Orlando Predators to depart National Arena League for new Arena Football League in 2024

ORLANDO, Fla. - The revamped Arena Football League released the first 16 locations that will receive teams, one of them being Orlando.

After calling it quits in 2019, the Arena Football League has made a comeback under new management and plans to return in April 2024. Among the 16 locations announced on Tuesday, Orlando made the cut.

More details concerning team mascots and schedules will be released at a later date, but the AFL teams will play 10 regular season games before postseason play, the league said.

"We are elated to come out of hibernation and make this announcement official," said Anthony Rossi, president of the league. "Our objective when we acquired the AFL was to bring back a storied brand that deserved to be revived and showcased again, globally."

The Predators organization, which is presently part of the five-team National Arena League, will finish out the 2023 season with the NAL when the team travels to Odessa, Tex. on July 29 to take on the West Texas Warbirds. The Warbirds are also making the jump to the AFL next year. The future of the NAL's three remaining teams, which includes the Jacksonville Sharks, is unclear.

2024 Arena Football League (AFL) teams:

Austin
Boise
California (Bakersfield, CA)
Chicago
Colorado
Louisiana (Lake Charles, LA)
Minnesota (St. Paul, MN)
Ohio (Cincinnati, OH)
Orlando Predators
Oregon (Salem, OR)
Philadelphia
St. Louis
Tallahassee
Tennessee (Nashville, TN)
Washington (Everett, WA)
West Texas Warbirds (Odessa, TX)

2023 National Arena League (NAL) teams:

Carolina Cobras (Greensboro, NC)
Jacksonville Sharks
Orlando Predators
San Antonio Gunslingers
West Texas Warbirds (Odessa, TX)

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The Arena Football League has been around since 1986 with two incarnations – from 1986 to 2008, and from 2010 to 2019 – each time ending in bankruptcy.

On its website, the AFL said that they have a "strong and supported" plan for them to be around for another 30 years.