by Howie Hanson

Arena Football One will open its 2026 season this weekend with four games involving eight of its nine teams, an opening slate that immediately tests roster stability, early identity and the league’s competitive balance.

The spotlight lands Saturday night in Albany, where the defending champion Firebirds — coming off a 12-0 title run in 2025 — host the expansion Minnesota Monsters in a matchup that pairs the league’s established standard against one of its newest entrants.

The game, scheduled for 6 p.m. EDT at MVP Arena, will air nationally on VICE TV and stream on HomeTeam Network.

Albany enters the season as the consensus No. 1 team in the AF1 Fan Zone preseason rankings, a composite panel that reflects both returning production and organizational continuity. The Firebirds received three of four first-place votes and posted a 1.3 average ranking, reinforcing their position as the team to beat despite offseason roster turnover.

Nashville, last season’s runner-up, sits second with a 2.0 average, while Kentucky checks in third at 3.3, giving the league a clear top tier entering opening weekend.

Washington (4.8) and Minnesota (5.5) round out the middle of the nine-team field, followed closely by Michigan (5.8) and Beaumont (6.3). Oregon (7.3) and Oceanside (9.0) complete the preseason order, though early-season results are expected to quickly challenge those projections.

For Minnesota, ranked fifth, the opener represents both opportunity and exposure. The Monsters are stepping into a higher level of arena football, facing a road environment and a championship-caliber opponent in their first AF1 game. How quickly they adapt — particularly in execution and pace — will help determine whether they outperform their preseason slot.

Sunday’s schedule features three games that further shape the early standings.

Michigan travels to Kentucky for a 5 p.m. EDT kickoff at Truist Arena, a matchup between teams clustered tightly in the middle of the rankings and looking to establish traction. Kentucky’s No. 3 ranking reflects expectations of immediate competitiveness, while Michigan enters at No. 6 seeking consistency on both sides of the ball.

Later Sunday, Oregon visits Washington at Angel of the Winds Arena. Washington, ranked fourth, opens with realistic expectations of pushing into the league’s top tier, while Oregon — eighth in the preseason — begins the year as a team in transition with a retooled roster.

The opening weekend concludes Sunday night when Beaumont faces Oceanside at Frontwave Arena. Both teams sit in the lower half of the rankings entering the season and will look to define themselves quickly in a league where a short schedule amplifies the importance of early results.

Nashville, the No. 2-ranked team, will not play in Week 1 after drawing the league’s only bye.

All games will be available through Arena Football One broadcast partners, with streaming coverage on HomeTeam Network — also simulcast on the league’s YouTube channel — and select national exposure on VICE TV.

The structure of the opening weekend — limited games, high visibility and immediate cross-tier matchups — leaves little room for gradual buildup. For Albany, it is a chance to reaffirm its position. For Minnesota and the rest of the field, it is an early test of whether preseason projections hold or begin to shift.

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Read more from Howie Hanson at howiehanson.com