Arena League Adds Two Expansion Teams for 2027

The Arena League will expand to 14 teams next season with new franchises in Phoenix and Atlanta. The announcement, made Thursday at a press event in Los Angeles, marks the league’s first expansion in three years and brings professional esports franchises to two of the fastest-growing metro areas in the country. League officials said the additions reflect strong attendance at live events and growing demand from cities that want teams of their own.

The two new franchises will begin play in the 2027 season, which opens in February. Their names, colors and rosters are expected to be revealed over the coming months.

Why Phoenix and Atlanta

League officials said both cities stood out during a selection process that considered fan engagement, local venues, business support and existing esports communities. Phoenix and Atlanta each have active collegiate esports scenes, a large population of young adults and arenas capable of hosting events of several thousand people.

“Both markets have been asking us for teams for years,” said Lena Ortiz, the Arena League commissioner, at Thursday’s event. “Our viewership data showed big audiences in both regions, and our touring events there sold out quickly. It was time.”

The Phoenix franchise is owned by Desert Signal Group, a local investment group that also operates a gaming venue in Tempe. The Atlanta team is backed by Peachline Entertainment, which runs live events and youth gaming camps across Georgia. Financial terms of the expansion were not disclosed, though league sources described the franchise fees as in line with previous expansion rounds.

Home games

Both teams will play at least eight home events in local arenas. That commitment is central to the league’s strategy. For much of its history, the Arena League played most of its regular season in a single studio in Los Angeles, with only occasional road events. In recent seasons, the league has shifted toward a home-and-away model, in which teams host matches in their own cities.

Local fans showing up in person is what turns a team into a team.

Lena Ortiz, Arena League commissioner

Ortiz said attendance at home events has grown each season since the shift, and teams that host regularly have seen stronger merchandise sales and larger social media followings. The new franchises will be required to host at least eight home events per season, with the option to host more.

The Phoenix team plans to split its home schedule between a downtown arena and the Tempe venue, while the Atlanta team will play most of its home events at a midtown arena that also hosts concerts and college basketball. Both organizations said they plan to offer affordable ticket options for students and families.

A bigger playoff

The postseason grows from six to eight teams. With 14 franchises in the league, officials said expanding the playoff field keeps more teams in contention late in the season and gives fans more reasons to follow the standings.

Under the new format, the top eight teams in the regular season standings will qualify. The first round will be played as a best-of-five series, with the higher seed hosting. The semifinals and final will remain best-of-seven series held at a neutral site. The league will announce the host city for next year’s finals in the spring.

The regular season will also change slightly to fit the larger league. Each team will play every other team at least once, and division rivals will meet twice. The league said the season will run about two weeks longer than this year’s, with a short midseason break built in to give players rest and to make room for an all-star weekend.

Players have welcomed the break. Several veterans have spoken publicly in recent seasons about the strain of travel and long practice hours, and the league said it is working with teams on rest guidelines and access to health and wellness staff.

Here is a quick look at the key changes for the 2027 season:

• Teams: 14, up from 12, with new franchises in Phoenix and Atlanta.
• Home events: at least eight per team, held in local arenas.
• Regular season: slightly longer, with each team playing every other team at least once.
• Playoffs: eight teams instead of six, with a best-of-five first round.
• Finals: best-of-seven series at a neutral site, with the location to be announced.

Key takeaway: two new cities, more home games and a bigger playoff mean more live matches across the country and a tighter race for the postseason.

Building rosters from scratch

The new teams will build their rosters through a combination of free agency and an expansion draft. Under league rules, each existing team can protect a set number of players, and the expansion teams will select from the remaining pool. Phoenix and Atlanta will also be free to sign players who are not currently under contract, including standouts from collegiate and amateur leagues.

Several current players have already expressed interest in joining the new teams, citing the chance to play in front of home crowds. Collegiate programs in Arizona and Georgia could also become valuable recruiting pipelines, and both franchises said they plan to partner with local schools.

Coaching hires are expected first. Desert Signal Group said it is in talks with several experienced coaches and hopes to name a head coach by the end of the year. Peachline Entertainment said it will announce its coaching staff alongside the team’s name and colors.

Reaction from fans and teams

Reaction from existing teams was largely positive, though some executives raised concerns about competitive balance and the possibility of talent being spread thin. “Expansion is good for the league, but it’s going to make the middle of the standings very crowded,” said one team general manager, who asked not to be named because the league had not yet finalized draft rules.

Fans in both cities welcomed the news. Arena League watch parties in Phoenix and Atlanta have drawn growing crowds in recent seasons, and local fan groups said they were thrilled to finally have a team to call their own. “We’ve been cheering for teams from other cities for years,” said Malik Turner, who organizes a watch party at a gaming lounge in Atlanta. “Now we get to fill an arena for our own team. That’s huge.”

Esports observers said the expansion reflects a broader trend toward local identity in professional gaming. Leagues that build strong connections between teams and their cities tend to see more loyal fan bases and steadier business support, they said.

What happens next

The league will release the full 2027 schedule, including home events for all 14 teams, in December. The expansion draft is scheduled for November, and both new franchises are expected to reveal their names, logos and colors before then. Season tickets for Phoenix and Atlanta home events are expected to go on sale shortly after the schedule is announced.

Respawn will follow every step of the expansion, from the draft to the first home match. Check our live esports strip and standings page for updates throughout the offseason. For fans in Phoenix and Atlanta, the wait for a hometown team is almost over. As Ortiz put it, local fans showing up in person is what turns a team into a team, and both cities will soon have their chance to prove it.