Indoor Football Season Begins with AIF

The American Indoor Football (AIF) league kicked off the 2026 season for the arena/indoor football leagues this past weekend.  The AIF which is a lower-level indoor league started this season with four full-schedule teams and one travel-only team. 

The league's three teams from last season called the Cedar Rapids (IA) River Kings, Coralville (IA) Chaos and West Michigan Ironmen (Muskegon) have returned but Cedar Rapids was renamed the Cedar Rapids Titans and Coralville relocated to Traverse City (MI) as the Northern Michigan Muskies. The Wyoming Cavalry (Gillette) was added as the fourth full-schedule team while the Pennsylvania Union (Harrisburg) added as a travel-only team. 

The four full-schedule teams will play seven to eight games from January 30 through April 30, 2026, while Pennsylvania played its only scheduled road game this weekend. 

A proposed Southern Division of teams failed to develop for the 2026 season but future Southern Division teams called the Midland (TX) Frac-Attack and Odessa (TX) Drillers have joined the AIF but are playing independent schedules this season. A previously announced Southern Division team called the Tyler (TX) Crude has disappeared. A team called the Dickinson (ND) Dragons was announced as a 2027 AIF expansion team.

The AIF has been around since 2005 but continues to struggle with stability with its franchises.  They have had over 90 failed franchises over that time.  Teams continue to jump in and out of the AIF and go to other leagues with some returning.  The AIF has played from 2005-2010, 2012-2016 and 2024-2025.

The West Michigan Ironmen are the defending champions.  The Ironmen defeated the Coralville Chaos 76-24.  

For more information on the league:  https://aif-indoorfootball.com