European Football League

European Football League
European Football League logo.png
SportGridiron football
Founded1986
No. of teams6
ContinentEurope
Most recent
champion(s)
Thonon Black Panthers
Most titlesVienna Vikings (5)
Promotion toBIG6 European Football League
Official websiteEurobowl.info

The European Football League (EFL) established in 1986, was a tournament for the best European American football teams affiliated to IFAF (International Federation of American Football - Europe), which replaced the European Federation of American Football (EFAF) in 2014.

Until 2013, the final game of the EFL was the Eurobowl, which has been held annually since 1986. In 2014, the EFL was replaced as Europe's top-tier club competition by the new BIG6 European Football League and the EFL Bowl was introduced as the new final game of the EFL. The 2018 EFL season was the last edition of the tournament.

EFL

Under the governance of EFAF, the best American Football teams in Europe participate in annual competitions. Until 2013, the EFL was the first-tier competition for American football clubs in Europe. EFAF determined the relative strength of each of its 17 affiliate leagues and allocated teams to the 4 divisions accordingly, thus not all nations took part. National league champions, runners-up or teams with international success were eligible for the EFL. Teams from 'weaker' leagues could take part in the EFAF Cup. The final game of the EFL was the Eurobowl, which has been held annually since 1986.

In 2014, the BIG6 European Football League was introduced as the new top-tier competition of American football in Europe. The EFL continued to be played as a second-tier competition, with its teams playing for the newly created EFL Bowl trophy. The inaugural EFL Bowl was won by the Kiel Baltic Hurricanes of Germany against Spain's Badalona Dracs on 20 July 2014.

From 2017 on, the EFL Bowl winners may play a relegation game against the last placed team of the BIG6, and be promoted to the BIG6 if they win. This relegation game never happened.

Format

Until 2013, Teams were split into 4 divisions of 3 or 2 teams. In a division of 3, teams played 2 matches; once at home to one opponent and the other away to the other opponent. In a division of 2 teams, each team played each other home and away. The division winners then advanced to the play-offs.

The play-off format was changed for the 2008 season. The tournament was expanded to an eight-team competition. The two finalists from the 2007 season, Vienna Vikings and Marburg Mercenaries, earned automatic berths for the next season and the two semi-finalists, Eidsvoll 1814's from Norway and Tirol Raiders from Austria, earned a spot for the national champions of their respective countries. In quarterfinals these teams faced the four winners of the divisional round. In semi-finals teams were paired by the Eurobowl seeding system, with the best-seeded team facing the worst and the second-best facing the second-worst. Winners then advanced to the Eurobowl.

With the start of the Big6 in 2014, the format of the EFL changed again. Six teams played in two divisions of three teams. The winners of the groups advanced to the EFL Bowl.

EFL Bowls

For a list of champions by year before 2014, see Eurobowl.

Game Year Date City Winners Sco Runners-up Attendance MVP
I 2014 19 July 2014 Kiel, Germany Kiel Baltic Hurricanes Germany 40–00 Badalona Dracs Spain 2,104 Garrett Andrews (KBH)
II 2015 27 June 2015 Kiel, Germany Kiel Baltic Hurricanes Germany 49–28 Allgäu Comets Germany 1,752
III 2016 11 June 2016 Frankfurt, Germany Frankfurt Universe Germany 35–21 Amsterdam Crusaders Netherlands 6,056 Jesse Lewis (FU)
IV 2017 10 June 2017 Thonon-les-Bains, France Thonon Black Panthers France 29–20 Rhinos Milano Italy 2,500 Stephen Yepmo (TBP)
V 2018 9 June 2018 Sesto San Giovanni, Italy Potsdam Royals Germany 43–42 Seamen Milano Italy 2,500 Kahlif Rector (SM)

Records and statistics

By club

Club Won Runner-up Years won Years runner-up
Austria Vikings Vienna 5 5 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2013 2001, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2012
Austria Swarco Raiders Tirol 3 1 2008, 2009, 2011 2013
Italy Bergamo Lions 3 3 2000, 2001, 2002 1994, 2004, 2005
Germany Hamburg Blue Devils 3 2 1996, 1997, 1998 1999, 2000
Netherlands Amsterdam Crusaders 2 4 1991, 1992 1988, 1989, 1993, 2016
Germany Braunschweig Lions 2 1 1999, 2003 2002
United Kingdom London Olympians 2 1 1993, 1994 1995
Germany Kiel Baltic Hurricanes 2 0 2014, 2015
Germany Berlin Adler 1 2 2010 1991, 2011
Italy Legnano Frogs 1 1 1989 1990
Germany Potsdam Royals 1 0 2018
France Thonon Black Panthers 1 0 2017
Germany Frankfurt Universe 1 0 2016
Switzerland Calanda Broncos 1 0 2012
Germany Düsseldorf Panther 1 0 1995
United Kingdom Manchester Spartans 1 0 1990
Finland Helsinki Roosters 1 0 1988
Finland Taft Vantaa 1 0 1986
France La Courneuve Flash 0 3 1998, 2006, 2009
  • Listed are Eurobowls from 1986 to 2013 and EFL Bowls from 2014 on.

By country

Championships Country Year
11 Germany Germany 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2010, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018
8 Austria Austria 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013
4 Italy Italy 1989, 2000, 2001, 2002
3 United Kingdom United Kingdom 1990, 1993, 1994
2 Netherlands Netherlands 1991, 1992
2 Finland Finland 1986, 1988
1 France France 2017
1 Switzerland Switzerland 2012

See also


This page was last updated at 2022-09-14 21:45 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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