2024 UFL dispersal draft

The 2024 UFL dispersal draft was the player selection process to fill the rosters of the eight teams for the 2024 UFL season and disperse the rosters from the eight teams from its component conferences, the XFL and USFL, that were not retained in the merger.

Process

Following the merger of five teams of the XFL and three teams of the USFL into the United Football League (UFL) the UFL announced plans for a dispersal draft for XFL and USFL players on teams that were not joining the UFL. The draft will involve a three-phase player allocation process. Phases 1 and 2 occurred on January 5, and an open dispersal draft for remaining USFL/XFL players (phase 3) were held on January 15, 2024.

As part of the terms of the merger, the Houston Roughnecks used a base roster from their USFL counterpart, the Houston Gamblers, and drew from the USFL dispersal pool in Phase 2 of the draft. The 2023 Roughnecks' roster was dispersed to other teams in the XFL pool during Phase 2.

Phase 1

In Phase 1, each of the eight remaining teams selected up to 42 players currently under contract, or (in the XFL's case) who had signed a letter of intent with that team, who will be exempt from Phase 3 of the draft.

Phase 2

Phase 2 of the draft involved separate dispersal drafts for the USFL and XFL. The rosters of the four contracted teams from each league were placed into separate pools, where the four remaining teams from each league could claim up to 20 players from their league's respective pool.

Phase 3

In Phase 3, billed as the UFL Super Draft, the remaining players not protected in Phase 1 nor claimed in Phase 2, along with any free agents who sign with the league, were subject to an open draft in which any of the eight teams could claim the player's rights.