A brand new football league is coming to Europe and its the type with touchdowns, not goals. Read on to find out everything you need to know about the European League of Football.
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In 2007, the NFL pulled the plug on NFL Europe (otherwise known as the World League of American Football or NFL Europa). The intent behind this initial league was of course to grow the interest in the sport across the Atlantic.
Now, the first fully professional American Football league in Europe since 2007 is scheduled to begin in a week, with similar goals. The European League of Football (ELF) is scheduled to start its inaugural season on Saturday, June 19th.
List of ELF Teams
Earlier this year, the ELF reached an agreement with the NFL to bring back some of the NFL Europe team names. The 2021 season will feature a total of 8 teams across 3 countries, but the organizers are hopeful to expand to around 20 teams from 10 countries in the near future.
For now, the 8 teams will be split into a North and South division. The list of teams is as follows:
North Division
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Berlin Thunder (Germany)
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Hamburg Sea Devils (Germany)
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Leipzig Kings (Germany)
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Wroclaw Panthers (Poland)
South Division
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Barcelona Dragons (Spain)
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Cologne Centurions (Germany)
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Frankfurt Galaxy (Germany)
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Stuttgart Surge (Germany)
Rules and Format
The league will follow all the same rules as the NFL, with the exception of the overtime rule which they will borrow from the NCAA.
The league will be played over 12 weeks, with 10 regular season games followed by a play-off game and finally the championship which will be played on September 27th.
Additionally, rosters will be capped at 60 and a practice squad of 5 players will be allowed for each franchise. Because the league is focusing on homegrown talent, the roster can have a maximum of 4 American players plus another 10 non-American foreign players.
Like the NFL and most American sports leagues, the ELF will have a salary cap to encourage sustainability and competitive balance.
Where to Watch European League of Football
Fans living in Germany can watch the games on TV. 3 channels – ProSieben Maxx, More than Sports TV, and ran.de – will be broadcasting the games.
If you’re in Spain, you can watch Barcelona Dragons game via Esport3. For fans from all other countries, the league offers their own Gamepass which can be purchased from their official website.
