It's here! The day Capital Region Arena Football fans have been waiting for, the 2021 National Arena League schedule is here and The Empire will be home in week 1. The season is currently scheduled to kick off on April 3rd and will feature a seven team 14 game schedule with each team getting 3 bye weeks over a 17 week regular season.

In a press release today from the NAL we see our first glimpse at the upcoming league year. The seven teams competing for the NAL Championship this season will be defending NAL Champion Jacksonville Sharks, the Columbus Lions, Carolina Cobras, and Orlando Predators. In addition, three expansion franchises those teams include the Albany Empire, Jersey Flight, and Ontario Bandits. Obviously the league will be keeping a very close eye on the vaccines and any other news revolving around the coronavirus pandemic but with an April start and three bye weeks per team this could work out perfectly for the return of Arena Football to the Times Union Center sooner than many of us thought possible.

Here's the complete schedule (subject to change).

2021 NATIONAL ARENA LEAGUE SCHEDULE
WEEK 1
Sat. April 3 - Jacksonville @ Carolina
Sat. April 3 - Orlando @ Albany
Mon. April 5 - Jersey @ Ontario
BYE: Columbus

WEEK 2
Sat. April 10 - Columbus @ Albany
Sun. April 11 - Jersey @ Carolina
BYE: Jacksonville, Ontario, Orlando

WEEK 3
Fri. April 16 - Carolina @ Columbus
Sat. April 17 - Jacksonville @ Orlando
Mon. April 19 - Albany @ Ontario
BYE: Jersey

WEEK 4
Sat. April 24 - Jersey @ Jacksonville
Sat. April 24 - Orlando @ Carolina
Sun. April 25 - Ontario @ Columbus
BYE: Albany

WEEK 5
Sat. May 1 - Albany @ Jersey
Sat. May 1 - Columbus @ Jacksonville
Mon. May 3 - Ontario @ Orlando
BYE: Carolina

WEEK 6
Sat. May 8 - Albany @ Jacksonville
Sat. May 8 - Carolina @ Jersey
Sat. May 8 - Orlando @ Columbus
BYE: Ontario

WEEK 7
Sat. May 15 - Jersey @ Orlando
Sat. May 15 - Ontario @ Albany
Sun. May 16 - Jacksonville @ Carolina
BYE: Columbus

WEEK 8
Sat. May 22 - Carolina @ Albany
Sat. May 22 - Jacksonville @ Ontario
Sat. May 22 - Columbus @ Jersey
BYE: Orlando

WEEK 9
Sat. May 29 - Columbus @ Orlando
Sun. May 30 - Ontario @ Jersey
BYE: Carolina, Jacksonville, Albany

WEEK 10
Fri. June 4 - Carolina @ Ontario
Fri. June 4 - Jacksonville @ Columbus
Sat. June 5 - Albany @ Orlando
BYE: Jersey

WEEK 11
Sat. June 12 - Orlando @ Jacksonville
Sat. June 12 - Carolina @ Columbus
Sat. June 12 - Jersey @ Albany
BYE: Ontario

WEEK 12
Sat. June 19 - Jersey @ Columbus
Sat. June 19 - Albany @ Carolina
Sat. June 19 - Ontario @ Orlando
BYE: Jacksonville

WEEK 13
Sat. June 26 - Ontario @ Carolina
Sat. June 26 - Albany @ Jacksonville
Sun. June 27 - Orlando @ Jersey
BYE: Columbus

WEEK 14
Fri. July 2 - Carolina @ Orlando
Sat. July 3 - Jacksonville @ Albany
Sun. July 5 - Columbus @ Ontario
BYE: Jersey

WEEK 15
Sat. July 10 - Jacksonville @ Jersey
Sat. July 10 - Columbus @ Carolina
Mon. July 12 - Orlando @ Ontario
BYE: Albany

WEEK 16
Sat. July 17 - Orlando @ Albany
Sat. July 17 - Ontario @ Jacksonville
Sat. July 17 - Columbus @ Jersey
BYE: Carolina

WEEK 17
Sat. July 24 - Albany @ Columbus
Sat. July 24 - Jersey @ Ontario
Sat. July 24 - Carolina @ Jacksonville
BYE: Orlando

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