ARLINGTON, TX – October 9, 2026 – Colorado became the eighth and final team announced for the UFL’s 2027 campaign. The state’s football history dates back to the 1880s, and now, Colorado is about to become home to a professional football team playing at the highest elevation in American football.
On September 23, 2026, the United Football League announced its two newest markets for the 2027 spring season, including Colorado. The franchise will be located in Colorado Springs and play its games at Weidner Field in downtown Colorado Springs.
Weidner Field has been the home of Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC of the USL and regularly hosts concerts. The stadium sits at an altitude of 6,035 feet above sea level and will become the highest-elevation stadium in American professional football, including the NFL. For comparison, Empower Field at Mile High, home of the Denver Broncos, sits at an elevation of approximately 5,250 feet above sea level.
Colorado Springs is a home-rule city with a population of more than 478,000 people. It is the second-most-populated city in Colorado and is located approximately 70 miles south of Denver. The city is also near the base of Pikes Peak, which rises 14,115 feet above sea level on the eastern edge of the Southern Rocky Mountains.
Colorado Springs is most famous for its beautiful natural landscapes, deep military and defense roots, Olympic training facilities and outdoor recreation. In 2027, professional football will officially join that list.
However, football is far from new to Colorado Springs. In fact, the city has a history with the game dating back nearly 145 years. In 1885, Colorado College played the University of Denver in Colorado Springs, marking what is recognized as the first intercollegiate football game played west of the Mississippi River.
In 1939, the NFL came to Colorado Springs. The Cleveland Rams and Philadelphia Eagles played at Will Rogers Stadium, marking the first NFL game played west of the Mississippi River. The Rams were coached by Colorado College legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Dutch Clark, adding another historic connection between the city and the game.
Then, in 1955, the Air Force Academy football program was born. The academy is located roughly 12 miles north of downtown Colorado Springs. Seven years later, Falcon Stadium opened as the home of Air Force football. On September 22, 1962, Air Force dominated Colorado College 34-0 at 6,621 feet above sea level, making Falcon Stadium one of the highest major college football stadiums in the nation.
Despite Colorado Springs being home to one of America’s earliest football programs, the first intercollegiate game west of the Mississippi River, an NFL regular-season game, Air Force football, Falcon Stadium and countless other major football moments, the city never developed a sustained major professional football franchise.
That changes in 2027. On September 23, 2026, the United Football League announced that Colorado Springs would be the home of the newest UFL franchise. Just one week later, the league announced that former University of Colorado head football coach Rick Neuheisel would lead the team.
Neuheisel coached the Buffaloes from 1995 to 1998. His first season was his best, leading Colorado to a 10-2 record and a Cotton Bowl victory over Oregon. He finished his tenure with a 33-14 record and went 3-0 in bowl games.
Now, Neuheisel is preparing to take the helm of the UFL’s newest franchise in Colorado Springs, while the city prepares to welcome professional football back to a place that has been writing football history for nearly a century and a half.