World Football Leagues

The First attempts at creating a European American Football League were in the 1970s following the hit film M*A*S*H and its climactic ending featuring an American Football game which intrigued European audiences.

Following on from this a couple of failed start-ups led in 1991 to the National Football League (NFL) creating the World League of American Football (WLAF) as a Development League. After two years with teams in USA, Canada and Europe it was shelved and returned in 1995 as a Europe-only league which itself was shelved in 2007 in order to promote the NFL itself in Europe through the International Series of NFL regular season games in London.

Major Football Leagues Standings and Playoffs

International American Football

Whilst not strictly speaking International matches, the National Football League has also played matches against American Football League teams in the 1920s, 1930s, & 1940s. Matches between Canadian Football League teams and American Football League & National Football League teams were played in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. IN the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s the National Football League and other leagues played Pre-Season “American Bowls” in European Countries, as well as Canada, Japan, Mexico and Australia. From 2005 onwards those American Bowl games were replaced by Regular season National Football League games in London, Toronto and Mexico City. College Football games have also been played overseas, most notably for Irish readers and readers in Ireland, with the College Football Classic in DUBLIN.

Oceania American Football

Since the 1980s American Football Leagues have been organised in Australia & New Zealand, with State Leagues in each of Australia’s six states as well as the Australian Capital Territory (Canberra) and Leagues in three of New Zealand’s Provinces.

In addition Australian States play for the Outback Bowl, and the Champions of each State and Territory play in the Southern Cross Tournament for the right to call themselves Australian Club Champions. New Zealand’s Provinces also play for the National Provincial Championship.

Africa American Football

The Egyptian American Football league is currently the only fully kitted contact American Football League in Africa, although there are Flag Football Leagues (Tag) in Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Kenya, Nigeria and Ivory Coast. There was also a 9-man Football League in Morocco in 2019. There are Women’s Flag Leagues as well as Men’s.

Flag Football World

Flag Football was invented in the 1940s as a non-contact version of American Football. The first Pro leagues were set up in the coming decades, with a America-wide League currently in operation with Regional Playoffs followed by a Final with a purse of $1 Million, which includes teams of former NFL players. Below you will find links to Top-Level Leagues Worldwide and International Tournaments: