XFL to air on ESPN, ABC, FX for 2023 relaunch season

A potential partnership between the XFL and the Canadian Football League fell through last summer, but new XFL owners Dany Garcia, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Gerry Cardinale's RedBird Capital Partners vowed at that time that its eight-team league was still planning to return for a relaunch season in 2023. 

Per an ESPN piece, the XFL now has television homes for early next year. 

It was announced during Disney's upfront event on Tuesday that Disney properties ESPN, ABC and FX will come together to air all XFL regular-season and playoff games for the 2023 season. ESPN+ could also air XFL-related content, but it's unclear if that streaming service will be an exclusive broadcaster for any contests. 

The XFL plans to start the season on Feb. 18, 2023. 

"This is a definitive moment for the XFL and the beginning of an incredible, long-term partnership for the league, building on my longstanding, very successful legacy relationship I've had with Disney throughout my career," Johnson said in a statement shared by the XFL website. "We’re excited to be working with global visionaries that are aligned with the XFL’s values, are true team players and share our ambitious goals to grow the XFL as a global sports and entertainment business. Through the combined power of Disney, ESPN and the XFL, together we will create a new powerhouse on the sports calendar and bring a dynamic game of football to fans everywhere. Time to ball out."

As Michael David Smith explained for Pro Football Talk, players attached to the United States Football League won't be eligible to play in the XFL assuming the USFL holds a season next spring.