Football fans are normally left wanting more of the sport by the middle of February. The Super Bowl has concluded, free agency won't happen for another month and the NFL Draft might as well be an eternity away.
Live updates, highlights as Defenders battle Renegades in XFL championship
Those fans didn't have to worry about that in 2023, thanks to the XFL's return season. The eight-team league brought plenty of entertainment through 40 regular-season games and two playoff contests. Now, nearly three months after the opening kickoff, it's time to crown a champion.
The site for this year's final game is the Alamodome in San Antonio. One of the league's three teams from Texas –– the Arlington Renegades –– will be representing the Lone Star State. They'll match up against the D.C. Defenders, who were the best team all season as they finished 9-1.
It's a surprising pairing. Arlington finished 4-6 but upset the Houston Roughnecks in the playoffs. Houston was favored to represent the South Division and appeared to be on a collision course with North Division champion D.C., which dispatched the Seattle Sea Dragons in the playoffs.
The two sides faced off in Week 9, with D.C. requiring overtime to hold off Arlington 28-26. The Renegades put together a furious fourth-quarter comeback and held the top-ranked D.C. rushing attack to 50 yards on the ground.
This game will feature the highest-scoring and lowest-scoring teams in the XFL. D.C. averaged 29.8 points per game in the regular season, while Arlington averaged 14.6 points per contest.
MORE: Watch the XFL championship live with Fubo (free trial)
Here is a complete guide to watching Defenders vs. Renegades, including start time, TV channels and live streaming options for the XFL championship game.
What channel is Defenders vs. Renegades on today?
- TV channel: ABC
- Live stream: ESPN+, Fubo (free trial)
Defenders vs. Renegades will be broadcast on ABC. Cord-cutters can catch the action on ESPN+ or Fubo, which comes with a free trial for new subscribers.
Defenders vs. Renegades start time
- Date: Saturday, May 13
- Kickoff: 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. CT)
All of the action from the Alamodome in San Antonio is set to kick off at 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. local time) on Saturday, May 13.
MORE: XFL playoff bracket: Who made it to the postseason?
XFL playoff schedule
Saturday, May 13
| Matchup | Time (ET) | TV/streaming |
| Renegades vs. Defenders | 8 p.m. | ABC, ESPN+, Fubo |
