The third iteration of the XFL takes to the field in 2023 with the hope that, this time, it can stay around for the long haul. With the previous two versions having different playoff formats, what will be the XFL playoff format for the 2023 season? Let’s take a look at the plan for this season and what was used in the previous versions of the XFL.
XFL Playoff Format for the 2023 Season
The expectation is that the 2023 XFL playoff format will be the division championship model. Once again, the league will have a two-division structure, with their teams split into North and South divisions.
The playoffs will follow a 10-week regular season where teams play their division opponents twice and the teams from the opposite division once. The top two teams from each division will then face off for a third time, with the team with the better record likely hosting the game in their stadium.
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The playoffs are currently scheduled to be played over a three-week period. The “Division Championship Games” will be played on the weekend of the 2023 NFL Draft, Saturday, April 29, and Sunday, April 30. Then, the Championship Game is scheduled to be played on Saturday, May 13. At the time of writing, the location of the Championship Game has not been confirmed for 2023.
This is the same structure that the 2020 XFL had planned. However, it differs from the completed 2001 XFL season, when the playoffs used a crossover format. In 2001, the Eastern Division winners hosted the Western Division runners-up and vice versa. That year, the Championship Game ended up being a “rivalry match” between the two Californian teams, the Los Angeles Xtreme and the San Francisco Demons.