About Arena / Indoor Football
This version of American (or Gridiron) Football has become extremely popular in Mexico.
Indoor Football, also known as Arena Football was developed in 1986 as an 8v8 form of Indoor American Football. After an initial few seasons where the game was developed with a 4 team league, a full seasons League with eventually over a dozen teams was developed in the 1990 which was considered by the Wall Street Journal to be a fifth major.
The Arena Football League over-expanded in the 2000s with a Minor League, and its importance (and number of teams) waned since it first experienced financial diffulties in 2009, and it ceased operations after the 2019 season due to the legacy debt incurred.
There is now, however, Indoor Football Leagues all over America, all of which would now be considered Minor League or Semi-Pro (AAA, AA, or even A)
Indoor Football is played on a 50-yard field with two 8-yard endzones, and teams have 5 downs (attempts) to reach the endzone or the ball is turned over. 3 of those downs must be passing plays, making Indoor Football highly explosive and high scoring.
The main difference between Arena Football & Indoor Football is the rebound nets either side of the goalposts in Arena Football, which is the only part of the original patent given to the Arena Football League in 1989, that a subsequent ruling in 1998 ruled was copyright, the rest being Football already in other leagues.
Note: For Women’s Indoor Football Leagues, including both Serious Leagues such as the Super 8 Football League in Baja California (Mexico) and Lingerie/Legends Football Leagues (where the Women wear sexy apparel) see Women’s American Football
Note 2: The American grading system for Pro Leagues is 1. Major League, 2. AAA League, 3. AA League, 4. A League, 5. Semi-Pro State Leagues.
Equivalent to 1. Premier League / Major League Soccer, 2. EFL/USL Championship, 3. EFL/USL League 1, 4. EFL/USL League 2, and 5. National League/NPSL in the English and American Soccer System.
Note 3: League in Bold sometimes considered Major Football Leagues.
Major Arena Football Leagues
Arena Football League (Major National Leagues):
Arena Football League 1987-1991
Arena Football League 1992-2000
Arena Football League 2001-2008
Arena Football League 2010-2015
Arena Football League 2016-2019
Arena Football League (Seasons):
AAA Arena Football Leagues:
(Overviews): Final Tables & Playoff Results organised on a decade-by-decade or era-by-era basis.
(Seasons): Results & Standings organised on a season-by-season basis. The League Seasons give just that Leagues Results & Standings for the given year i.e. National Arena League 2019 gives just the 2019 season results and Standings for the NAL.
AAA Arena / Indoor Football Leagues (National)
AAA National Arena / Indoor Football Leagues (Overviews):
Indoor Football League 2009-2012
AAA Arena / Indoor Football Leagues (West of Mississippi)
Leagues taking in the West, and parts of the South & Midwest that are west of the Mississippi.
AAA Western Indoor Football Leagues (Overviews):
Professional Indoor Football League 1998-2001
Indoor Football League 2013-Present
Indoor Football League (Seasons):
AAA Arena / Indoor Football Leagues (East of Mississippi)
Leagues taking in the Northeast and parts of the Midwest & South that are East of the Mississippi.
AAA Eastern Indoor Football Leagues (Overviews):
Professional Indoor Football League 2012-2015
National Arena League 2017-Present
National Arena League (Seasons):
AA Indoor Football Leagues (Season Overviews)
The AA Arena Football League Season Overviews give the Final Standings of each of the Leagues for the given years (i.e. all 2-3 AA Arena Leagues per year)
AA Indoor Football Leagues (North East & South East)
Eastern Indoor Football Leagues (Overviews):
Leagues primarily located along the Eastern Seaboard of the USA.
American Indoor Football Association 2007-2010 (*Included teams in West)
American Indoor Football 2012-2016 (*Included teams in West)
American Arena League 2018-Present
AA Indoor Football Leagues (Mid-West):
Leagues primarily located in the Midwest but also taking in parts of the Atlantic, West & Texas.
United Indoor Football 2005-2008
Continental Indoor Football League 2007-2012
Champions Professional Indoor Football League 2013-2014
Champions Indoor Football 2015-Present
Champions Indoor Football (Seasons):
AA Indoor Football Leagues (South):
Southern Indoor Football Leagues (Overviews):
Leagues primarily located in the South but also taking in parts of the Northeast & Midwest.
Intense Football League 2004-2008
Southern Indoor Football League 2009-2011
Lone Star Football League 2012-2014
X-League Indoor Football 2014-2015
National Gridiron League (Seasons):
AA Indoor Football Leagues (West):
Leagues primarily located in the West but taking in parts of the Midwest & Texas.
American Indoor Football Association 2007-2010 (*Primarily East Coast)
American Indoor Football 2012-2016 (*Primarily East Coast)
Super 8 Football League West Coast 2016-Present (*Also see NW Mexico-Southwest USA)
American West Football Conference (Seasons):
Indoor 8-v-8 Mexican Arena Leagues
Liga Extrema se Football Arena (LEXFA)
Liga Extrema de Football Arena Mexico
LEXFA: Lega Extrema de Fútbol Arena México (LEXFA) Division I Otoño 2013-2019
LEXFA: Liga Extrema de Football Arena Mexico (LEXFA) Autumn Division II 2013-2016
Liga Extrema de Futbol Arena Mexico
LEXFA: Lega Extrema de Fútbol Arena México (LEXFA) Division I Otoño 2013-2019
LEXFA: Liga Extrema de Football Arena Mexico (LEXFA) Autumn Division II 2013-2016
LEXFA Zona Golfo de Mexico (Seasons): Spring 2013
LEXFA Zone Occidente (Seasons): Spring 2013
Super 8 Football League
Images References
[5] Super 8 Football League (2018) Super 8 Football League Logo [Internet] Available from: http://super8footballleague.info/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/10378207_1545248759045177_2010222216677056541_n.jpg [Accessed 20 July 2019]
Baja California (Arena):
Super 8 Football League Baja 2012-Present
Southern California-Nevada (Arena):
Super 8 Football League West Coast 2016-Present
Baja-California-Nevada Tournaments (Seasons):
Super 8 Football League Bowls & Tournaments 2010-Present
Super 8 Football League Tournaments (Seasons):
Winter Bowl 2014 Copa Tijuana 2017 Battle 4 San Diego 2019 Eight Man Outdoor 2020
Mexican Women’s Indoor American Football
Liga Extrema de Futbol Arena Mexico Femenil (LEXFA)
Liga Extrema de Football Arena Mexico (LEXFA) Femenil 2011-2019
LEXFA Torneo FXF (Seasons): 2011
Super 8 Football League Ladies Baja (Mexico):
Super 8 Football League Ladies Championship 2016-2017
World Arena Football Leagues
Arena and Indoor Football Leagues located outside of the USA.
World Arena Leagues (Overviews):
China Arena Football League 2016-2019
China Arena Football League (Seasons):
Legends Football Leagues
United States Lingerie / Legends Football Leagues
Lingerie Football League 2009-2012
Legends Football League United States 2013-2019
World Lingerie / Legends Football Leagues
Lingerie Football League Canada 2012-13
Legends Football League | Australia 2013-2014
Pretty Girls Football League | Mexico 2017
Legends Football League United States (Seasons):
Women’s X-Leagues
X-League Extreme Football League (Seasons):
Image References
Header Image
[1] Irish American Football Association (2018) Nostalgia – A look a some pictures from the archives [Internet] Available from: http://www.americanfootball.ie/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/20171016_165339-1024×768.jpg [Accessed 3 July 2018]
Featured Image
[2] Brian O’Reilly – Irish Independent (2014) February 13 2014: Video: Irish woman becomes star of Australia’s Lingerie Football League [Internet] Availabble from: https://cdn-03.independent.ie/videos/article30006990.ece/fd099/AUTOCROP/h342/West%20Cork’s%20Linda%20Holland%20on%20reaching%20football’s%20largest%20stage%20in%20Australia%20(Generated%20thumbnail) [Accessed 29 November 2019]