UFL Week 5 2026: How to watch, what to know, the biggest storylines

Week 5 of the 2026 UFL season begins Friday, with another game Saturday and a doubleheader Sunday. FOX Sports’ Joel Klatt and Curt Menefee will be on the call again this week on FOX UFL Friday – a night dedicated to UFL action that will take place every Friday on FOX during the 10-week regular season. All 40 regular season games – as well as the playoffs on Sunday, June 7, and the championship game on Saturday, June 13 – will be televised on FOX, FS1, ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and NFL Network. The games will also be available to stream on FOXSports.com, the FOX Sports app and FOX One. Here are the complete regular season schedules for each team. Here’s everything you need to know about Week 5: Week 5 (April 24-26) DC Defenders (3-1) at Birmingham Stallions (1-3) Key Players: Defenders QB Jordan Ta’amu, QB Jason Bean, WR Seth Williams, RB Deon Jackson, K Matt McCrane; Stallions QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson, WR Justyn Ross, WR Deon Cain, RB Anthony McFarland Jr. What you need to know: The Defenders are coming off a close victory in Week 4 after posting a dominant victory in Week 3 that marked the largest margin of victory in league history. They look to continue their streak under 2025 UFL Coach of the Year Shannon Harris, who is at the helm of the Defenders after leading them to a league title in her first season at the helm. In a somewhat surprising move, the Defenders recently acquired quarterback Jason Bean in a monster trade this past weekend to learn from – or compete with? — Jordan Ta’amu, 2025 UFL Championship Game MVP Bean is coming off a standout college career as a dual-threat signal-caller at Kansas. The Stallions entered the season looking to continue their dominance of previous years — having won three straight spring football championships, USFL titles in 2022 and 2023 and the inaugural UFL title in 2024 — but they struggled to find a rhythm. They are coming off a shutout loss in Week 4, which came in front of former head coach Skip Holtz. This is the Stallions’ first season without coach Hotz, who left his position this offseason. Now former UFL product and former Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron is at the helm for Birmingham. [2026 UFL Title Odds: Defenders New Favorites; Stallions Keep Sliding] St. Louis Battlehawks (2-2) at Orlando Storm (4-0) Key players: Battlehawks QB Harrison Frost, WR Hakeem Butler, RB Jarveon Howard, OLB Pita Taumoepenu; Storm QB Jack Plummer, QB Matt Corral, WR Chris Rowland, WR Elijhah Badger, WR KJ Hamler, K Michael Lantz. What you need to know: The Battlehawks are coming off a heavy defeat last week. Quarterback Brandon Silvers hasn’t had a breakout performance yet, but he still has time to find his rhythm under Ricky Proehl, who replaces Anthony Becht as St. Louis’ head coach this season. For now, it looks like the Battlehawks might stick with Frost. The Storm and head coach Becht – who left St. Louis after three seasons to take over in Orlando this year – are looking to continue their undefeated season. It appears Plummer will remain the star of the show after the Storm sent former Cleveland Browns quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson to the Stallions in a blockbuster trade last weekend. Another player to watch is USC product Lantz, who will likely become the next kicker to land a job in the NFL. [2026 UFL Power Rankings: Storm, Defenders Skyrocketing After Week 4] Columbus Aviators (1-3) at Houston Gamblers (1-3) Key players: Aviators QB Jalan McClendon, WR Tay Martin, WR Antwane Wells, WR Keke Chism, TE Alize Mack, RB Zaquandre White, RB John Lovett; Players QB Nolan Henderson, QB Taulia Tagovailoa, WR Jontre Kirklin, WR Justin Hall, RB Marcus Yarns, DE Christopher Allen, K John Hoyland. What you need to know: The Aviators picked up their first win of the season last week – and by double digits nonetheless. Former NFL wide receiver and Ohio State star Ted Ginn Jr. leads the newly formed Aviators, who aim to continue their winning streak and settle into a rhythm as the season continues. The Gamblers are looking to bounce back from a narrow overtime loss in Week 4. That could prove to be a tall task for head coach Kevin Sumlin, who is still finding his footing. The Roughnecks were renamed the Gamblers for 2026, returning to their original name when Sumlin was the team’s head coach in the USFL Legacy in 2022. [UFL 2026: Where Every Star Played In College, Who Headlines Each Roster] Louisville Kings (1-3) at Dallas Renegades (3-1) Key players: Kings QB Mike DiLiello, WR Isaiah Winstead, TE Zach Davidson, LB Cam Gill, K Tanner Brown; Renegades QB Austin Reed, WR Tyler Vaughns, WR Greg Ward, WR Drake Stoops, RB Dae Dae Hunter. What you need to know: The Kings won their first game of the season last week and hope to carry that winning momentum into Week 5. They are led by a former NFL quarterback, head coach Chris Redman, and recently acquired quarterback Mike DiLiello. The Renegades are coming off a tough loss last week despite a strong performance from quarterback Austin Reed, who threw for 144 yards and two touchdowns. Former Colorado and Washington head coach Rick Neuheisel leads the Renegades, who moved from Dallas to Arlington this season. We’re still waiting to hear from quarterback Luis Perez, “The Spring King” who led the UFL with 2,238 passing yards last year, but for now, it appears Dallas is sticking with Reed. Single game, season and group tickets are available now at www.theufl.com/tickets.