Rebranded & Relocated: Dallas Renegades Target Breakout UFL Season In Frisco
· Yahoo Sports
The Dallas Renegades have kicked off their 2026 training camp, prepping for what could be a big season in the ever-growing and ever-changing United Football League (UFL).
On February 23, the team opened up camp with more than 60 players fighting for 50 roster spots over the next four weeks. Head Coach Rick Neuheisel and his staff will now have to analyze every aspect of the crew, from on-field ability to off-field consistency, before building a final roster ahead of the season opener in March.
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This year’s training camp will hopefully set the tone for a competitive season in the unique league, with Neuheisel and his staff developing the team around returning veteran quarterback Luis Perez, per a recent update from the UFL.
The Renegades’ story is intricately linked with DFW and highlights Texas’ intense passion for football.
Team History and Rebrand
Founded in 2018 by the infamous Vince McMahon (of the WWE) as part of the controversial XFL “re-launch,” as Variety labeled it, the team debuted as the Dallas Renegades in 2020, playing home games at Globe Life Park (now Choctaw Stadium) in Arlington. That inaugural season was cut short by the COVID-19 era after just five games, but it sparked excitement among fans who wanted to watch something other than the ongoing Cowboys’ spectacle.
The original XFL in 2001 had a raw, electric vibe that caught fire among fans craving something new and edgy. It ditched a lot of the old NFL slog with a shorter play clock, quicker games, wilder kickoffs, and open-mic’d coaches and players giving real-time trash talk along with sideline drama.
The game felt less polished and more chaotic in a fun way at first, like spring football with a college tailgate and Pro-wrestling energy mixed in, and fans appeared to love the highlights, funny calls, and borderline violent moments on the field. Even though the league was shut down early, the burst in the early 2000’s led to years of hype, showing there was a real appetite for fast-paced football that didn’t take itself too seriously.
After a hiatus, the team re-launched in 2023 under the Arlington Renegades banner, following the XFL’s merger with the USFL to form the new UFL.
Under legendary coach Bob Stoops, the team won the last XFL Championship before the merger, defeating the DC Defenders 35-26. The chip was a boost for the team’s popularity and finances, drawing crowds to Arlington and showing off talents like Perez.
Following the XFL-USFL merger into the UFL after that season, the Renegades continued as an Arlington-based team, posting mixed results: with a solid start in 2024 but a 4-6 finish in 2025, which eventually led to Stoops’ retirement.
Looking Ahead
Now, the team has rebranded back to the Dallas Renegades for 2026, relocating to Toyota Stadium in Frisco. Frisco is already trying to solidify its spot as a sports hub, home to the Dallas Cowboys’ world headquarters and FC Dallas.
Recent announcements, including the unveiling of sleek 2026 uniforms along with this year’s fan-promo schedule, have added to the hype. Training camp details also hint at a competitive battle at a few different positions to make the squad, which may include some rookies who were barely overlooked from this year’s NFL draft.
For Dallas, the Renegades may offer a more approachable, affordable, action-packed football experience in the spring.
The Renegades will kick off their season on March 28 at home against the Houston Gamblers.