EUROGRIDIRON

League guide · Inaugural season 2026

AFLE The League Europe

The American Football League Europe – branded “AFLE – The League Europe” – had eight teams from seven countries in its first season, split into two conferences and playing for the Gold Bowl. Here's who's in it, where they play, and how the first season went.

  • 8teams
  • 7countries
  • 12regular-season games each
  • Vienna Vikingsfirst Gold Bowl champions

Latest AFLE stories

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  • Opinion AFLE

    The AFLE has had a busy few weeks

    A new CEO, a familiar face back at Rhein Fire and Warsaw on the way are all good signs. But the first season left questions about money, ownership and planning that the league still needs to answer.

Gold Bowl · Sunday 6 September 2026 · Schauinsland-Reisen-Arena, Duisburg

Vienna Vikings 68–5 Panthers Wrocław

The Vikings became the AFLE's first champions. Quarterback Ben Holmes completed 14 of 18 passes for 331 yards and six touchdowns, according to the league's match report. Vienna's only defeat of the year had come in the regular season – 34–31 against the Panthers – and they finished top of the table at 11–1.

Panthers quarterback Jameson Wang was voted the league's MVP.

Teams and cities

2026 conference line-ups, as listed on the league's official teams page.

North/West Conference
TeamHome
Rhein FireRhine-Ruhr Region, Germany
Alpine RamsBiel, Switzerland
Paris LightsParis, France
London WarriorsLondon, UK
South/East Conference
TeamHome
Berlin ThunderBerlin, Germany
Vienna VikingsVienna, Austria
Panthers WrocławWrocław, Poland
Firenze Red LionsFlorence, Italy
Joining for 2027
TeamHomeConference
Warsaw EaglesWarsaw, PolandTo be confirmed

The AFLE confirmed the Warsaw Eagles as its ninth franchise on 5 September 2026, at the AFLE Honors. It describes the Eagles, founded in 1999, as Poland’s oldest American football organisation and six-time Polish Bowl winners. The league’s teams page lists them under “Joining in 2027” rather than in either conference, and I can’t find any announcement of which conference they will play in. The full 2027 line-up and schedule are to be confirmed.

2026 season summary

Final 2026 regular-season standings (aflepro.com)
#TeamW–L
1Vienna Vikings11–1
2Rhein Fire10–2
3Panthers Wrocław10–2
4London Warriors6–6
5Berlin Thunder5–7
6Alpine Rams3–9
7Paris Lights3–9
8Firenze Red Lions0–12

The road to the Gold Bowl

  1. Vienna Vikings 71–34 London Warriors, at the Wiener Sport-Club-Stadion in Vienna.
  2. Panthers Wrocław 41–40 Rhein Fire – a one-point thriller that the league billed as revenge for the Panthers.
  3. Vienna Vikings 68–5 Panthers Wrocław, Schauinsland-Reisen-Arena, Duisburg.

The London Warriors

The London Warriors are the UK's team in the AFLE. They finished fourth at 6–6 to reach the play-offs, where they lost in Vienna.

Off-season notes

  • The league announced Jim Tomsula as AFLE CEO.
  • The Warsaw Eagles, joining for 2027, have named Deante Battle as head coach.

2027 kick-off date, schedule and venues: to be confirmed. I'll add them once the league publishes them.