The 2025 IFL season is the 17th season of the Indoor Football League (IFL). The season began on March 21, 2025, with the Jacksonville Sharks defeating the Massachusetts Pirates during the IFL Opening Weekend. The regular season will conclude on July 27. The playoffs start date is to be announced but will conclude with the 2025 IFL National Championship, the league's championship game, in Tucson Arena at the Tucson Convention Center in Tucson, Arizona, on August 23.
Team movement
Expansion
The IFL announced that one team would be established:
- On October 24, 2023, the IFL announced the addition of an expansion team in Indianapolis, Indiana who would play at the brand-new Fishers Event Center starting in 2025. On December 15, the team was named the Fishers Freight.
Dormancy
The IFL announced that three teams were going dormant:
- On October 16, 2024, the Duke City Gladiators owner Gina Prieskorn-Thomas announced that the team would be dormant. She stated there were problems with the team's marketing strategies due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
- On October 16, 2024, the Frisco Fighters announced that they would be entering dormant status without specifying why.
- On October 30, 2024, the Sioux Falls Storm announced that they would be going dormant due to their inability to find a secure location to field a team.
Player movement
Free agency
Notable players to change teams included:
- Quarterbacks T. J. Edwards (Frisco to Tulsa), Charles McCullum (Salina to Tucson), Daquan Neal (Bay Area to Quad City), and Drew Powell (Orlando to Arizona)
- Running backs Jimmie Robinson (Massachusetts to Jacksonville) and Edward Vander (Quad City to Jacksonville)
- Wide receivers Kentrez Bell (Sioux Falls to Jacksonville), Shaq Curenton (Rapid City to Iowa), Glen Gibbons Jr. (Arizona to San Antonio), Johnny King (Hamilton to Vegas, Jordan Kress (San Diego to Fishers), Elijah Lilly (San Diego to Arizona), Phazione McClurge (Frisco to Tulsa), Jerrime Neal (Arizona to Tulsa), J. T. Stokes (Bay Area to Fishers), and Tamorrion Terry (Duke City to Vegas)
- Defensive lineman Chima Dunga (Tulsa to Quad City) and Jaylin Swan (Quad City to Fishers)
- Defensive backs Jericho Flowers (Vegas to San Diego), Tyrell Pearson (Frisco to Fishers), Elijah Reed (Sioux Falls to San Diego), Ravarius Rivers (Green Bay to San Antonio) and Shawn Steele II (Green Bay to Fishers)
- Kicker Ernesto Lacayo (Duke City to San Diego)
League call-ups
- Offensive lineman Johari Branch (UFL – DC), Devin Hayes (CFL – Edmonton), Deiyantei Powell-Woods (CFL – Calgary), and Barry Wesley (UFL – Birmingham)
- Defensive lineman Israel Antwine (UFL – Houston), Atlias Bell (CFL – Toronto), and Daymond Williams (CFL – Toronto)
- Linebacker Jaiden Woodbey (CFL – Winnipeg)
- Defensive backs Latavious Brini (CFL – Winnipeg), Javaris Davis (CFL – Winnipeg), Cyrus Fagan (CFL – Calgary), and Amir Riep (UFL – Memphis)
Rule changes
The following rule changes were approved at the IFL annual league meeting on January 13–14 in Phoenix, Arizona:
- Any kicked ball that passes through the end zone without touching the field of play will now be marked at the kicking team’s 20-yard line. The previous adjustment to the 25-yard line has been removed for consistency.
- If a team leading by 14 points or fewer has possession of the ball during the last minute, they must gain positive yardage; otherwise, the clock will stop. The former rule requiring positive yardage in the final 60 seconds of the game has been reinstated.
- A linebacker who declares a blitz may now rush from inside or outside the alley. The league has eliminated the restriction on linebackers blitzing outside of the alley.
- Defensive linemen are now permitted to execute twist moves.
- The 1-yard grace for wide receivers in motion crossing the line of scrimmage has been removed. A receiver’s foot crossing the line at the snap will now be considered a false start. Other body parts, such as the knee, hand, or head, will not determine the penalty.
Regular season
The season will be played over a 19-week schedule, beginning on March 21, 2025, and ending on July 27, 2025. Each of the league's 14 teams will play 16 games, with three bye weeks.
Regular season standings
Coaches poll
Postseason
2025 IFL playoffs
Awards
All-IFL teams
Players of the Week
The following were named the top performers during the season:
Head coaching changes
Off-season
In-season
Arenas
- On October 24, 2023, the IFL announced that a 2025 Indianapolis expansion team – later to be named the Fishers Freight – would play in the Fishers Event Center.
- On October 1, 2024, the IFL announced a three-year partnership between the San Diego Strike Force and Frontwave Arena that would start in 2025.
- On October 20, 2024, the Sioux Falls Storm announced that they had been evicted from Denny Sanford Premier Center after its owners had refused to offer a lease renewal.
- On October 21, 2024, it was announced that Casey's bought the naming rights of Wells Fargo Arena. Starting on July 1, 2025, the arena will be renamed Casey's Center.
- On November 7, 2024, the IFL announced a three-year agreement to hold the IFL National Championship at the Tucson Convention Center starting in 2025.
Broadcasting
On March 12, 2025, the IFL announced a multi-year partnership with Visaic to launch the IFL Network, a subscription video service that will carry all IFL games live and on-demand. The agreement brings an end to the IFL's broadcasting of its games on YouTube.
CBS Sports Network is on the third and final year in a contract to carry the IFL National Championship.
Notes
References
