National Football League International 1960-Present
| Designated Home Team (Host City) | Years |
| National Football League Intercontinental | 1960-1993 |
| Chicago Bears (Toronto) | 1960 |
| Detroit Lions (Montreal) | 1969 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers (Montreal) | 1969 |
| NFL Bleu (Paris) | 1972 |
| NFL Rouge (Paris) | 1972 |
| St. Louis Cardinals (Tokyo) | 1976 |
| New Orleans Saints (Mexico City) | 1978 |
| Tampa Bay Bandits (USFL)(London) | 1984 |
| Minnesota Vikings (Goteborg) | 1988 |
| Cleveland Browns (Toronto) # | 1993 |
| NFL American Bowl / International Series | 1995-Present |
| Minnesota Vikings (London) | 1983^; 2013 |
| St. Louis / Los Angeles Rams (London) | 1987+; 2012, 16-17, 19 |
| Miami Dolphins (London) | 1988+, 2007, 2015, 2017 |
| New Orleans Saints (London) | 1990+, 2008 |
| San Francisco 49ers (London) | 1992+, 2010 |
| Buffalo Bills (Toronto) | 1995+; 2008-2013 [35] |
| National Football League American Bowl | 1986-2019 |
| Chicago Bears (London) | 1986 |
| New York Jets (Montreal) | 1988 |
| Los Angeles Rams (Tokyo) | 1989 |
| Philadelphia Eagles (London) | 1989 |
| Denver Broncos (Tokyo) | 1990, 1995 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers (Montreal) | 1990 |
| Los Angeles Rams (Berlin) | 1990 |
| Buffalo Bills (London) | 1991 |
| San Francisco 49ers (Berlin) | 1991 |
| Miami Dolphins (Tokyo) | 1991 |
| Houston Oilers (Tokyo) | 1992 |
| Miami Dolphins (Berlin) | 1992 |
| Dallas Cowboys (London) | 1993 |
| New Orleans Saints (Tokyo) | 1993 |
| San Francisco 49ers (Barcelona) | 1993 |
| Minnesota Vikings (Berlin) | 1993 |
| Los Angeles Raiders (Barcelona) | 1994 |
| Minnesota Vikings (Tokyo) | 1994 |
| New York Giants (Berlin) | 1994 |
| Houston Oilers (Mexico City) | 1994 |
| San Diego Chargers (Tokyo) | 1996 |
| Kansas City Chiefs (Monterrey) | 1996 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers (Dublin) | 1997 |
| Miami Dolphins (Mexico City) | 1997 |
| Green Bay Packers (Toronto) | 1997 |
| Green Bay Packers (Tokyo) | 1998 |
| San Francisco 49ers (Vancouver) | 1998 |
| New England Patriots (Tokyo) | 1998 |
| Denver Broncos (Sydney) | 1999 |
| Atlanta Falcons (Tokyo) | 2000; 2005 |
| Indianapolis Colts (Mexico City) | 2000 |
| Dallas Cowboys (Mexico City) | 2001 |
| Washington Redskins (Osaka) | 2002 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Tokyo) | 2003 |
| National Football League International Series | 2005-2019 |
| Arizona Cardinals (Mexico City) | 2005 [33] |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers (London) | 2009, 2011, 2019 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars (London) | 2013-2019 |
| Atlanta Falcons (London) | 2014 |
| Oakland Raiders (London) | 2014; 2018-2019 |
| Kansas City Chiefs (London) | 2015 |
| Cincinnati Bengals (London) | 2016 |
| Cleveland Browns (London) | 2017 |
| Los Angeles Chargers (London) | 2018 |
| Los Angeles Chargers (Mexico City) | 2019 |
| Green Bay Packers (Winnipeg) ^ | 2019 |
# International Series Match. + American Bowl Match. ^ Non-International Series Preseason Exhibition match.
National Football League Europe Era (1991-Present)
| Team | Years |
| World League of American Football (North American Teams) | 1991-1992 |
| New York / New Jersey Knights | |
| Orlando Thunder | |
| Montreal Machine | |
| Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks | |
| Birmingham Fire | |
| San Antonio Riders | |
| Sacramento Surge | |
| Ohio Glory (Columbus) | |
| European League Continental Conference | 1993 |
| Hamburg Blue Devils (also AFLE) | |
| Cologne Crocodiles | |
| Munich Cowboys | |
| Euro Spartans (Leicester) | |
| European League UK Conference | 1993 |
| EuroBears (Leicester) | |
| EuroRaiders (Leicester) | |
| EuroSteelers (Leicester) | |
| EuroMonarchs (Leicetser) | |
| American Football League of Europe | 1994-1995 |
| Stockholm Nordic Vikings | |
| Berlin Bears | |
| Helsinki Roosters | |
| Frankfurt Knights | |
| Hamburg Blue Devils (also ELCC) | |
| Munich Thunder | |
| Amsterdam Crusaders (also IFAFE Big 6) | |
| Sheffield GB Spartans | |
| Frankfurt Gamblers | |
| Bergamo Lions | |
| National Football League Europe League | 1995-2007 |
| London Monarchs (also WLAF) | |
| Barcelona Dragons (also WLAF) | |
| Amsterdam Admirals | |
| Scottish Claymores (Edinburgh) | |
| Rhein Fire | |
| Frankfurt Galaxy (also WLAF) | |
| Berlin Thunder | |
| Cologne Crocodiles | |
| Hamburg Sea Devils | |
| Central European Football League | 2006-2016 |
| Stirmium Legionaires | |
| Ljubljana Silverhawks | |
| Cineplexx Blue Devils | |
| Project Spielberg Graz Giants | |
| Zagreb Patriots | |
| Kranj Alp Devils | |
| Sarajevo Spartans | |
| Domzale Tigers | |
| Bratislava Monarchs | |
| Budapest Docler Wolves | |
| Budapest Cowboys | |
| Budapest Cowbells | |
| Nis Imperatori | |
| Indija Indians | |
| Istanbul Cavaliers | |
| Vukovi Beograd | |
| Novi Sad Dukes | |
| ASVO / CNC Gladiators | |
| Kragujevac Wild Boars | |
| International Federation of American Football Europe Big 6 | 2016-Present |
| Schwabisch-Hall Unicorns | |
| Berlin Adler | |
| Braunschweig New Yorker Lions | |
| Frankfurt Samsung Universe | |
| Raiffeisen Vikings Vienna | |
| Amsterdam Crusaders (also AFLE) | |
| La Corneuve Flash | |
| Aix-en-Provence Argonautes | |
| Badalona Dracs | |
| Milano Seamen |
Report
The National Football League played its first match in Europe in Paris in 1972 as part of the Intercontintal Football League promotion, between NFL Bleu and NFL Rouge, two teams of National Football League players. The following 10 years saw more matches played, including a USFL match.
The National Football League played the first American Bowl, a series of Preseason matches in London, Berlin, Barcelona and Dublin in 1983, and these continued until 1997.
In 1991 the NFL set up the World League of American Football with seven teams in North America (including one in Canada) and three in Europe. It scrapped the League after two seasons.
In 1993 the European League was a venture featuring three German teams and 5 English teams playing a limited schedule. In 1994 this league morphed into the American Football League of europe, featuring 8 teams and playing a 10-game season, with teams throughout Northern and Central Europe.
The AFL Europe was cut short after the 1995 season, as that year saw the return of the World League of American Football which was now a Europe-only League with 6 teams. It was renamed the NFL Europe League in 1998, and by the time the National Football League scrapped it in 2007 to focus on promoting the NFL in Europe it had 5 of its six teams in Germany.
The Central European Football League was set up in 2006 as a weekly, 10-game schedule league. By the time it had been absorbed by IFAF Europe in 2017, and become a regional A League playing a 2-game schedule for the previous years champions of the Central European National Leagues, in line with the Northern European Football League, under the European Football League (AA), it had teams from Austria, Slovenia, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia-Hercegovina and Turkey.
It was replaced as the Major League in Europe by the IFAF Europe Big 6, playing a limited-schedule, 2-game season, with two groups and a Final. Teams were from Germany, Austria, Netherlands, France, Italy and Spain.
The National Football League during this time (2007-present) was promoting the National Football League in Europe through a series of Regular Season games in London, with the Jacksonville Jaguars the designated home team for one game a year. By 2019 this had become four-games a year, with a wide variety of NFL teams playing. The American Bowl and International Series included matches in Mexico, Japan, Canada and Australia.
References
Bibliography
[1] National Football League (2014) “Past Standings” 2014 Official NFL Record & Factbook” pg. 350-399. National football League, Time Home Entertainment. 2014.
[2] World League of American Football (2018) WLAF History: 1991 [Internet] Available from: http://www.worldleagueofamericanfootball.com/id165.html [Accessed 23 April 2018]
[3] World League of American Football (2018) WLAF History: 1992 [Internet] Available from: http://www.worldleagueofamericanfootball.com/id166.html [Accessed 23 April 2018]
Newspapers
[4] Berry, Lee (1993) “Spartans Humbled in Hamburg” First Down. May 15, 1993. pg. 17
[5] Berry, Lee (1993) “Germans Get Away with Blue Murder” First Down. August 28, 1993. pg. 18.
[6] Berry, Lee (1993) “Spartans humble” First Down. October 2, 1993. pg. ??.
Newspapers
[7] Berry, Lee (1993) “They said it couldn’t be done” First Down. October 16, 1993. pg. 20
[8] Berry, Lee (1993) “Nuttall mints it with Raiders” First Down. October 16, 1993. pg. 20.
[9] Berry, Lee (1993) “Semi-Conscience” First Down. October 23, 1993. pg. 20.
[10] Berry, Lee (1993) “Near-Miss!” First Down. November 6, 1993. pg. 21.
Websites
[11] Google Groups – rec.sport.football.misc (1994) Message by Ludwig Alberter – 5 September 1994 [Internet] Available from: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/rec.sport.football.misc/oNVilaWhNSY [Accessed 21 August 2018]
[12] Google Groups – rec.sport.football.misc (1994) Message by Dominik Kubla – 5 November 1994 [Internet] Available from: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/rec.sport.football.misc/BRx_xxVsAoY [Accessed 21 August 2018]
Sources
[13] FD Reporter (1995) “Terry Launches Second Coming” First Down, May 20, 1995, P. 18.
[14] Rowlands, Neil (1995) “It’s back to the good old Haze!” First Down, May 27, 1995, P. 22.
[15] Anon. (1995) “I’ll give any unhappy fans money back” First Down, June 10, 1995, P. 18.
[16] Myatt, Steve (1995) “Sedin Death!” First Down, June 17, 1995, P. 21.
[17] Myatt, Steve (1995) “Defensive Disaster sees Spartans crumble to 0-5” First Down, July 15, 1995, P. 18.
[18] Anon. (1995) “We can bounce back, says Tel” First Down, July 1, 1995, P. 18.
[19] FD Reporter (1995) “Sitting on the dock of a bay” First Down, August 5, 1995, P. 19.
Online Encyclopedia
[20] Enciclopedia del Football Italiano (2019) American Football League Europe 1995 [Internet] Available from: http://www.warriorsbologna.it/public/Enciclopedia/PDF/1995_afle_eur.pdf [Accessed 4 December 2019]
News Groups
[21] Google Groups | rec.sport.football.misc (1995) [FLE] Schedule of 1995 Season | Post by Domink Kubla 27 May 1995 [Internet] Available from: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/rec.sport.football.misc/6Y8ECEnsSi0 [Accessed 8 August 2018]
[22] Google Groups | rec.sport.football.misc (1995) [FLE] Latest News and first result | Post by Domink Kubla 2 June 1995 [Internet] Available from: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/rec.sport.football.misc/j1J9u7pcYPo [Accessed 8 August 2018]
[23] World League of American Football (2018) WLAF History: 1995 [Internet] Available from: http://www.worldleagueofamericanfootball.com/id170.html [Accessed 23 April 2018]
[24] World League of American Football (2018) WLAF History: 1996 [Internet] Available from: http://www.worldleagueofamericanfootball.com/id171.html [Accessed 23 April 2018]
[25] World League of American Football (2018) WLAF History: 1997 [Internet] Available from: http://www.worldleagueofamericanfootball.com/id172.html [Accessed 23 April 2018]
[26] World League of American Football (2018) WLAF History: 1998 [Internet] Available from: http://www.worldleagueofamericanfootball.com/id173.html [Accessed 23 April 2018]
[27] World League of American Football (2018) WLAF History: 1999 [Internet] Available from: http://www.worldleagueofamericanfootball.com/id174.html [Accessed 23 April 2018]
[28] World League of American Football (2018) WLAF History: 2000 [Internet] Available from: http://www.worldleagueofamericanfootball.com/id175.html [Accessed 23 April 2018]
[29] World League of American Football (2018) WLAF History: 2001 [Internet] Available from: http://www.worldleagueofamericanfootball.com/id176.html [Accessed 23 April 2018]
[30] World League of American Football (2018) WLAF History: 2002 [Internet] Available from: http://www.worldleagueofamericanfootball.com/id177.html [Accessed 23 April 2018]
[31] World League of American Football (2018) WLAF History: 2003 [Internet] Available from: http://www.worldleagueofamericanfootball.com/id178.html [Accessed 23 April 2018]
[32] World League of American Football (2018) WLAF History: 2004 [Internet] Available from: http://www.worldleagueofamericanfootball.com/id179.html [Accessed 23 April 2018]
[33] World League of American Football (2018) WLAF History: 2005 [Internet] Available from: http://www.worldleagueofamericanfootball.com/id180.html [Accessed 23 April 2018]
[34] World League of American Football (2018) WLAF History: 2006 [Internet] Available from: http://www.worldleagueofamericanfootball.com/id181.html [Accessed 23 April 2018]
[35] World League of American Football (2018) WLAF History: 2007 [Internet] Available from: http://www.worldleagueofamericanfootball.com/id182.html [Accessed 23 April 2018]
Internet Archive
[36] Central European Football League | Wayback Machine (2009) Scores & schedule 2006 [Internet] Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20090118162703/http://www.european-league.com/scores/2006/ [Accessed 5 June 2020]
[37] Central European Football League | Wayback Machine (2009) Scores & Schedule 2007 [Internet] Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20090118163121/http://www.european-league.com/scores/2007/ [Accessed 5 June 2020]
[38] Central European Football League | Wayback Machine (2008) Standings 2007 [Internet] Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20080308000949/http://www.european-league.com/standings/ [Accessed 6 June 2020]
[39] Central European Football League | Wayback Machine (2009) Scores & Schedule 2008 [Internet] Available from:https://web.archive.org/web/20090118162938/http://www.european-league.com/scores/2008/ [Accessed 5 June 2020]
[40] Central European Football League | Wayback Machine (2009) Standings 2008 [Internet] Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20090118162315/http://www.european-league.com/standings/ [Accessed 5 June 2020]
[41] Central European Football League | Wayback Machine (2013) Scores & Schedule 2009 [Internet] Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20130328043843/http://www.european-league.com/scores/2009/ [Accessed 5 June 2020]
[42] Central European Football League | Wayback Machine (2009) Standings 2009 [Internet] Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20091105230042/http://www.european-league.com/standings/ [Accessed 5 June 2020]
[43] Central European Football League | Wayback Machine (2013) Scores & Schedule 2010 [Internet] Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20130328043549/http://www.european-league.com/scores/2010/ [Accessed 6 June 2020]
[44] Central European Football League | Wayback Machine (2010) Standings 2010 [Internet] Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20101109060341/http://www.european-league.com/standings/ [Accessed 5 June 2020]
[45] Central European Football League | Wayback Machine (2013) Scores & Schedule 2011 [Internet] Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20130328043252/http://www.european-league.com/scores/2011/ [Accessed 5 June 2020]
[46] Central European Football League | Wayback Machine (2011) Standings 2011 [Internet] Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20111111013048/http://www.european-league.com/standings/ [Accessed 5 June 2020]
[47] Central European Football League | Wayback Machine (2013) Scores & Schedule 2012 [Internet] Available from:https://web.archive.org/web/20130328044149/http://www.european-league.com/scores/2012/ [Accessed 5 June 2020]
[48] Central European Football League | Wayback Machine (2012) Standings 2012 [Internet] Available from:https://web.archive.org/web/20120905031154/http://www.european-league.com/standings [Accessed 5 June 2020]
[49] Central European Football League | Wayback Machine (2014) Scores & Schedule 2013 [Internet] Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20140802210226/http://www.european-league.com/scores/2013/ [Accessed 5 June 2020]
[50] Central European Football League | Wayback Machine (2013) Standings 2013 [Internet] Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20131027154542/http://www.european-league.com/standings/ [Accessed 5 June 2020]
[51] Central European Football League | Wayback Machine (2009) Scores & Schedule 2014 [Internet] Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20140821194851/http://www.european-league.com/scores/2014/ [Accessed 6 June 2020]
[52] Central European Football League | Wayback Machine (2015) Standings 2014 [Internet] Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20150121092716/http://www.european-league.com/standings/ [Accessed 5 June 2020]
[53] Central European Football League | Wayback Machine (2015) Scores & Schedule 2015 [Internet] Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20151003060110/http://www.european-league.com/scores [Accessed 5 June 2020]
[54] Central European Football League | Wayback Machine (2015) Standings 2015 [Internet] Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20151008031521/http://www.european-league.com/standings [Accessed 5 June 2020]
[55] Central European Football League | Wayback Machine (2009) Scores & Schedule 2016 [Internet] Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20161224191946/http://www.european-league.com/scores/ [Accessed 5 June 2020]
[56] Central European Football League | Wayback Machine (2016) Standings 2016 [Internet] Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20161225012542/http://www.european-league.com/standings/ [Accessed 5 June 2020]
Websites
[57] Eurobowl (2015) BIG6 EFL Standings 2015 [Internet] Available from: http://www.eurobowl.info/index.php?Inhalt=tabellen&Liga=BIG6&Archiv=2015 [Accessed 15 April 2020]
[58] Eurobowl (2015) BIG6 EFL Schedule / Results 2015 [Internet] Available from: http://www.eurobowl.info/index.php?Inhalt=spielplan&Liga=BIG6&Archiv=2015 [Accessed 15 April 2020]
[59] Eurobowl (2016) BIG6 EFL Schedule / Results 2016 [Internet] Available from: http://www.eurobowl.info/index.php?Inhalt=spielplan&Liga=BIG6&Archiv=2016 [Accessed 15 April 2020]
[60] Eurobowl (2017) BIG6 EFL Standings 2017 [Internet] Available from: http://www.eurobowl.info/index.php?Inhalt=tabellen&Liga=BIG6&Archiv=2017 [Accessed 15 April 2020]
[61] Eurobowl (2017) BIG6 EFL Schedule / Results 2017 [Internet] Available from: http://www.eurobowl.info/index.php?Inhalt=spielplan&Liga=BIG6&Archiv=2017 [Accessed 15 April 2020]
[62] Eurobowl (2018) BIG6 EFL Schedule / Results 2018 [Internet] Available from: http://www.eurobowl.info/index.php?Inhalt=spielplan&Liga=BIG6&Archiv=2018 [Accessed 15 April 2020]
Images
[63] Growth of a Game (2014) NFL Europe Logos [Internet] Available from: https://www.growthofagame.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/NFL-Europe-Logo.jpg [Accessed 23 April 2018]
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Decy Maher and John Kane.
About this document
Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the
Eirball | Irish, North American & World Sports Archive
Last Updated: 12 June 2020
(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2020
You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Reserved.Advertisements