XFL (2001) played its only season in 2001 and was a joint venture between the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) and NBC, which also carried the game on its broadcast network.
It was conceived as an outdoor football league that would begin play immediately after the National Football League (NFL) season ended, to take advantage of the perceived lingering public desire to watch football after the NFL and college football seasons conclude.
It was promoted as having fewer rules to encourage rougher play than other major leagues, inspired by professional wrestling (and in particular, the WWF's then-current "Attitude Era"), including heat and kayfabe, and suggestively-dressed cheerleaders. Commentary crews also featured WWF commentators (such as Jesse Ventura, Jim Ross, and Jerry Lawler) joined by sportscasters and veteran football players. Despite the wrestling influence, the games and their outcomes were legitimate and not based on scripted storylines.
The league operated as a single entity with all teams owned by the league, compared to the usual franchise model adopted by most major professional leagues.
The league was relaunched briefly in 2020, cut short due to the Coronavirus-19 Pandemic, and then returned for a full regular season and playoffs in 2023 before merging with the USFL to form the UFL in 2024.
| 2001 CHAMPIONS | HALL OF FAME |
|---|---|
 LOS ANGELES XTREME (1) |
LOS ANGELES XTREME (1) |
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TEAMS |
|---|
| EAST DIVISION |
| WEST DIVISION |