MADRID (AP) — Uncertainty about the future of American football in Europe increased Thursday after a group of franchises split and said they plan to play in a new independent league.
The European Football Alliance said it was terminating the cooperation agreement it had with the European League of Football and planned to start its own league based on the NFL model in which the member franchises govern the league.
The announcement came a few months after the ELF and EFA had said they reached a “strategic cooperation agreement” to join forces for the 2026 season.
“Following our Nov. 26 announcement, the EFA engaged in an evaluation of the proposed unified structure to ensure it met our mandatory standards for financial stability and transparency," the EFA said. "Based on this assessment, the EFA Board of Governors has determined that the conditions required for a sustainable partnership could not be met and has severed formal ties effective immediately.”
Another separate group of franchises had announced in December that they would create their own independent league for 2026 — the American Football League Europe.
Thursday's break essentially put an end to the ELF, and could lead to a merger between the EFA franchises and those in the recently created AFLE.
“The EFA and our member franchises remain fully focused on preparation for the upcoming season,” the group said in a statement. “Our operations are secure, our 2026 season planning is on track, and our commitment to delivering the premier professional American football experience in Europe is stronger than ever.”
The ELF launched in Germany in 2021 with eight teams. Sixteen teams played last season with the Stuttgart Surge beating the Vienna Vikings 24-17 in the championship game in September, but more than half eventually switched to the EFA.
The EFA, created in July, had announced in September its teams would not participate in the ELF as they sought structural reform, economic fairness and transparency to promote a more sustainable development of the sport.
Unlike the NFL Europe's model in the late 1990s and 2000s, the ELF was focused on homegrown talent, with only 10 foreign players allowed on each roster, including only four Americans.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Please purchase a Premium Subscription to continue reading.
To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.
We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.
A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means you’re helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!
Only subscribers can view and post comments on articles.
Already a subscriber? Login Here
What the Constitution Means to Me Read moreWhat The Constitution Means To Me
Join us for community fun! Free antique and collectible appraisals by Clars Auction. Over 30… Read moreMillbrae Senior Showcase
Dirk van Ulden said:
Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.
Error! There was an error processing your request.
Sorry, an error occurred.
Already Subscribed!
Cancel anytime
Thank you .
Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.
Check your email for details.
Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.
An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account.
No promotional rates found.
Secure & Encrypted
Thank you.
Your gift purchase was successful! Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.
| Rate: | |
| Begins: | |
| Transaction ID: |
A receipt was sent to your email.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.