By :Parker Rogers of Europe’s Elite
The whistle blows. The benches clear. The Frankfurt Galaxy has just won the first Championship in the inaugural season of the brand new European League of Football. A season filled with incredible plays, dominant players, and plenty of exciting and adventurous new opportunities. To put it simply, the inaugural season of the ELF was extraordinary. We saw generational talent in players such as MVP running back, Madre London, or Defensive Player of the Year, Kyle Kitchens. New opportunities for players from all around the world sprang up in
glorious fashion as the ELF season continued and more and more players had their opportunity to shine in the limelight. To say that the first ever season of the ELF was a success is a major understatement. However, while the inaugural season was a triumphing success, is it safe to say that the European League of Football is the future of professional football in Europe from here
on out?
Professional American Football Leagues are not a strange sight in Europe. With highly competitive leagues in countries such as Germany, Austria, and France, Professional American Football has been making its fingerprint known in Europe over the last few decades. In the German Football League, teams such as the Dresden Monarchs and the Schwäbisch Unicorns have been historically dominant and have produced amazing talent. In Austria, teams such as the
Vienna Vikings, Graz Giants, and the Swarco Raiders have been influential powers in cultivating the American Football culture in Europe. American Football in Europe has even gone as far as competing on an international level, having individual countries create national teams composed of the best players in each country come together and compete against each other in the
European Championship in the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) League. American Football is exponentially growing in Europe, and has yet to reach its peak. With the American Football culture growing and expanding, the demand for high quality professional leagues has become extremely prominent. Enter the ELF.
The European League of football was announced to the public on November 5, 2020, with the announcement that the inaugural season would start in June 2021 (Dixon, 2020). Along with the announcement of the European League of Football, 8 teams from Germany, Poland, and Spain were also announced. As an homage to the now discontinued NFL Europe, the European League of Football partnered with the NFL to bring back two iconic teams, the Frankfurt Galaxy
and the Hamburg Sea Devils. Building on this, the ELF appears to be an offset rebirth of NFL Europe, a professional football league in Europe for those who were not able to compete in the NFL are able to come to and compete in and build a pro career. The European League of Football is host to many former high-level NCAA players, such as Madre London, Jean Constant, and William Troy, just to name a few of the standout players. Along with former high-level NCAA players, the ELF is host to a plethora of outstanding local talent from all over
Europe. The ELF is a breeding ground for talent on the gridiron; bringing in talent from all around and exposing players’ talent on the highest level possible in Europe. The League is defined, the inaugural season is over, but what is to come next?
Just before the Championship Game, the ELF announced the addition of three new teams being brought up to compete in the league; The Swarco Raiders, Vienna Vikings, and the Rhine Fire. With hopes of expanding to fourteen to sixteen teams for the 2022 season, and then to at least twenty teams in the seasons to come, the European League of Football is an ever growing
platform for the exposure of high level talent on the biggest stage internationally. The stage is set up so large for national (European) and international (non-European) football players that on October 3rd, the ELF was able to host an All-Star game; a game played between an all ELF Team against the U.S. National Football Team. The result was not surprising; the all ELF Team dominated the U.S. National Team in a blaze of fury, putting up an astonishing score of 26-8. The European League of Football is stocked full with talent and ability and it was on full display during the All-Star game. So is this the future of professional football in Europe?
The inaugural season of the European League of Football exploded into the light with relentless passion and fire that shocked the world of football in Europe. Things are already looking up as more teams are being added, players are looking to come back to compete next season, and new players are biting at the opportunity to compete to join one of the teams. So is the ELF the future of Professional football in Europe? The answer is a resounding yes! The door
of opportunity is wide open with the expansion and professionalism of the League, and many talented football players are waiting to get their shot at the big time. Drawing attention from all over the world, the ELF will only continue to grow and prosper in all facets. The only questionthat remains: Who’s going to take the League by storm next?