XFL to return to Washington, D.C. for 2023 relaunch originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
The XFL is returning to the nation’s capital.
Washington, D.C. was announced as one of eight cities that will have an XFL team when the spring football league relaunches in February 2023, along with Arlington (Texas), Houston, San Antonio, Las Vegas, Orlando, Seattle and St. Louis.
Five of the cities that had XFL teams in 2020 — D.C., Houston, St. Louis, Seattle and Arlington (a Dallas suburb) — remain, with Orlando, Las Vegas and San Antonio the three new club locations. Los Angeles, New York and Tampa Bay are the cities that had teams in 2020 that won’t have squads for the relaunch in 2023.
Now calling these cities, HOME. #XFL2023 pic.twitter.com/aZj4cve5xK
— XFL (@XFL2023) July 24, 2022
Reggie Barlow will serve as the head coach for Washington, D.C.’s squad. Barlow played eight seasons in the NFL and served as the head coach at Division II Virginia State from 2016-2022. Pep Hamilton, the head coach of D.C.’s XFL team in 2020, is currently the offensive coordinator for the Houston Texans.
Barlow’s staff will include former Washington Commanders defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, who will serve that same role for D.C.’s XFL team.
As far as team monikers go, it has yet to be determined if D.C.’s squad will be the Defenders again. The D.C. Defenders were 3-2 and in first place in the XFL East division in 2020 before the season was suspended midseason due to the coronavirus pandemic.
D.C. will play its home games at Audi Field, home of Washington’s MLS team D.C. United. The Defenders played its home games at Audi Field during the 2020 season as well.
