League information

Our Syndicate

In 2025, the CoFL name was revived: a new incarnation of the Continental Football League — a fresh entity, not a legal successor — was announced to begin play in summer 2026.

The revived league is headquartered in Wheeling, West Virginia — a nod to the original league’s presence in the Ohio Valley (e.g. the former Wheeling Ironmen).

On September 9, 2025, the league formally announced the relaunch and named Mike Kelly — a veteran football coach and executive with over 45 years of experience across college football, the CFL, NFL, XFL, and player representation — as Commissioner.

The new CoFL describes itself as a community-owned, fan-first, developmental “AA”-level league, aiming to serve as a bridge for overlooked talent and provide football entertainment in smaller markets that are often ignored by major leagues.

Their blueprint:

  • Launch with 8 inaugural teams, split into North and South divisions.
  • Target smaller cities (populations ~100,000 or less) and stadiums with 5,000–10,000 seats, aiming for intense local fan engagement.
  • Roster rules: up to 50 invitees in training camp; final rosters of 36 active players + 4 practice-squad members. Importantly: each franchise must include at least five local players (i.e., those who played high school or small-college football nearby), to foster community ties.
  • Season structure: roughly a 6-week regular season beginning in late May (around Memorial Day), culminating with a divisional playoff and a championship game — aiming to finish by early July (before mid-summer).
  • Rule innovation: The league plans to run most of the game under standard American football rules, but implement a unique “Continental Shift” for the fourth quarter — adopting certain Canadian-football rules (e.g., three downs, motion, “single”/rouge scoring, shorter play clock) to add variety and allow evaluation for CFL scouts.

As of late 2025, several teams have already been announced: for example Ohio Valley Ironmen — the flagship franchise — and Texas Syndicate (from Austin, Texas).

The stated mission of the new CoFL is to bring pro-caliber football back to “Americas heartland” — serving communities, giving players a path upward, and offering fans affordable, accessible summer football.