State of the UFL belt
Updated October 3, 2026Season outlook
Dallas Renegades hold the belt through the offseason. The next defense is the first game on Dallas Renegades’ 2027 schedule, once their schedule is out. The outlook comes back as soon as the next schedule is out.
Elo power ranking
| # | Team | Elo |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisville Kings | 1573 |
| 2 | Orlando Storm | 1555 |
| 3 | St. Louis Battlehawks | 1539 |
| 4 | DC Defenders | 1530 |
| 5 | Birmingham Stallions | 1512 |
| 6 | Michigan Panthers | 1507 |
| 7 | Dallas Renegades Holder | 1475 |
| 8 | Houston Gamblers | 1467 |
| 9 | Columbus Aviators | 1460 |
| 10 | San Antonio Brahmas | 1447 |
| 11 | Memphis Showboats | 1436 |
How the numbers work
Every team gets an Elo rating built from every game in the record, not just belt games. Wins against good teams count more; bigger margins count a little more in football and basketball. Home teams get a bump worth about 50 rating points, and between seasons each rating slides a third of the way back toward average.
The chance to defend comes straight from the two ratings. The outlook plays the rest of the schedule thousands of times. They're honest rough odds, not betting lines.