AMERICAN INDOOR FOOTBALL LEAGUE JOINS THE NATIONAL ARENA LEAGUE

ATLANTA, GA – After completing their eighth season of play, the National Arena League is proud to announce that the American Indoor Football league will join the NAL for the 2025 season.  This includes the Corpus Christi Tritons, the Harrisburg Stampede and the 2024 AIF Champion, Columbus Lions, who finished the 2024 season undefeated. The Columbus Lions return to the National Arena League, originally joining in 2017. They will join the existing six NAL teams, including the Wheeling Miners, who announced their move to the NAL last month and recently won the AAL2 Championship and were undefeated. The move brings NAL membership to nine teams for the 2025 season, which would mark the largest field of teams ever participating in the NAL.  


Returning to the National Arena League are the defending NAL Champion, the Omaha Beef, Sioux City Bandits, Carolina Cobras, Colorado Spartans, and Idaho Horsemen. The National Arena League expects further expansion in the near future but acknowledges this major benchmark as a huge step for the league's current and future success of growth. The recent news brings three undefeated teams into the 2025 National Arena League, the Omaha Beef (10-0), Columbus Lions (7-0), and Wheeling Miners (10-0). 


NAL Commissioner Todd Walkenhorst feels that the recent additions are a strong addition to the league. “We are happy to add these teams to the National Arena League, as these teams represent some great markets, fan bases, ownerships, coaches and players,” Walkenhorst said.  “It’s also a great testament to the job Brandon Ikard did this season with the AIF.  Putting all of our teams together will undoubtedly create a stronger league for all of us in 2025 and beyond.”


Brandon Ikard will join the NAL Board of Directors in an Executive Director position.  Ikard brings a wealth of experience to the league and will be instrumental in the growth of the NAL. “Once our discussions began in partnership with our leagues, it was obvious that we shared a lot of the same goals,” Ikard said. “We have a lot of great teams and more importantly, great people involved and this will allow us to continue to provide a quality, professional product to our players and fans.”


The National Arena League will now compete in nine states in three time zones.  For more news on expansion stay tuned to nationalarenaleague.com



ABOUT THE NATIONAL ARENA LEAGUE

(NAL) The National Arena League is a premier arena football league committed to delivering thrilling sports entertainment to fans nationwide. With a focus on high-octane action, and top-tier competition, the NAL showcases talented athletes, dedicated coaches, and passionate team owners. The league's unwavering commitment to excellence has solidified its position as a prominent force in the world of arena football. 

For more information regarding expansion opportunities or partnerships, contact Commissioner Todd Walkenhorst at todd@nationalarenaleague.com. 

For more information about arena football, visit NationalArenaLeague.com