Monterrey and Stockton Delay Entry to 2026

After careful consideration and deliberation, the Stockton Crusaders and Monterrey Kings have informed Arena Football One of their intention to delay their entry until the 2026 season. 

“We accept Stockton and Monterrey’s decision to delay their entry into AF1 to next season,” said CEO Jerry Kurz. “Stockton’s leadership is strong, and their market is primed to embrace Arena Football. Monterrey is also led by a strong team, and as a market, their passion for football is unparalleled. We look forward to seeing both teams on the field in 2026.”

“Starting any new franchise takes a certain level of time, and we feel it best to move our launch to the 2026 season,” said Stockton CEO Scott McKibben. “It will give us the time we need to set up all operations and to fully connect with our fan base. We are extremely excited, and we know our fans are as well. We will stay fully connected with the fan base as we build up to our kick-off. Go Crusaders!”

Monterrey Kings President Fernando Von Rossum said, “In order to meet the high expectations and quality standards that we set for ourselves as an organization, we have decided to delay our entry until 2026. This will enable us time to deliver the quality on-field product and organization that fans in Monterrey deserve. We remain committed to AF1 and look forward to kicking off in 2026.”

These two teams are committed to bringing arena football to their communities and will be excellent additions to AF1 in 2026.

Arena Football One continues diligent preparations for the 2025 season. They have finalized the twelve teams launching the league, set a schedule, and continue preparing to bring arena football back.

With a short time until kickoff for the 2025 Inaugural Season, there will be many announcements in the days ahead. The AF1 Schedule Release on Tuesday, November 19, will be an exciting and far-reaching event to get fans excited about the 2025 season.