European League of Football

The European League of Football (ELF) was a professional American football league based in Europe. It started in 2021 with eight teams and grew to have 16 teams by the 2025 season. The teams were located in many countries, including Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Hungary, Italy, Germany, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, and Turkey.

The ELF carried on some team names from the former NFL Europe. After the 2025 season, most teams left to form a new league called the European Football Alliance (EFA). Some teams joined a new league called the American Football League Europe, while others stopped playing altogether.

History

The European League of Football was started on November 4, 2020, by Patrick Esume, a former coach and TV commentator, and Zeljko Karajica, a sports manager. Esume had been talking about needing better chances for fans of American football in Germany since 2018.

The league began its first season in 2021 with eight teams. By 2025, it had grown to include 16 teams from countries such as Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Hungary, Italy, Germany, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, and Turkey.

The first game was played on June 19, 2021, in Wroclaw, where the Panthers beat the Cologne Centurions. Frankfurt Galaxy won the first season's final against the Hamburg Sea Devils.

In later seasons, new teams joined, including the Vienna Vikings and Raiders Tirol from Austria. The league continued to grow, with teams from many European countries competing each year.

Stuttgart Surge won their first title in 2025 by beating the Vienna Vikings in the final.

Main article: 2021 European League of Football season

Main article: 2022 European League of Football season

Main article: 2023 European League of Football season

Main article: 2024 European League of Football season

Main article: 2025 European League of Football season

Main articles: 2026 European Football Alliance season and 2026 American Football League Europe season

Goals

The European League of Football (ELF) wanted to bring back the fun and excitement of American football in Europe, similar to the days of NFL Europe. But unlike NFL Europe, which had mostly players from America, the ELF set rules to limit how many international players could be on each team. The league aimed to help local European players grow and develop skills so they could one day play in the NFL. To support this, they planned to create an "ELF Academy" to help players improve and prepare for higher levels of competition. The academy would give young players a chance to develop the skills needed to succeed in the ELF and possibly earn a spot on an NFL team.

Rules

The European League of Football played with rules that were a mix of NFL and college football. If a game was still tied at the end, it went to overtime, but this never happened in the first season of 2021. During that first season, they also did not use instant replay to check plays, but this rule changed for later games.

In November 2021, they changed the kickoff rule to make games safer. Now, players from the kicking team stand on the other team's 35-yard line, and players from the receiving team stand on their own 30-yard line. Everyone can only move after the ball is touched or three seconds after it hits the ground. This rule is similar to one used by the XFL and later by the NFL.

Officiating

The way referees worked in the ELF was similar to the NFL. A man named Kurt Paulus, who used to referee in the German Football League, was in charge of training and organizing the referees. Referees worked together as a team all season and talked to each other using intercoms during games. In 2022, referees came from 16 different European countries. They could also work in other leagues when the ELF season was not happening. The referees did not wear numbers on their shirts.

Salary

Each team in the league could have up to 53 players, plus 12 more on a practice squad as of 2023. There were rules about how many players from outside the country could be on a team. For the first season in 2021, teams could have up to four players from the United States, Canada, Mexico, or Japan, and up to ten other foreign players. By the 2023 season, this number was reduced to six players from these countries.

The league had rules about how much money players could be paid. Some players were paid full-time salaries, while others had part-time or smaller salaries. All players got health insurance and were part of pension plans. Other benefits like housing were agreed on separately for each player.

Teams

See also: List of European League of Football stadiums

The European League of Football started in 2021 with 8 teams and grew to 16 teams by the 2025 season. Teams are spread across 10 countries, with many located in Germany. The league plans to grow even larger in the future, with interest from countries like Austria, France, and England.

The league welcomed new teams each year, including the Vienna Vikings, Raiders Tirol, and Istanbul Rams in 2022. In 2023, teams from Italy, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, and France joined. By 2024, the Madrid Bravos had joined, and for 2025, the Nordic Storm from Copenhagen and Denmark will be part of the league.

2025 teams

Former teams until 2025

Timeline

Champions

Championship Games

Key

Teams in bold are the winning teams of the Championship Game

ELF All Star Game

Key

Teams in bold are winning teams of the All Star Game

Broadcasting

In the first season, 13 important games were shown live on TV in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland on ProSieben Maxx. The other games could be watched online. By 2023, more games were shown on TV, including the big final game.

All games could also be watched online around the world. In 2025, the league made a deal with DAZN to show every game until 2032.

Statistics and records

All-time table

As of the end of the 2025 season.

Only regular season games were included.

Attendances

Season averages

All averages include playoff and championship games.

Historic average attendances

All averages include wildcard and semifinal games.