The 2026 DFA Draft Takes Place Tonight

The Developmental Football Association Draft takes place tonight at 6:00 PM Central, as teams begin selecting the players who will form the foundation of the league’s inaugural season.

A total of 112 players will be selected as the league’s four founding teams build their first official rosters.

The draft will stream live on the DFA Podcast YouTube channel.

📺 Watch the Draft Live
https://youtube.com/@dfapodcast

The Teams Drafting Tonight

Four DFA teams will be selecting players during tonight’s draft:

• Northwest Nightwolves
• Minneapolis Warhawks
• East Side Engine
• Twin Cities Tundra

Each team will strategically build their roster as the inaugural season of DFA football takes shape.

How the DFA Draft Works

The 2026 DFA Draft will consist of 19 total rounds using a snake-style format, meaning the order reverses every round to maintain competitive balance.

Draft Structure

• Rounds 1 through 10
Each team selects one player per pick

• Rounds 11 through 19
Each team selects two players per pick

This format allows teams to carefully select key players early in the draft before accelerating roster construction in the later rounds.

By the end of the draft, 112 players will officially be selected to join DFA teams for the 2026 season.

Pick Timing

Each selection will have a two minute time limit, allowing teams enough time to make their decisions while keeping the draft moving efficiently.

If a team is not ready when their time expires, the draft will continue in order to keep the event on schedule.

Snake Style Draft Order

The DFA Draft uses a snake format, which reverses the order of selection every round.

Example draft order:

Round 1
Nightwolves → Warhawks → Engine → Tundra

Round 2
Tundra → Engine → Warhawks → Nightwolves

This system helps maintain competitive balance as teams construct their rosters.

Building the First DFA Teams

Tonight’s draft represents a major milestone for the Developmental Football Association as players who declared for the league find out which team they will represent.

By the end of the evening, 112 players will officially become the foundation of DFA football, setting the stage for the league’s inaugural season.

Fans, players, and supporters are encouraged to tune in and watch the selections unfold live.

📺 Watch the Draft Live
https://youtube.com/@dfapodcast