The indoor, high-scoring, fast-paced spin on American football is returning this Saturday, April 27! The Arena Football League (AFL) will have its first game of the 2024 season at Lafayette’s Blackham Coliseum (2330 Johnston St) when the Louisiana Voodoo face off against the Philadelphia Soul—get your tickets here!
This is just the first game of a full season for the AFL. This is the full schedule for the Louisiana Voodoo:
- 4/27 v. Philadelphia Soul
- 5/4 v. Georgia Force
- 5/9 v. Orlando Predators (NFL Network)
- 5/18 @ Washington Wolf Pack
- 5/25 v West Texas Désert Hawks
- 6/2 v. Georgia Force (NFL Network)
- 6/8 v. Oregon Black Bears
- 6/13 @ Orlando Predators
- 6/20 v. Salina Liberty (NFL Network)
- 6/29 @ West Texas Désert Hawks
If you’re not familiar with the differences between arena football (also called “ironman football”) and traditional American football, these are some of the most notable differences:
- AFL games are played exclusively indoors
- The AFL game field is 50 yards long (50 yards shorter than the 100 yard field used in regular football).
- Punting is illegal in AFL games
- The goal posts are different sizes
- There is a rebound net behind the goal posts, which teams can use to their advantage
There are some more minor differences between these two forms of football, which this ABC27 article goes into further detail about.
With AFL games coming to NFL networks, there’s never been a better time to be a fan of the Arena Football League. In the words of the AFL’s President, Anthony Rossi:
“We are elated to come out of hibernation and make this announcement official. Our objective when we acquired the AFL was to bring back a storied brand that deserved to be revived and showcased again, globally.”
The AFL is back and here to stay, launching with 16 teams that will play 10 regular season games before postseason play. So be there for the start when the Louisiana Voodoo plays the Philadelphia Soul at Blackham Coliseum (2330 Johnston St) this Saturday in Lafayette!