Arena Football League Announces 16 Markets for 2024 Reprise Season

The AFL plans to return next year after shutting down operations in 2019.

After a four-year hiatus, the Arena Football League is set to make its return in 2024. On Tuesday, the league revealed the 16 markets for its relaunch season.

The 16 teams will be the most the AFL has featured since 2012. The markets are Austin, Texas; Boise, Idaho; Bakersfield, Calif.; Chicago; Denver; St. Paul, Minn.; Lake Charles, La.; Cincinnati; Orlando, Fla.; Salem, Ore.; Philadelphia; San Antonio; Tallahassee, Fla.; Nashville, Tenn.; Everett, Wash.; and Odessa, Texas.

The first edition of the AFL launched in 1987 and ran through 2008 before internal issues forced the league to cancel its ’09 season. The league relaunched in ’10 but filed for bankruptcy after the ’19 season. New ownership took over and announced in February of this year that play would resume in ’24.

The moment 🏈 fans have been waiting for!

🙌 First 16 teams have been announced ( Watch until the very end 😎)

Whose ready for the AFL's return?!? pic.twitter.com/N92Zz35KFU

— Arena Football USA (@OfficialAFL) July 18, 2023

In 2019, the most recent AFL season, there were six teams: the Albany Empire, Washington Valor, Philadelphia Soul, Baltimore Brigade, Atlantic City Blackjacks and the Columbus Destroyers. The Empire went 10-2 that season and defeated the Brigade, 45-27, in Arena Bowl XXXII.

The 2024 AFL season is set to kick off in April.