UFL Announces Significant New Rule Changes That Could Transform The Game Of Football Forever

This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.

The United Football League (UFL) prepares for its 2026 season, and it is bringing major changes to the competition. The officials want to give fans a bigger show, and they took it to a new level.

For instance, it will award four points for any field goal of at least 60 yards. Additionally, they banned punts inside the opponent’s 50-yard line.

“We’re always looking to innovate but also maintain the integrity and the foundation of the game,” said Dean Blandino, the UFL’s head of officiating. “The game that we want and the game that we’ve strived for is exciting, with a good flow, good pace, not a lot of stoppages and really big plays. We’re going to promote scoring.”

Another big change will come this season, one that the NFL avoided last year.

The UFL’s New Rules Ban The Tush Push

The tush push short-yardage play won’t be allowed in the 2026 UFL season. The league defines the play as “a play in which, after the quarterback takes the snap, he immediately drives forward as the offensive line surges and is assisted by additional players behind him who physically push him forward into the surging offensive line.”

More than that, the two-point conversion will be placed at the 2-yard line, the same as in the NFL. Teams will have the chance to kick for one point from the 33-yard line or go for a three-point conversion from the 8-yard line.

Kickoff returners will have five more yards of space (40-yard line to 45). They also adopted the NCAA rule that requires only one foot in bounds for a complete catch.

The UFL’s new rules might be too much for some, but they want to offer a better show on offense. These appear to be good steps to do so.

Whether the NFL chooses to adopt any of these changes themselves remains to be seen.