XFL to return in 2022, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, Dany Garcia announce

League owners Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Dany Garcia on Thursday announced the return of the XFL beginning in 2022.

“Our work is cut out for us, but we wouldn’t have it any other way,” Johnson, who bought the XFL in August with Garcia and RedBird Capital Partners, said in a video published Thursday on social media.

In a joint statement, Johnson and Garcia said the XFL “represents the idea of ultimate opportunity.”

“It’s a league of soul and culture, anchored by the pursuit of dreams and love for the game,” they said. “Every XFL player, coach, city and fan is our top priority and we couldn’t be more excited to champion them in an electrifying 2022 season.”

Jeffrey Pollack, the president and COO of the XFL, said Thursday that the league’s new ownership presented an opportunity that was “simply too big to rush back.”

“For the love of football and for the safety of our players and fans, we’ll be back on the field in 2022,” he said Thursday. “We want to do this properly with care and thought for everyone who loves football, especially our players, coaches, partners and fans.”

The XFL was launched with eight teams in February but shuttered after five weeks amid quickly dwindling viewership, according to the Bleacher Report and ESPN. Previously, the league ended play after a single season in 2001, ESPN reported.

Cox Media Group