Background Following the 2025 season, several teams departed the
European League of Football (ELF), which had been established in 2020. Tensions had reportedly grown between a number of franchises and the league's central leadership over governance, financial transparency, and long-term strategic direction. Among the main concerns raised by clubs were allegations of limited transparency in league operations and dissatisfaction regarding the distribution of commercial revenues. Some organizations argued that participating teams were not receiving adequate revenue shares relative to their sporting and operational contributions. As a result, a number of former and current ELF-linked organizations began discussions during 2025 regarding the creation of an alternative pan-European competition. These talks led to the formation of the
European Football Alliance (EFA), a project intended to unite several clubs under a new organizational model.
Split from the European Football Alliance Despite the initial momentum behind the EFA project, participating teams were unable to reach a full agreement on the structure and governance of the proposed competition. One group of clubs favored a decentralized, team-led league in which member organizations would collectively manage the competition and hold primary decision-making authority. Those clubs later continued under the EFA banner and announced plans for the 2026 EFA season. Another group supported the creation of a professionally managed league backed by external investment. Proponents of that model argued that centralized management and access to private capital would provide stronger long-term stability, commercial growth, and the resources necessary to expand the sport across Europe. The differing visions ultimately resulted in a formal split, with the investor-backed faction moving forward independently.
Foundation of AFLE The American Football League Europe (AFLE) was publicly presented on 2 December 2025 as a new professional American football league for Europe. The organization announced plans to launch competition in 2026 with a mixture of established clubs and expansion markets. AFLE positioned itself as a modern league focused on professional standards, commercial development, digital media growth, and a continent-wide footprint. League officials stated that the new structure was intended to provide greater organizational clarity and a more sustainable long-term model than previous European ventures.
Ownership and administration The American Football League Europe LLC is headquartered in Casper, Wyoming, United States. The league is owned by a United States-based family office, although the identities of the families involved have not been publicly disclosed. AFLE also maintains a league office in
Hamburg, Germany, which serves as its principal European operational center. Its European corporate structure includes AFLE Betriebs GmbH, a company wholly owned by Venture FOMO GmbH, based in
Vienna, Austria. Venture FOMO GmbH is wholly owned by
Robin Lumsden, who is also the majority shareholder of the Vienna Vikings franchise.
Inaugural season The league announced that its inaugural season would begin on 23 May 2026, with
Berlin Thunder scheduled to face the
Vienna Vikings in the opening game. The first championship game, branded as the Gold Bowl, is scheduled to be played on 6 September 2026 at Schauinsland-Reisen-Arena in Duisburg concluding the league's debut campaign. == Teams ==