The Arena Football League (AFL) is professional indoor football. Pay is modest, and players earn per game rather than a yearly salary.
- 2024 AFL promise: $1,000 per game.
- Arena Football One (AF1) base pay: $400 per game, with teams free to pay more.
- National Arena League (NAL): $50 win bonus, and quarterbacks up to $600 per game.
This guide draws on league sites, Wikipedia entries, Sports Illustrated and Front Office Sports. Pay changes by team and season. Treat each figure as a range, not a promise.
What Is the Arena Football League?
Jim Foster, an NFL promotions manager, dreamed up the game in 1981. He sketched the field and rules on a 9x12 manila envelope while watching indoor soccer at Madison Square Garden. Few envelopes have worked harder.
The league launched in 1987 with four teams. The first game on June 19 drew 12,117 fans.
The sport plays faster and scores higher than NFL football. Newer rules relax one old demand. AF1 no longer requires "ironman" play on both offense and defense.
A Short Timeline of the AFL
The league has died and come back more often than a soap-opera character. Here is the short version.
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1987 | First season, four teams |
| 2009 | Season cancelled over internal issues |
| 2010 | League relaunches under new owners |
| 2019 | League goes bankrupt |
| Feb 2023 | G6 Sports Group announces a relaunch |
| 2024 | Relaunched AFL opens with 16 teams |
| Sept 2024 | Eight teams leave to form Arena Football One |
| 2025 | AF1 plays its first season |
How Much Does the Arena Football League Pay?
Think of it as a side gig with shoulder pads. Contracts pay per game, and figures vary by league and team.
| League | Reported pay | Source |
|---|---|---|
| AFL (2024 season) | $1,000 per game offered to players | Front Office Sports |
| AF1 (2025) | $400 base per game; teams may pay more | Wikipedia |
| NAL | $50 win bonus; quarterbacks up to $600 per game | Wikipedia |
Per-game figures from the table above. Bars show the stated amount, not an average.
Here is the season math. AF1 scheduled a 12-game regular season in 2025. Twelve games at $400 equals $4,800 in base pay, before bonuses or playoffs. That is our own arithmetic, not a league-reported total.
Pay on Paper Versus Pay in Reality
The 2024 AFL season shows why the contract number is only half the story. Georgia Force players told Front Office Sports that promised checks never arrived after their first game. By May 20, 2024, five of the league's 16 teams had folded.
Players also described costs they covered themselves:
- A required physical that could run $500 to $600 without insurance.
- No per diem or meal money.
- Changing travel plans that clashed with day jobs.
Those day jobs matter. One quarterback worked as a substitute teacher and private instructor. A kicker worked as a sales director at a car dealership.
Why Does Arena Football Pay So Little?
Revenue is the short answer. AF1 itself notes that travel, player housing and arena leases cost a lot. Smaller leagues cannot spread those costs over big media deals.
- A promised NFL Network TV deal for the 2024 AFL never materialized.
- Teams fund travel and venues from ticket sales and sponsors.
- Stable leagues pay on time. Players talk about which ones do.
Questions to Ask Before You Sign
Pay tells you little without context. Use this checklist before accepting any indoor football offer.
- When does the first paycheck arrive, and how?
- Does the team cover flights, hotels and meals?
- Who pays for the physical and medical care?
- Does the league have a stable ownership record?
- Can you keep your day job during the season?
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Arena Football League still playing?
The original league ended with its 2019 bankruptcy. A relaunched AFL played in 2024, then eight teams left to form AF1. AF1 listed a spring 2026 season on its official site.
Who invented arena football?
Jim Foster, a former NFL and USFL executive, invented it. He patented the system of play, and the patent was granted in 1990.
Can players live on arena football pay alone?
Most cannot. Base pay of $400 per game adds up to a few thousand dollars per season. Players in the Front Office Sports report held outside jobs.
How many games does an AF1 team play?
AF1 played a 12-game regular season in 2025.
Do quarterbacks earn more?
In the NAL, starting quarterbacks can earn up to $600 per game. Pay differs by league and team.
Keep Reading
Love sports and stats? See our breakdown of Program Stars in MLB The Show 24.
Sources
- Front Office Sports: Inside the Collapse of the Arena Football League's Georgia Force
- AFLPU: Our History
- Sports Illustrated: Arena Football League Announces 2024 Relaunch
- Wikipedia: Arena Football League (2024)
- Wikipedia: 2025 Arena Football One season
- Wikipedia: National Arena League
- Arena Football One: AF1 Is Earning Something Money Can't Buy
The Arena Football League (AFL) is professional indoor football. Pay is modest, and players earn per game rather than a yearly salary.
- 2024 AFL promise: $1,000 per game.
- Arena Football One (AF1) base pay: $400 per game, with teams free to pay more.
- National Arena League (NAL): $50 win bonus, and quarterbacks up to $600 per game.
This guide draws on league sites, Wikipedia entries, Sports Illustrated and Front Office Sports. Pay changes by team and season. Treat each figure as a range, not a promise.
What Is the Arena Football League?
Jim Foster, an NFL promotions manager, dreamed up the game in 1981. He sketched the field and rules on a 9x12 manila envelope while watching indoor soccer at Madison Square Garden. Few envelopes have worked harder.
The league launched in 1987 with four teams. The first game on June 19 drew 12,117 fans.
The sport plays faster and scores higher than NFL football. Newer rules relax one old demand. AF1 no longer requires "ironman" play on both offense and defense.
A Short Timeline of the AFL
The league has died and come back more often than a soap-opera character. Here is the short version.
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1987 | First season, four teams |
| 2009 | Season cancelled over internal issues |
| 2010 | League relaunches under new owners |
| 2019 | League goes bankrupt |
| Feb 2023 | G6 Sports Group announces a relaunch |
| 2024 | Relaunched AFL opens with 16 teams |
| Sept 2024 | Eight teams leave to form Arena Football One |
| 2025 | AF1 plays its first season |
How Much Does the Arena Football League Pay?
Think of it as a side gig with shoulder pads. Contracts pay per game, and figures vary by league and team.
| League | Reported pay | Source |
|---|---|---|
| AFL (2024 season) | $1,000 per game offered to players | Front Office Sports |
| AF1 (2025) | $400 base per game; teams may pay more | Wikipedia |
| NAL | $50 win bonus; quarterbacks up to $600 per game | Wikipedia |
Per-game figures from the table above. Bars show the stated amount, not an average.
Here is the season math. AF1 scheduled a 12-game regular season in 2025. Twelve games at $400 equals $4,800 in base pay, before bonuses or playoffs. That is our own arithmetic, not a league-reported total.
Pay on Paper Versus Pay in Reality
The 2024 AFL season shows why the contract number is only half the story. Georgia Force players told Front Office Sports that promised checks never arrived after their first game. By May 20, 2024, five of the league's 16 teams had folded.
Players also described costs they covered themselves:
- A required physical that could run $500 to $600 without insurance.
- No per diem or meal money.
- Changing travel plans that clashed with day jobs.
Those day jobs matter. One quarterback worked as a substitute teacher and private instructor. A kicker worked as a sales director at a car dealership.
Why Does Arena Football Pay So Little?
Revenue is the short answer. AF1 itself notes that travel, player housing and arena leases cost a lot. Smaller leagues cannot spread those costs over big media deals.
- A promised NFL Network TV deal for the 2024 AFL never materialized.
- Teams fund travel and venues from ticket sales and sponsors.
- Stable leagues pay on time. Players talk about which ones do.
Questions to Ask Before You Sign
Pay tells you little without context. Use this checklist before accepting any indoor football offer.
- When does the first paycheck arrive, and how?
- Does the team cover flights, hotels and meals?
- Who pays for the physical and medical care?
- Does the league have a stable ownership record?
- Can you keep your day job during the season?
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Arena Football League still playing?
The original league ended with its 2019 bankruptcy. A relaunched AFL played in 2024, then eight teams left to form AF1. AF1 listed a spring 2026 season on its official site.
Who invented arena football?
Jim Foster, a former NFL and USFL executive, invented it. He patented the system of play, and the patent was granted in 1990.
Can players live on arena football pay alone?
Most cannot. Base pay of $400 per game adds up to a few thousand dollars per season. Players in the Front Office Sports report held outside jobs.
How many games does an AF1 team play?
AF1 played a 12-game regular season in 2025.
Do quarterbacks earn more?
In the NAL, starting quarterbacks can earn up to $600 per game. Pay differs by league and team.
Keep Reading
Love sports and stats? See our breakdown of Program Stars in MLB The Show 24.
Sources
- Front Office Sports: Inside the Collapse of the Arena Football League's Georgia Force
- AFLPU: Our History
- Sports Illustrated: Arena Football League Announces 2024 Relaunch
- Wikipedia: Arena Football League (2024)
- Wikipedia: 2025 Arena Football One season
- Wikipedia: National Arena League
- Arena Football One: AF1 Is Earning Something Money Can't Buy