Arena Football One taps Kentucky Barrels as newest expansion team
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. — Arena Football One is continuing to build off its inaugural season, adding a new franchise in the Southeast.
On Monday, AF1 officials held a joint press conference with local and state leaders to introduce the Kentucky Barrels as the newest expansion team. The team will be based in Highland Heights and play home games at Truist Arena on the Northern Kentucky University campus beginning in 2026.
“We are excited to welcome arena football to Truist Arena through this exciting partnership,” NKU President Cady Short-Thompson said in a news release. “This collaboration brings a new level of energy and entertainment to our campus and community, while showcasing Truist Arena as a premier venue in the region. We look forward to cheering on the team and seeing fans fill the stands.”
The franchise is led by local entrepreneur and NKU alum Corey Cunningham. The Barrels also introduced former Billings Outlaws coach Cedric Walker as head coach and general manager.
Walker, who has coached arena football since 2006 and won a championship with the Outlaws in 2024 in the Arena Football League, recently parted ways with the team. Outlaws owner Steven Titus told 406mtsports.com that both sides wanted to go in a different direction.
“I think with what we have installed here, along with Corey’s vision, is to bring a championship here,” Walker said at the conference. “With that being said, it’s going to be hard work and it will take a village. When the Barrels come through, you’re gonna love it. We’re going to be a grind team and we’re going to be physical.”
Kentucky state Sen. Shelley Funke Frommeyer also spoke at the press conference, highlighting the impact the Barrels will have on the workforce in the Greater Cincinnati region. She said NKU students will have unique opportunities to participate in internships such as athletic training, media production and hospitality.
“Today we celebrate not just the arrival of a football team, we celebrate the arrival of a new chapter of the Northern Kentucky story,” Frommeyer said. “One that blends athletics, academics and community pride in a way that will shape our region’s future for years to come. The Kentucky Barrels aren’t just here to play games, they’re here to strengthen our economy, energize our campus and bring people together.”
The Barrels join the Beaumont Renegades as the latest teams to join AF1 this season. The league is now up to 10 teams. Last year, the Stockton Crusaders and Monterrey Kings announced they would delay their debut until 2026, and the Wichita Regulators were granted dormancy with a goal of returning in 2026. None of the three teams has officially committed to next season.
Before the Arena Crown on June 28 – when the undefeated Albany Firebirds defeated the Nashville Kats 60-57- Commissioner Jeff Fisher said the league would add two new teams in Ohio and Michigan. An official announcement on those franchises has not yet been made.
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