ST. LOUIS — Things could be getting twice as exciting for fans of the XFL.
On Wednesday the league formally announced it had entered formal talks with the Canadian Football League (CFL) to "identify potential opportunities for the leagues to collaborate, innovate and grow the game of football".
The XFL also announced the planned 2022 timeline for the reboot of the league is "on hold" pending the outcome of talks with the CFL.
"Since we first acquired the XFL, we have focused on identifying partners who share our vision and values on and off the field. A vision filled with opportunity, innovation and the highest level of entertainment value for the benefit of our athletes, fans and communities," XFL Chairwoman and Owner Dany Garcia said in a statement. "The CFL has expressed that similar sentiment and jointly we recognize a great opportunity to build exciting innovative football experiences that make the most of each league's unique strengths. I look forward to our continued discussions and we will update the sports community as we have more to share."
The most recent incarnation of the XFL folded in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic with then-owner Vince McMahon filing for bankruptcy in April. The league had only played five games of its planned 10-game schedule.
Later in 2020, the league was purchased by a group that included Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and businesswoman Dany Garcia.
It has not yet been announced if the league plans to return to all of the former XFL cities from 2020 in this new reboot.
The CFL has been around since the 1950's, and is currently comprised of nine teams.