XFL will return to St. Louis in 2023

St. Louis is set to host a professional football team once again.

The XFL announced Sunday that it is returning to The Dome at America’s Center when the rebooted spring football league’s third iteration kicks off in February 2023. The league revealed its cities, venues, and head coaches during a live streamed event, naming St. Louis as one of eight host cities, along with Las Vegas, Orlando, Houston, San Antonio, Seattle, Washington, D.C, and Arlington, Texas. Anthony Becht, a former NFL tight end who played in 16 games for the St. Louis Rams in 2008, will be the St. Louis team’s head coach.

Names for the league’s eight squads were not revealed Sunday—the St. Louis franchise was called the BattleHawks during the XFL’s second campaign in 2020—though league co-owner Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson hinted that some familiar brands will return in 2023. Along with St. Louis, Arlington, Washington, Houston, and Seattle were each part of the most recent version of the XFL, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy shortly after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic forced the league to suspend operations midway through its much-anticipated 2020 season.

“We have been working on fresh, new logos and uniforms—even working with some of the team names you already know—that will match the dynamic and innovative vision of our league,” Johnson said in a statement. “We see you, we hear you and your excitement fuels us to continue to bring you the absolute best. We have just under seven months until kickoff and the countdown is officially on.”

The XFL was an instant hit in St. Louis, where the Battlehawks averaged more than 28,000 fans across its two home games during the pandemic-shortened campaign two years ago. In May, it was announced that every game of the XFL’s 2023 season will air on ESPN or another Disney-affiliated network.

“There is great energy building within our league and there is still much more to come,” Johnson said, “and I can promise it’s going to be worth the wait.”