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Defending Arena Football One playoff champion Albany Firebirds collected the No. 1 ranking in the annual 50YardFootball.com AF1 preseason poll, released Tuesday.
The Nashville Kats, the 2025 playoff runner-ups, ranks second.
The Minnesota Monsters are third in as they transition after capturing The Arena League championships in 2024 and '25.
Behind the top three, the preseason power spots include six other clubs that will make up AF1’s nine-team field in 2026, showing the league’s expanding footprint into new markets.
The No. 4 Beaumont Renegades are newcomers from the National Arena League, bringing recent championship experience to AF1.
The No. 5 Kentucky Barrels and No. 6 Michigan Arsenal are expansion franchises debuting this season, both adding strong regional brands to the league’s map.
The No. 7 Oceanside Bombers also debut in 2026, giving AF1 its first presence on the West Coast. No. 8 Oregon Lightning and No. 9 Washington Wolfpack return from the previous season’s roster of clubs.
AF1’s schedule officially kicks off the weekend of April 11, highlighting the broad geographical mix and competitive balance across the country as the league enters its second season.
