffs will begin Saturday, June 25, as the top two teams in each division face each other in the league’s semifinals. The final two teams will play in the inaugural USFL Championship Game on Sunday, July 3.

Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium is a 20,000-seat professional-grade facility adjacent to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It hosts the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony and the NFL Hall of Fame Game.

“We’re excited to play our first playoffs and championship game at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium,” said Edward Hartman, USFL executive vice president. “It’s a beautiful stadium with all the facilities necessary to host football at the highest level, and we look forward to crowning our first champion in the shadow of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.”

As a spring football league, the USFL will launch April 16 with eight teams split into two divisions: the Birmingham Stallions, Houston Gamblers, New Orleans Breakers, and Tampa Bay Bandits in the South Division; and the Michigan Panthers, New Jersey Generals, Philadelphia Stars, and Pittsburgh Maulers in the North Division. There will be a 10-week regular season, with all 40 games played in Birmingham.

“We are honored that the state-of-the-art Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium was selected as the destination for the USFL’s 2022 playoff,” Mike Levy, president of operations for HOFV said. “Our facility and campus will provide the perfect setting and backdrop for the USFL’s inaugural playoffs and championships, offering fans and guests visiting our destination multiple opportunities to be engaged at the birthplace of professional football. The games allow our Company to not only share a great event but to showcase the Village with attendees and participants who will also stay at our destination and enjoy our many other entertainment opportunities. We are excited to highlight all that the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls has to offer to the USFL audience.”

The USFL inaugural kickoff game on April 16 begins at 6:30 p.m. at Protective Stadium. The primetime matchup pits the New Jersey Generals against the Birmingham Stallions, and it will be televised live on NBC and FOX, making it the first scheduled sports competition to air at the same time on two competitive broadcast networks since Super Bowl I aired on NBC and CBS, January 15, 1967.

Tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com and fans can attend this historic game for $10 each with kids under 15 admitted free.

The USFL will announce specific times and details regarding the availability of tickets for postseason games in Canton at a later date.