The 2026 IFL season was the 18th season of the Indoor Football League. There are 14 teams with the addition of the New Mexico Chupacabras and the exit of the Bay Area Panthers. The season began on March 14 with the Fishers Freight defeating the Quad City Steamwheelers during IFL Opening Weekend, and concluded with the 2026 IFL National Championship Game at Tucson Arena in Tucson, Arizona, on August 16.
Preseason On August 22, 2025, the former Duke City Gladiators announced that they were returning to the IFL for the 2026 season under new ownership, rebranding as the New Mexico Chupacabras, moving back to Albuquerque and the Tingley Coliseum and hiring current Vegas Knight Hawks offensive line coach Kyle Moore-Brown as their new head coach.
On September 18, 2025, it was announced that the Bay Area Panthers were going dormant for the 2026 season and that the players were released as free agents https://www.facebook.com/mercurynews/posts/bay-area-panthers-indoor-football-team-to-pause-operations/1211439507685070/https://www.facebook.com/ShadySportsNetwork/posts/per-multiple-sources-close-to-the-situation-the-indoor-football-league-is-expect/779060121551056/
On October 18, 2025, the Massachusetts Pirates announced that they were "leaving Massachusetts" after seven seasons.
On November 17, 2025, the IFL website announced the Pirates moved to Orlando and will play in the 2026 season in the Kia Center.
Teams For the 2026 season, the league is split into two conferences.
The playoffs will have the top four teams per conference qualifying, and will be seeded first through fourth.
+ Conference Team LocationArenaCapacityFoundedJoinedHead coachEastern Conference Fishers Freight Fishers, Indiana Fishers Event Center 6,500 2023 2025 Dixie Wooten Green Bay Blizzard Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin Resch Center 8,600 2003 2010 Corey Roberson Iowa Barnstormers Des Moines, Iowa Casey's Center 15,181 1995 2015 Andre Coles Jacksonville Sharks Jacksonville, Florida VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena 13,011 2009 2024 Jason Gibson Orlando Pirates Orlando, Florida Kia Center 17,192 2017 2021; 2025 Rod Windsor Quad City Steamwheelers Moline, Illinois Vibrant Arena 9,200 2017 2019 Cory Ross Tulsa Oilers Tulsa, Oklahoma BOK Center 16,582 2022 2023 Marvin JonesWestern Conference Arizona Rattlers Glendale, Arizona Desert Diamond Arena 19,000 1992 2017 Kevin Guy New Mexico Chupacabras Albuquerque, New Mexico Tingley Coliseum 11,571 2015 2020; 2026 Kyle Moore-Brown Northern Arizona Wranglers Prescott Valley, Arizona Findlay Toyota Center 6,000 2020 2021 Ron James San Antonio Gunslingers San Antonio, Texas Freeman Coliseum 9,800 2020 2024 Jonathan Bane San Diego Strike Force Oceanside, California Frontwave Arena 7,500 2018 2019 Taylor Genuser Tucson Sugar Skulls Tucson, Arizona Tucson Convention Center 9,000 2018 2019 Rayshaun Kizer Vegas Knight Hawks Henderson, Nevada Lee's Family Forum 5,567 2021 2022 Mike Davis
Regular season Standings Eastern Conference
TeamGreen Bay Blizzard 13 3 - 11-3Jacksonville Sharks 11 5 2.0 8-3 Tulsa Oilers 11 5 2.0 7-4 Orlando Pirates 10 6 3.0 7-4 Fishers Freight 8 8 5.0 6-8 Quad City Steamwheelers 5 11 8.0 4-9 Iowa Barnstormers 1 15 12.0 1-13
Western Conference
TeamSan Diego Strike Force 13 3 - 11-2Vegas Knight Hawks 12 4 1.0 9-3Arizona Rattlers 11 5 2.0 10-3Tucson Sugar Skulls 7 9 6.0 6-8San Antonio Gunslingers 5 11 8.0 4-5Northern Arizona Wranglers 3 13 10.0 2-12New Mexico Chupacabras 2 14 11.0 2-11
Notes
Playoffs
Awards All-IFL teams + All-IFL First Team Offense QB T. J. Edwards (TUL) RB Pooka Williams Jr. (ORL) WR Jerminic Smith (TUL)Arland Bruce IV (AZ)Ka'Ron Ashley (SA) C Jalen Booth (SD) OL Kristopher Stroughter (AZ)LaQuinston Sharp (JAX) Defense DL KeShaun Moore (QC)Adam Anderson (SD)Rafiq Abdul-Wahid (TUC) LB Isaiah Majo (VEG) LB/DB Tre Harvey (TUL) DB Yahsyn McKee Sr. (AZ)Carl Decius (AZ)Ravarius Rivers (SA) Special Teams K Andrew Mevis (GB) KR Pooka Williams Jr. (ORL) + IFL All-Rookie Team Offense QB Paxton DeLaurent (ORL) RB Kairee Robinson (GB) WR Deon Cook (SA) Senika McKie (VEG)Jordan Davis (FIS) C Raheem Anderson II (GB) OL Charles Turner III (VEG) Baraka Beckett (JAX) Defense DL Charles Rosser (QC) Devonte O'Malley (ORL) Adam Anderson (SD) LB Isaiah Major (VEG) LB/DB Herman Smith (SD) DB Yahsyn McKee Sr. (AZ)Carl Decius (AZ)Justin Harrington (TUL) Special Teams K Matthew Cook (AZ) KR Walter Wilbon III (NM)+ All-IFL Second Team Offense QB Nate Davis (SD) RB Jimmie Robinson (JAX) WR Nyqwan Murray (ORL)Quain Williams (QC)Quinton Randolph (VEG) C Kenny Fehrman (JAX) OL Ivory Scott (SD)Christian Coulter (VEG) Defense DL Terry Beckner (SA)Allen Henry (GB)Charles Rosser (QC) LB Royce See (SD) LB/DB Davontae Merriweather (AZ) DB Terry Roberts (VEG)Kevin Ransom Jr. (QC)Kieran Page (NAZ) Special Teams K Calum Sutherland (FIS) KR Josiah King (FIS)
References