COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Columbus’ new professional football team has announced its official name ahead of the 2026 season.
The Columbus Aviators will debut at Historic Crew Stadium as one of the new teams joining the United Football League. The Aviators, along with the Louisville Kings and Orlando Storm, join the eight-team league as replacements for teams in Michigan, Memphis and San Antonio.
Columbus previously hosted the indoor football team Columbus Destroyers, who played at Nationwide Arena from 2004 to 2008 and again in 2019.
The Aviators will play home games at Historic Crew Stadium, which hosted Crew matches from 1999 to 2021 before the Major League Soccer club moved to Lower.com Field in the Arena District.
The other UFL teams and their venues are:
— Birmingham Stallions, Protective Stadium
— Columbus Aviators, Historic Crew Stadium
— Dallas Renegades, Toyota Stadium, Frisco, Texas
— DC Defenders, Audi Field
— Houston Gamblers, Shell Energy Stadium
— Louisville Kings, Lynn Family Stadium
— Orlando Storm, Inter&Co Stadium
— St. Louis Battlehawks, The Dome at America’s Center