Finding the Right Home
for the Continental Cup

The original Continental Cup trophy.

I’ve been traveling to find the right site for our Continental Cup game on July 4th weekend. The trophy pictured here connects us to the league’s history. Our job now is to build a championship weekend that gives you a reason to come, enjoy the football and be part of what comes next.

Yesterday, our staff toured a facility that has emerged as a strong candidate to host the game. We’ve received a proposal, and this weekend we’ll be reviewing the details and building the budget for the event.

Choosing the venue is an important step, but it’s only part of the work. We want the plans behind this weekend to be as strong as the announcement that introduces it.

Our target is to announce the venue in November, once we have an agreement in place. We plan to follow that announcement quickly with ticket sales and promotions so you can begin making your plans.

Once the venue is under contract, we’ll begin assembling our Continental Cup weekend committees. Those groups will help turn the plans into a weekend built around the game and the people coming to enjoy it.

There is still work to do before we can share the location, but I’m encouraged by what we saw yesterday. I look forward to sharing more as we put the pieces in place for July 4th weekend.

Manny Matsakis
Founder & CEO, Continental Football League

CoFL Player Spotlight

Justin Whiteside:
Finding His Way Back

The Tall City linebacker on injury, confidence and becoming Defensive Player of the Year.

After a year away from football because of injuries, Justin Whiteside wondered whether he could still play at the level he expected of himself. In this conversation with Michael Lathrop, the Tall City Black Gold linebacker shares the journey that brought him back to the field and ultimately earned him CoFL Defensive Player of the Year honors.

From growing up watching Brian Urlacher in Chicago to playing at Central Michigan and navigating setbacks in professional football, Whiteside’s story is about more than getting another opportunity. It’s about rebuilding confidence, earning the trust of teammates and finding coaches who want to help players take their next step.

Whiteside calls his CoFL experience a “10 out of 10” and says he plans to return for a second season. Hear what the opportunity meant to him, why the San Antonio Toros brought out his best and what he believes separates good players from great ones.

Watch Justin Whiteside’s Interview →

Watch This Week · Manny’s Minute EP16

They Won Everything
and Still Folded

The Orlando Panthers won two Continental Cups, reached three straight championship games and had a three-time MVP in quarterback Don Jonas. They still lost their team.

In Manny’s Minute EP16, I revisit the Panthers’ story and the business decisions behind their collapse. Ownership committed to salaries its revenue couldn’t sustain, and winning on the field couldn’t close the gap.

For anyone thinking about building a CoFL club in 2027, the lesson matters: a championship is an achievement, not a business plan. The work is to build a team that can last beyond its trophy year.

Watch Manny’s Minute EP16 →

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Kept.

A letter for serious football fans.

Keep the football conversation going with Kept, Manny Matsakis’s Sunday morning letter from his independent publication, Gridiron Aficionado. It’s for readers who want more than scores: the people, ideas and stories that make the game worth thinking about.

Set aside a little of your Sunday morning for football you can sit with. Explore Kept and subscribe for the next letter.

Explore Kept & Subscribe →

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