What has to happen for the Birmingham Stallions to make the UFL playoffs?
The Stallions need a victory on Saturday and some help on the final weekend of the regular season.
Olivia Bennett 
The United Football League season reaches a fever pitch this weekend, and for the Birmingham Stallions, the path to the playoffs is narrow. To keep their postseason dreams alive, the Stallions need a win and some help from around the league during this final week of regular-season play.
The Playoff Path
Entering Week 10, the standings show the DC Defenders and Louisville Kings at 5-4, while the Stallions sit at 4-5. For Birmingham to clinch a spot alongside the St. Louis Battlehawks, the Storm, and DC, three specific things must occur:
- Birmingham must defeat the Houston Gamblers on Saturday.
- The DC Defenders must take down the Orlando Storm on Sunday.
- The Columbus Aviators must beat the Louisville Kings.
If these dominoes fall in Birmingham's favor, the Stallions secure their spot. If not, the Kings will move on to the postseason. The stakes are high, and while the Stallions hold a head-to-head victory over the Kings from a 15-13 win on March 27, tiebreaker scenarios involving three-way deadlocks are complex and currently favor the competition.
Staying Focused
Stallions coach AJ McCarron is focused on his locker room rather than the arithmetic of the tiebreakers. Despite a season defined by roster turnover—including navigating a stretch with four new offensive linemen—McCarron praised his team's professional approach. He acknowledged the heartbreak of tight losses, such as the 22-20 defeat to Houston in April and last week’s 36-29 loss to the Aviators.
"We just got to control what we can control," said linebacker Kyahva Tezino. "If this is our last game, then, hey, we want to finish on a high note and win our last game."
Game Day Details
The Stallions wrap up their 2026 regular season at home this Saturday against the 3-6 Gamblers. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. CDT at Protective Stadium, with the game broadcast on ESPN2. Fans heading to the stadium can catch the Fan Fest starting at 12:30 p.m., with the first 5,000 attendees receiving an AJ McCarron bobblehead.
