LEAGUE RATIFIES CBA, ENSURES UFL PEACE

The United Football League has ratified the collective bargaining agreement hammered out with players’ union the UFPA, ensuring that the 2025 and 2026 seasons should pass without further threat of disruption.

Although the players insisted that they were not necessarily prepared to withhold their services while the dispute over pay, healthcare and more was ongoing, their UFPA went as far as filing claims of unfair labour practices. Players did boycott some preseason activities while the dispute was ongoing, but the waters now appear calmer than ever.

Monday’s announcement confirms that full-season salaries will increase from $55,000 to $62,005, retroactive to the opening of preseason training camp, and then to $64,000 ahead of the 2026 campaign. Players will also gain health insurance for themselves and dependents during the offseason, via a combination of extended active coverage and a promise from the league to subsidise COBRA coverage — which ‘gives workers and their families who lose their health benefits the right to choose to continue group health benefits provided by their group health plan for limited periods of time under certain circumstances’ — for five months each offseason. The new contract also provides for active rosters to by increase by one player, to 43, with camp invitees jumping from 58 to 64, and individual bonuses, including $7,500 for the league MVP and $5,000 for all members of the championship team. Players also agreed to a wide-ranging series of work rules, including the limitation of padded practices to two per week, a formalised disciplinary process, guaranteed access to medical records and the creation of a labour management committee.

“We have reached a collective bargaining agreement with the UFPA,” UFL president and CEO Russ Brandon confirmed in an official statement. “We look forward to continuing to work with our players to grow professional spring football at the UFL.”