The European League of Football: All You Need To Know
European League of Football – All You Need To Know!
The new European League of Football season is just around the corner! On June 3rd , teams from Barcelona, Paris, Munich and more will clash in the opening weekend of what promises to be an exciting summer of American football!
The European League of Football is a professional American Football league, based out of major European cities. The league was announced in 2020 as a sort of reincarnation of the old NFL Europe, and held its inaugural season in 2021. Now in its third year, the league has grown from 8 teams in year one to more than double in 2023. There are also plans to expand further with 24 teams expected to be competing by 2025. Most recently, a franchise in Madrid was announced. It is also speculated that London is among the locations likely to be named as a new team site.
European League of Football teams have even retained some of the original NFL Europe team names and logos – for example the Frankfurt Galaxy, Hamburg Sea Devils and Rhein Fire ( they love American Football in Germany) There are also some cool new franchises, namely the Paris Musketeers, Barcelona Dragons and the Wroclaw Panthers!
Teams are split into three conferences: East, West & Central and will play a total of 14 regular season games, beginning on Saturday June 3rd and running until September. The ELF 2023 Championship Game is scheduled to take place in early October, with last year’s winners the Vienna Vikings hoping to run it back. They will however face stiff competition, in particular from the German teams. The Hamburg Sea Devils have appeared in the previous two Championship Games and will be attempting a third time lucky in 2023. The Sea Devils open their 2023 campaign against a Polish Panthers side in what is sure to be a stiff test and one of many exciting fixtures awaiting us in 2 days’ time!
While the ELF may be a first cousin of the NFL, there aren’t as many Americans as you’d think playing on this side of the Atlantic. Each team is only allowed a total of 4 US players on their gameday roster and just two of these can be on the field at one time. Teams must primarily have homegrown players from their country of origin, and also have a limited number of international slots. Ireland’s own Tomiwa Oyewo, formerly of the Cill Dara Crusaders is one of these international players. Tomi is about to embark on his first professional American Football season and will be plying his trade as a Running Back for the Munich Ravens! To find out more about Tomi’s journey, check out our recent podcast with him here.
So you’re intrigued right? Might give the European League of Football a watch this year to see what it’s all about? Well, you’re in luck! The ELF offers game pass type streaming, similar to the NFL! All games will be available to watch live and on demand. Now all you have to do is pick your team!