United States Armed Forces in Europe Leagues
Among the earliest verifiable American Football Leagues or Associations in Europe are the American Expeditionary Force Football League of WWI which was played in France at the conclusion of the War. There was a European Theater of Operations Football Championship (WWII) in Northern Ireland in 1942, which spread to England and Wales in 1943-1944. Following WWII, the United States found itself almost immediately in a War with Communist Russia, and American Football Leagues were set up in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain & Greece (The United States Air Force in Europe – USAFE – Football League & United States ARmy EURope Football League – USAREUR) which ran right to the end of the Cold War. One USAREUR League, the Northern Italian League, became the genesis of a National League in Italy featuring Homegrown teams.
World War I & II
AEFFL (1914-1919); ETO (1940-1945)
World War I (France – Navy & Army)
American Expeditionary Force Football League 1918-1919
World War II (UK & North Africa – Army & Air Force)
European Theater of Operations Championship 1942-1944
ETO Football Championship (Seasons): Autumn 1942 Spring 1943 Autumn 1943 Spring 1944 Autumn 1944
Picture Credit: [14] Belfast Blitzers | Facebook (2019) Photo 22 August 2019 [Internet] Available from: https://www.facebook.com/belfastblitzers/photos/pcb.2260513057393170/2260507127393763/?type=3&theater [Accessed 23 August 2019]
Cold War
USAFE; USAREUR
Cold War (USAFE – Air Force)
United States Air Force in Europe Football League | Finals 1952-1993
United States Air Force in Europe | United Kingdom Sports Conference 1951-1993
United States Air Force in Europe (USAFE) Football League France Sports Conference 1953-1955
United States Air Force in Europe (USAFE) Football League Continental Sports Conference 1956-1960
Intercontinental Football League College and Air Force Games 1972-1973
Cold War (USAREUR – Army)
United States Army in Europe (USAREUR) Football League Com Z Conference 1953-1960
United States Armed Forces in Europe | Northern Italian League 1974-1975
Northern Italian Football League 1976-1986
Picture Credit: [9] Britball Now (2019) USAFE Final 1952 (Wembley) [Internet] Available http://www.britballnow.co.uk/_Media/1952-usaf-final-wembley_med.jpeg [Accessed 8 November 2019]
US Armed Forces Teams with Irish Connections
ETO; WW2
Teams stationed in Ireland
World War II
Teams with Irish Nicknames
World War II
Albuquerque AAB Flying Kelleys US Air Force Team 1942
Picture Credit: [10] Belfast Blitzers | Facebook (2019) Post 21 August 2019: “ As promised, a never before seen photo of the game held at Ravenhill in 1942. “ [Internet] Available from: https://www.facebook.com/belfastblitzers/photos/pcb.2258995414211601/2258986244212518/?type=3&theater [Accessed 23 August 2019]