German Football League
Encyclopedia
The German Football League (GFL) is the elite league for American football
in Germany
. Playing rules are based on those of the American NCAA
.
In 1999, the league, previously called the American Football Bundesliga and formed in 1979, adopted the name German Football League.
. The lowest ranked team of each conference plays against the winner of the second division, and may be relegated if they lose.
The league has been expanded from 12 to 14 teams for the 2011 season. It is planned to further increase the number of teams to 16 in 2012.
Below the GFL sits the GFL 2
, formerly the 2nd Bundesliga, which was formed in 1982. It is also divided into a northern and southern division, with eight teams in each. For the 2011 season, both the northern and the southern champions are promoted, while the runners-up of the two divisions will play the last placed team in the GFL division above for another spot in the league in 2012.
For most of its history, the GFL has been divided into a northern and southern division. Only in 1979 was it played in single division format, while, from 1986 to 1990, it was divided into four regional divisions.
As of 2010, the Munich Cowboys have played more GFL games than any other team, 335, followed by the Berlin Adler with 312, the only other team with more than 300 league games. The Cowboys have played 29 out of a possible 32 seasons at the highest level of the game in Germany, more than any other club.
were formed as the first club to play the game in Germany. At first, this team was only able to play US Army teams, lacking German opposition. In March 1979, the AFBD, the American Football Federation of Germany , was formed, the first of its kind in Europe. This organisation, in 1982, was replaced by the AFVD, the American Football Association of Germany .
In 1979, the American Football Bundesliga, later to be renamed the German Football League, was formed, consisting of six clubs, the Frankfurter Löwen, Ansbach Grizzlies
, Düsseldorf Panther
, Munich Cowboys
, Berlin Bears and Bremerhaven Seahawks
. Of those six, the top two teams would contest the first ever German Bowl
on 10 November 1979. The first-ever league game was held on 4 August 1979, played between the Frankfurter Löwen and the Düsseldorf Panther, and ended in a victory for Frankfurt.
The league saw a split in its second and third season, with Düsseldorf and Bremerhaven leaving the competition to take part in a separate, short-lived competition, the Nordwestdeutsche Football-Liga – NFL. By 1981, the Bundesliga was expanded to two regional divisions of seven clubs each. The early years of the league were dominated by two teams, Frankfurt and Ansbach, who met each other in the first three editions of the German Bowl. Of those, Frankfurt won the first two, remaining unbeaten in 1979, and Ansbach the last. The era of the Frankfurter Löwen was hereby ended and the club went defunct in the mid-1980s, while the Ansbach Grizzlies continued to be an outstanding team, playing in all of the first eight German Bowls. Unlike the first season, play-off semi finals were played in 1980 and 1981 to determine the two German Bowl contestants. From 1982, the play-offs were enlarged to include a quarter final round as well.
, saw an increase of clubs to fifteen, including the two break-away clubs Düsseldorf and Bremerhaven. After that, the era of the Düsseldorf Panther versus Ansbach Grizzlies rivalry began, with the two teams meeting in the next four finals. Of those, the team from Düsseldorf
won the 1983, 1984 and 1986 editions, while the Grizzlies earned their third championship in 1985. With the Panthers in 1983 and 1986 and the Grizzlies in 1985, both teams were able to win the title without a loss all season. With the 1986 final, the golden era of the Ansbach Grizzlies ended and the club disappeared out of the top level all together by 1991.
The 1987 German Bowl saw two completely new teams compete against each other, the Badener Greifs
making their only appearance in the championship game to date, while the Berlin Adler
won their first of, as of 2010, six national championships. Both teams went into the German Bowl without a defeat all season. In 1988, Red Barons Cologne
defeated the Düsseldorf Panther in the final, while, from 1989 onwards, the Berlin Adler became the first team to win three championships in a row, all against teams from Cologne
. The Adler also managed to remain unbeaten in 1989 and 1990 and only suffered one defeat in 1991, at home against the Cologne Crocodiles. After the 1990 season, the play-offs were reduced to eight teams again, dropping the wild card round, a system still in place as of 2010. The league, which had peaked at 26 clubs in four regional divisions in 1990, was reduced to the two-divisional format, with eight teams per division.
In 1994 and 1995, the Düsseldorf Panther once more won the German Bowl, with the second title won against a new force in the game in Germany, the Hamburg Blue Devils
. In 1996, the Blue Devils then reversed the fortunes and defeated the Panthers in the final.
reached and won the German Bowl for the first time. The Lions would play in every one of the next twelve German Bowls, up until 2008, and win seven of those. Their first title, in 1997, was won against the Cologne Crocodiles, who were now five out five in German Bowl defeats. The following six seasons, the final was contested by the Lions and the Blue Devils on five occasions, with the Lions winning in 1998 and 1999, while the Blue Devils won 2001, 2002 and 2003. Only in 2000 did neither of those two win the Bowl, instead, the Cologne Crocodiles finally reversed their fortunes and won a championship in their sixth attempt. In between, in 1999, the Bundesliga was renamed to German Football League. In 2002, the league also lost its longest-serving founding member, the Munich Cowboys suffering relegation for the first time, alongside another one of the "original six", the Düsseldorf Panther, who had however missed the 1980 and 1981 seasons because of the league split.
Braunschweig lost a fifth final in a row in 2004, when the Berlin Adler won their first title in 13 years. After this, the Braunschweig Lions set a new record, winning four German Bowls straight, beating four different teams in the finals. In 2005, the Blue Devils were once more the opposition, followed by two southern teams, the Marburg Mercenaries
in 2006 and the Stuttgart Scorpions
in 2007, in an unbeaten season for the Lions. The last title for the Lions came in 2008, against the new force of the Kiel Baltic Hurricanes
.
In 2011, the league season has been expanded from 72 to 98 games because of the enlargement of the league. It also saw the end of an 18-year title draught for the south, when the Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns
defeted Kiel 48-44 to take out the national championship for the first time.
in the game in Germany, upon formation of the Bundesliga in 1979, there was no restriction on how many foreigners a team could field. The only stipulation was, that every team had to field a minimum of three German nationals at any time. Soon, this changed, and the allowed number of foreigners on the field for a team at any given time, in this case specifically, Americans, was reduced to five.
In 1982, this number was reduced to four, in 1983 to three and, by 1986, only two were allowed on the field for a team at any given time.
In November 2010, a new Bundesspielordnung, the rule book of American football in Germany, was published. One major change was that the sport now placed citizens of European Union
countries on equal footing with German nationals, meaning, restrictions on the number of these players per team on the field were now not in place anymore. However, the restrictions on non-EU nationals remained in place, unless those players could prove that they had spent at least three years playing for a youth team in the sport in Germany.
For the 2011 season, a club can sign up up to ten non-EU players, have six of those on the line-up for any given game but only two of those on the field at any given time. These restrictions are specifically in place for US, Canadian, Mexican and Japanese citizens and, on request, exemptions can be made for players from countries without established structures in the sport. This rule is designed to prevent an advantage to the wealthier clubs, who could otherwise recruit a large number of players from the traditional American football countries.
† Bold denotes German Bowl victory
* Known as the "Braunschweig Lions" from 1987 to 2010
in 1986, German clubs have taken part in the competition in most seasons. In most cases, the German Bowl winner of the previous season was qualified. In some seasons more than one German club took part in the competition. On seven occasions clubs from Germany have won the Eurobowl. The participations of German clubs at the European Football League
:
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Playing rules are based on those of the American NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
.
In 1999, the league, previously called the American Football Bundesliga and formed in 1979, adopted the name German Football League.
League set-up
The GFL is partitioned into north and south conferences, each with seven teams. In each conference, every team plays against every other team of its own conference, both at home and away. Each team also plays home and away interconference games against the team from the opposing conference that finished the previous season on the same rank. After the end of the regular season, four teams from both conferences enter the playoffs, to determine the German championship. The winner of a conference plays against the 4th place team of the other group, second against third of the other conference. The final is called the German BowlGerman Bowl
The German Bowl is the annual national championship game in the sport of American football in Germany. It is contested by the two best teams of the German Football League....
. The lowest ranked team of each conference plays against the winner of the second division, and may be relegated if they lose.
The league has been expanded from 12 to 14 teams for the 2011 season. It is planned to further increase the number of teams to 16 in 2012.
Below the GFL sits the GFL 2
German Football League 2
The German Football League 2 is the second tier of American football in Germany, below the German Football League. Until 2007, the league was known as the 2nd Bundesliga.-League structure:...
, formerly the 2nd Bundesliga, which was formed in 1982. It is also divided into a northern and southern division, with eight teams in each. For the 2011 season, both the northern and the southern champions are promoted, while the runners-up of the two divisions will play the last placed team in the GFL division above for another spot in the league in 2012.
For most of its history, the GFL has been divided into a northern and southern division. Only in 1979 was it played in single division format, while, from 1986 to 1990, it was divided into four regional divisions.
As of 2010, the Munich Cowboys have played more GFL games than any other team, 335, followed by the Berlin Adler with 312, the only other team with more than 300 league games. The Cowboys have played 29 out of a possible 32 seasons at the highest level of the game in Germany, more than any other club.
Early years
The history of American football in Germany, outside the US Army bases in the country, began in 1977, when the Frankfurter LöwenFrankfurter Löwen
The Frankfurter Löwen were an American football team from Frankfurt, Germany.The Löwen were the first American football club to be formed in Germany. The club, a founding member of the American Football Bundesliga, was also the winner of the first two editions of the German Bowl...
were formed as the first club to play the game in Germany. At first, this team was only able to play US Army teams, lacking German opposition. In March 1979, the AFBD, the American Football Federation of Germany , was formed, the first of its kind in Europe. This organisation, in 1982, was replaced by the AFVD, the American Football Association of Germany .
In 1979, the American Football Bundesliga, later to be renamed the German Football League, was formed, consisting of six clubs, the Frankfurter Löwen, Ansbach Grizzlies
Ansbach Grizzlies
The Ansbach Grizzlies are an American football team based in Ansbach, Germany. The club, together with the Düsseldorf Panther and the Munich Cowboys, is one of the oldest in Germany...
, Düsseldorf Panther
Düsseldorf Panther
The Düsseldorf Panther are an American football team from Düsseldorf, Germany. The club is the oldest still existing American football club in Europe, having been formed on 1 May 1978....
, Munich Cowboys
Munich Cowboys
The Munich Cowboys are an American football team based in Munich, Germany. The club, together with the Düsseldorf Panther and the Ansbach Grizzlies, is one of the oldest in Germany. The team refers to itself as The Grand Old Team of the South....
, Berlin Bears and Bremerhaven Seahawks
Bremerhaven Seahawks
The Bremerhaven Seahawks are an American football club from Bremerhaven, Germany.The club is one of the six founding members of the American Football Bundesliga, alongside the Düsseldorf Panther, Frankfurter Löwen, Ansbach Grizzlies, Munich Cowboys and Berlin Bears, but has not played at this level...
. Of those six, the top two teams would contest the first ever German Bowl
German Bowl
The German Bowl is the annual national championship game in the sport of American football in Germany. It is contested by the two best teams of the German Football League....
on 10 November 1979. The first-ever league game was held on 4 August 1979, played between the Frankfurter Löwen and the Düsseldorf Panther, and ended in a victory for Frankfurt.
The league saw a split in its second and third season, with Düsseldorf and Bremerhaven leaving the competition to take part in a separate, short-lived competition, the Nordwestdeutsche Football-Liga – NFL. By 1981, the Bundesliga was expanded to two regional divisions of seven clubs each. The early years of the league were dominated by two teams, Frankfurt and Ansbach, who met each other in the first three editions of the German Bowl. Of those, Frankfurt won the first two, remaining unbeaten in 1979, and Ansbach the last. The era of the Frankfurter Löwen was hereby ended and the club went defunct in the mid-1980s, while the Ansbach Grizzlies continued to be an outstanding team, playing in all of the first eight German Bowls. Unlike the first season, play-off semi finals were played in 1980 and 1981 to determine the two German Bowl contestants. From 1982, the play-offs were enlarged to include a quarter final round as well.
Ansbach vs Düsseldorf era
The 1982 season, which saw Ansbach repeat its title, remaining unbeaten all season, this time against the Cologne CrocodilesCologne Crocodiles
The Cologne Crocodiles are an American football team from Cologne, Germany.The clubs greatest success came in 2000, when it won the German Bowl for the first and, so far, only time...
, saw an increase of clubs to fifteen, including the two break-away clubs Düsseldorf and Bremerhaven. After that, the era of the Düsseldorf Panther versus Ansbach Grizzlies rivalry began, with the two teams meeting in the next four finals. Of those, the team from Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
won the 1983, 1984 and 1986 editions, while the Grizzlies earned their third championship in 1985. With the Panthers in 1983 and 1986 and the Grizzlies in 1985, both teams were able to win the title without a loss all season. With the 1986 final, the golden era of the Ansbach Grizzlies ended and the club disappeared out of the top level all together by 1991.
League expansion 1986 to 1990
From 1986, a wild card round was introduced in the play-offs, taking the number of teams in the play-offs to twelve. The league had now expanded to 24 teams, divided into four divisions. Two of those were in the north, one in the south and the fourth one in Central Germany.The 1987 German Bowl saw two completely new teams compete against each other, the Badener Greifs
Badener Greifs
The Badener Greifs are an American football club from Karlsruhe, Germany.The clubs greatest success came in 1987, when it reached the German Bowl but lost to the Berlin Adler.-History:The club was formed in 1982 by a group of motor cycle enthusiasts....
making their only appearance in the championship game to date, while the Berlin Adler
Berlin Adler
The Berlin Adler is an American football club based in Berlin, Germany. The club is one of the most successful clubs in the sport in Germany, having won six German Bowls as well as a ten Ladies Bowls and five Junior Bowls....
won their first of, as of 2010, six national championships. Both teams went into the German Bowl without a defeat all season. In 1988, Red Barons Cologne
Red Barons Cologne
The Red Barons Cologne were an American football team from Cologne, Germany.The clubs greatest success came in 1988, when it won its sole German Bowl, followed by a losing appearance in the game in1989...
defeated the Düsseldorf Panther in the final, while, from 1989 onwards, the Berlin Adler became the first team to win three championships in a row, all against teams from Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
. The Adler also managed to remain unbeaten in 1989 and 1990 and only suffered one defeat in 1991, at home against the Cologne Crocodiles. After the 1990 season, the play-offs were reduced to eight teams again, dropping the wild card round, a system still in place as of 2010. The league, which had peaked at 26 clubs in four regional divisions in 1990, was reduced to the two-divisional format, with eight teams per division.
Düsseldorf Panther era
The Panther earned their fourth title in 1992, defeating the Munich Cowboys, which, in the following year, won the championship themselves, against Cologne Crocodiles, who suffered their fourth defeat in their fourth German Bowl. Munichs title in an undefeated 1993 season was to be the last occasion for the next twelve years that a team from the South would reach the final, and the last time until 2011, that a team from the South would win the championship. The Bundesliga and the German Bowl were from now on dominated by the North. After the 1993 season, still contested with 16 clubs, the number of clubs was gradually reduced further. In 1994, 14 clubs in two divisions of seven competed in the league, from 1995, the division strength was reduced to six. For the next 16 seasons, six teams per division was the set number, with occasional seasons going underway in reduced strength because of late withdrawals. Also, an inter conference round was introduced in 1994, with teams from different divisions now meeting for the first time during the regular season.In 1994 and 1995, the Düsseldorf Panther once more won the German Bowl, with the second title won against a new force in the game in Germany, the Hamburg Blue Devils
Hamburg Blue Devils
The Hamburg Blue Devils are an American football team in Hamburg, Germany. The Blue Devils are one of the most successful American football clubs in Germany, having won four German Bowls as well as three Eurobowls...
. In 1996, the Blue Devils then reversed the fortunes and defeated the Panthers in the final.
Braunschweig Lions vs Hamburg Blue Devils era
The most dominant era of any team in German football begun in 1997, when the Braunschweig LionsBraunschweig Lions
The New Yorker Lions are an American Football team from Braunschweig, Germany. Until late 2010, the team was known as the Braunschweig Lions....
reached and won the German Bowl for the first time. The Lions would play in every one of the next twelve German Bowls, up until 2008, and win seven of those. Their first title, in 1997, was won against the Cologne Crocodiles, who were now five out five in German Bowl defeats. The following six seasons, the final was contested by the Lions and the Blue Devils on five occasions, with the Lions winning in 1998 and 1999, while the Blue Devils won 2001, 2002 and 2003. Only in 2000 did neither of those two win the Bowl, instead, the Cologne Crocodiles finally reversed their fortunes and won a championship in their sixth attempt. In between, in 1999, the Bundesliga was renamed to German Football League. In 2002, the league also lost its longest-serving founding member, the Munich Cowboys suffering relegation for the first time, alongside another one of the "original six", the Düsseldorf Panther, who had however missed the 1980 and 1981 seasons because of the league split.
Braunschweig lost a fifth final in a row in 2004, when the Berlin Adler won their first title in 13 years. After this, the Braunschweig Lions set a new record, winning four German Bowls straight, beating four different teams in the finals. In 2005, the Blue Devils were once more the opposition, followed by two southern teams, the Marburg Mercenaries
Marburg Mercenaries
The Marburg Mercenaries are an American football team from Marburg, Germany.Internationally, the clubs greatest success came in 2005, when it won the EFAF Cup, followed by a losing appearance in the Eurobowl in 2007...
in 2006 and the Stuttgart Scorpions
Stuttgart Scorpions
The Stuttgart Scorpions are an American football team from Stuttgart, Germany.The clubs greatest success came in 2007, when it reached the German Bowl but lost to the Braunschweig Lions.-History:The Stuttgart Scorpions were formed in December 1982...
in 2007, in an unbeaten season for the Lions. The last title for the Lions came in 2008, against the new force of the Kiel Baltic Hurricanes
Kiel Baltic Hurricanes
The Kiel Baltic Hurricanes are an American football team based in Kiel, Germany.The club has been, of recent, a strong force in the sport in Germany, playing in four consecutive German Bowls from 2008 to 2011, losing the first two, winning the third and losing the fourth.The club is part of the...
.
Current
Kiel also played in the 2009 final, losing to the Berlin Adler, before finally being successful in 2010 and winning their first title against the same team.In 2011, the league season has been expanded from 72 to 98 games because of the enlargement of the league. It also saw the end of an 18-year title draught for the south, when the Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns
Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns
The Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns are an American football team from Schwäbisch Hall, Germany.The clubs greatest successes were winning the southern division title in the German Football League in 2009 and 2011, followed up by winning the German Bowl in 2011....
defeted Kiel 48-44 to take out the national championship for the first time.
North-South disparity
Success in American football in Germany and at the German Bowl differs hugely between the clubs from the northern and the southern division, with the south only winning seven German Bowls and the north the remaining 26. Similar, southern clubs have only made 17 appearances in the Bowl, while northern clubs have appeared 49 times. After the first three German Bowls, the final was never again contested by two southern clubs. Since the end of the golden era of the Ansbach Grizzlies in 1986, southern clubs have only made six appearances in the championship game and suffered a championship draught from 1993 to 2011.Restrictions on foreign players
As a sign of the strong influence of AmericansPeople of the United States
The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
in the game in Germany, upon formation of the Bundesliga in 1979, there was no restriction on how many foreigners a team could field. The only stipulation was, that every team had to field a minimum of three German nationals at any time. Soon, this changed, and the allowed number of foreigners on the field for a team at any given time, in this case specifically, Americans, was reduced to five.
In 1982, this number was reduced to four, in 1983 to three and, by 1986, only two were allowed on the field for a team at any given time.
In November 2010, a new Bundesspielordnung, the rule book of American football in Germany, was published. One major change was that the sport now placed citizens of European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
countries on equal footing with German nationals, meaning, restrictions on the number of these players per team on the field were now not in place anymore. However, the restrictions on non-EU nationals remained in place, unless those players could prove that they had spent at least three years playing for a youth team in the sport in Germany.
For the 2011 season, a club can sign up up to ten non-EU players, have six of those on the line-up for any given game but only two of those on the field at any given time. These restrictions are specifically in place for US, Canadian, Mexican and Japanese citizens and, on request, exemptions can be made for players from countries without established structures in the sport. This rule is designed to prevent an advantage to the wealthier clubs, who could otherwise recruit a large number of players from the traditional American football countries.
GFL North
| Team | City | Stadium | Capacity |
| Assindia Cardinals Assindia Cardinals The Assindia Cardinals are an American football team from Essen, Germany. Assindia is the Latin name for Essen.As its greatest success, the club has finished in third place in the northern division of the American Football Bundesliga in 1986, and reached the quarter finals of the national... |
Essen Essen - Origin of the name :In German-speaking countries, the name of the city Essen often causes confusion as to its origins, because it is commonly known as the German infinitive of the verb for the act of eating, and/or the German noun for food. Although scholars still dispute the interpretation of... |
Sportpark am Hallo Sportpark am Hallo Sportpark am Hallo is a facility consisting of an indoor sporting arena and an outdoor stadium located in Essen, Germany. The capacity of the arena is 2,500 people, while the stadium can accommodate 3,800 spectators. It is currently home to the TUSEM Essen team handball team and the Assindia... |
3,800 |
| Berlin Adler Berlin Adler The Berlin Adler is an American football club based in Berlin, Germany. The club is one of the most successful clubs in the sport in Germany, having won six German Bowls as well as a ten Ladies Bowls and five Junior Bowls.... |
Berlin Berlin Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union... |
Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark | 20,000 |
| Dresden Monarchs Dresden Monarchs The Dresden Monarchs are an American football team from Dresden, Germany.As its greatest success, the club has finished in third place in the northern division of the German Football League on five occasions, and reached the semi finals of the national championship in 2004 and 2010.-History:The... |
Dresden Dresden Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area.... |
Heinz-Steyer-Stadion Heinz-Steyer-Stadion The Heinz-Steyer-Stadion is a Football and athletics stadium in Dresden, which is currently used by the Dresdner SC. It has a capacity of about 30.000, but is currently restricted to about 5.000 for soccer matches . It was also the first stadium of Dynamo Dresden... |
2,660 |
| Düsseldorf Panther Düsseldorf Panther The Düsseldorf Panther are an American football team from Düsseldorf, Germany. The club is the oldest still existing American football club in Europe, having been formed on 1 May 1978.... |
Düsseldorf Düsseldorf Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the... |
Stadion des VfL Benrath | 14,360 |
| New Yorker Lions | Braunschweig Braunschweig Braunschweig , is a city of 247,400 people, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser.... |
Eintracht-Stadion | 25,500 |
| Kiel Baltic Hurricanes Kiel Baltic Hurricanes The Kiel Baltic Hurricanes are an American football team based in Kiel, Germany.The club has been, of recent, a strong force in the sport in Germany, playing in four consecutive German Bowls from 2008 to 2011, losing the first two, winning the third and losing the fourth.The club is part of the... |
Kiel Kiel Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the... |
Holstein-Stadion | 12,000 |
| Mönchengladbach Mavericks Mönchengladbach Mavericks The Mönchengladbach Mavericks are an American football team from Mönchengladbach, Germany.The club won promotion to the German Football League in 2010, and qualified for the semi finals of the play-offs the following year, its greatest success.-History:... |
Mönchengladbach Mönchengladbach Mönchengladbach , formerly known as Münchengladbach, is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located west of the Rhine half way between Düsseldorf and the Dutch border.... |
Warsteiner HockeyPark Warsteiner HockeyPark Warsteiner HockeyPark is a multi-use stadium in Mönchengladbach, Germany. It is currently used mostly for american football and field hockey matches and hosted the 2006 World Hockey Cup... |
12,000 |
GFL South
| Team | City | Stadium | Capacity |
| Marburg Mercenaries Marburg Mercenaries The Marburg Mercenaries are an American football team from Marburg, Germany.Internationally, the clubs greatest success came in 2005, when it won the EFAF Cup, followed by a losing appearance in the Eurobowl in 2007... |
Marburg Marburg Marburg is a city in the state of Hesse, Germany, on the River Lahn. It is the main town of the Marburg-Biedenkopf district and its population, as of March 2010, was 79,911.- Founding and early history :... |
Georg-Gaßmann-Stadion Georg-Gaßmann-Stadion The Georg-Gaßmann-Stadion is a multi-purpose stadium in the district of Ockershausen in Marburg, Germany, named after the former politician and mayor of the city, Georg Gaßmann.... |
12,000 |
| Munich Cowboys Munich Cowboys The Munich Cowboys are an American football team based in Munich, Germany. The club, together with the Düsseldorf Panther and the Ansbach Grizzlies, is one of the oldest in Germany. The team refers to itself as The Grand Old Team of the South.... |
Munich Munich Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat... |
Dantestadion | 18,000 |
| Plattling Black Hawks Plattling Black Hawks The Plattling Black Hawks are an American football team from Plattling, Germany. The club was, until 2004, known as the Deggendorf Black Hawks.... |
Plattling Plattling Plattling is a town in the district of Deggendorf, in Bavaria, Germany.During World War II, a subcamp of Flossenburg concentration camp was located here... |
Karl-Weinberger-Stadion | 4,000 |
| Saarland Hurricanes Saarland Hurricanes The Saarland Hurricanes are an American football team from Saarbrücken, Germany. Saarbrücken is the capital of the federal German state of Saarland, which the club is named after... |
Saarbrücken Saarbrücken Saarbrücken is the capital of the state of Saarland in Germany. The city is situated at the heart of a metropolitan area that borders on the west on Dillingen and to the north-east on Neunkirchen, where most of the people of the Saarland live.... |
Ludwigsparkstadion | 35,303 |
| Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns The Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns are an American football team from Schwäbisch Hall, Germany.The clubs greatest successes were winning the southern division title in the German Football League in 2009 and 2011, followed up by winning the German Bowl in 2011.... |
Schwäbisch Hall Schwäbisch Hall Schwäbisch Hall is a town in the German state of Baden-Württemberg and capital of the district of Schwäbisch Hall. The town is located in the valley of the river Kocher in the north-eastern part of Baden-Württemberg.... |
Hagenbachstadion | 2,200 |
| Stuttgart Scorpions Stuttgart Scorpions The Stuttgart Scorpions are an American football team from Stuttgart, Germany.The clubs greatest success came in 2007, when it reached the German Bowl but lost to the Braunschweig Lions.-History:The Stuttgart Scorpions were formed in December 1982... |
Stuttgart Stuttgart Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million .... |
Gazi-Stadion auf der Waldau GAZi-Stadion auf der Waldau The Gazi-Stadion auf der Waldau is a multi-use stadium in the Degerloch district in Stuttgart, Germany. The stadium is situated approximately 200m besides the Fernsehturm Stuttgart and holds 11,410 spectators , which makes it the second biggest stadium in Stuttgart.... |
12,000 |
| Wiesbaden Phantoms Wiesbaden Phantoms The Wiesbaden Phantoms are an American football team from Wiesbaden, Germany.The team experienced its greatest success in 2010, earning promotion to the German Football League.-History:... |
Wiesbaden Wiesbaden Wiesbaden is a city in southwest Germany and the capital of the federal state of Hesse. It has about 275,400 inhabitants, plus approximately 10,000 United States citizens... |
Europaviertel Europaviertel (Wiesbaden) The Europaviertel in Wiesbaden is a former barracks area named Gersdorff Kaserne at the edge of the city center of the Hessian state capital.-Barracks :... |
700 |
German Bowls
German Bowl participants since 1979:| App. | Team | Wins | Losses | Winning percentage | Season(s)† |
| 12 | New Yorker Lions* | 7 | 5 | .583 | 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 |
| 9 | Düsseldorf Panther Düsseldorf Panther The Düsseldorf Panther are an American football team from Düsseldorf, Germany. The club is the oldest still existing American football club in Europe, having been formed on 1 May 1978.... |
6 | 3 | .667 | 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996 |
| 8 | Berlin Adler Berlin Adler The Berlin Adler is an American football club based in Berlin, Germany. The club is one of the most successful clubs in the sport in Germany, having won six German Bowls as well as a ten Ladies Bowls and five Junior Bowls.... |
6 | 2 | .750 | 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1994, 2004, 2009, 2010 |
| 8 | Hamburg Blue Devils Hamburg Blue Devils The Hamburg Blue Devils are an American football team in Hamburg, Germany. The Blue Devils are one of the most successful American football clubs in Germany, having won four German Bowls as well as three Eurobowls... |
4 | 4 | .500 | 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005 |
| 8 | Ansbach Grizzlies Ansbach Grizzlies The Ansbach Grizzlies are an American football team based in Ansbach, Germany. The club, together with the Düsseldorf Panther and the Munich Cowboys, is one of the oldest in Germany... |
3 | 5 | .375 | 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986 |
| 6 | Cologne Crocodiles Cologne Crocodiles The Cologne Crocodiles are an American football team from Cologne, Germany.The clubs greatest success came in 2000, when it won the German Bowl for the first and, so far, only time... |
1 | 5 | .167 | 1982, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1997, 2000 |
| 4 | Kiel Baltic Hurricanes Kiel Baltic Hurricanes The Kiel Baltic Hurricanes are an American football team based in Kiel, Germany.The club has been, of recent, a strong force in the sport in Germany, playing in four consecutive German Bowls from 2008 to 2011, losing the first two, winning the third and losing the fourth.The club is part of the... |
1 | 3 | .250 | 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 |
| 3 | Frankfurter Löwen Frankfurter Löwen The Frankfurter Löwen were an American football team from Frankfurt, Germany.The Löwen were the first American football club to be formed in Germany. The club, a founding member of the American Football Bundesliga, was also the winner of the first two editions of the German Bowl... |
2 | 1 | .667 | 1979, 1980, 1981 |
| 2 | Red Barons Cologne Red Barons Cologne The Red Barons Cologne were an American football team from Cologne, Germany.The clubs greatest success came in 1988, when it won its sole German Bowl, followed by a losing appearance in the game in1989... |
1 | 1 | .500 | 1988, 1989 |
| 2 | Munich Cowboys Munich Cowboys The Munich Cowboys are an American football team based in Munich, Germany. The club, together with the Düsseldorf Panther and the Ansbach Grizzlies, is one of the oldest in Germany. The team refers to itself as The Grand Old Team of the South.... |
1 | 1 | .500 | 1992, 1993 |
| 1 | Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns The Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns are an American football team from Schwäbisch Hall, Germany.The clubs greatest successes were winning the southern division title in the German Football League in 2009 and 2011, followed up by winning the German Bowl in 2011.... |
1 | 0 | 1.000 | 2011 |
| 1 | Badener Greifs Badener Greifs The Badener Greifs are an American football club from Karlsruhe, Germany.The clubs greatest success came in 1987, when it reached the German Bowl but lost to the Berlin Adler.-History:The club was formed in 1982 by a group of motor cycle enthusiasts.... |
0 | 1 | .000 | 1987 |
| 1 | Marburg Mercenaries Marburg Mercenaries The Marburg Mercenaries are an American football team from Marburg, Germany.Internationally, the clubs greatest success came in 2005, when it won the EFAF Cup, followed by a losing appearance in the Eurobowl in 2007... |
0 | 1 | .000 | 2006 |
| 1 | Stuttgart Scorpions Stuttgart Scorpions The Stuttgart Scorpions are an American football team from Stuttgart, Germany.The clubs greatest success came in 2007, when it reached the German Bowl but lost to the Braunschweig Lions.-History:The Stuttgart Scorpions were formed in December 1982... |
0 | 1 | .000 | 2007 |
† Bold denotes German Bowl victory
GFL season placings
The placings in the league since the renaming of the league to GFL after the 1999 season:| GFL North | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| Kiel Baltic Hurricanes Kiel Baltic Hurricanes The Kiel Baltic Hurricanes are an American football team based in Kiel, Germany.The club has been, of recent, a strong force in the sport in Germany, playing in four consecutive German Bowls from 2008 to 2011, losing the first two, winning the third and losing the fourth.The club is part of the... |
4 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| Mönchengladbach Mavericks Mönchengladbach Mavericks The Mönchengladbach Mavericks are an American football team from Mönchengladbach, Germany.The club won promotion to the German Football League in 2010, and qualified for the semi finals of the play-offs the following year, its greatest success.-History:... |
2 | ||||||||||||
| Düsseldorf Panther Düsseldorf Panther The Düsseldorf Panther are an American football team from Düsseldorf, Germany. The club is the oldest still existing American football club in Europe, having been formed on 1 May 1978.... |
3 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 3 | |||||||
| Berlin Adler Berlin Adler The Berlin Adler is an American football club based in Berlin, Germany. The club is one of the most successful clubs in the sport in Germany, having won six German Bowls as well as a ten Ladies Bowls and five Junior Bowls.... |
4 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | |||
| Dresden Monarchs Dresden Monarchs The Dresden Monarchs are an American football team from Dresden, Germany.As its greatest success, the club has finished in third place in the northern division of the German Football League on five occasions, and reached the semi finals of the national championship in 2004 and 2010.-History:The... |
4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 5 | ||||
| New Yorker Lions | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 6 | |
| Assindia Cardinals Assindia Cardinals The Assindia Cardinals are an American football team from Essen, Germany. Assindia is the Latin name for Essen.As its greatest success, the club has finished in third place in the northern division of the American Football Bundesliga in 1986, and reached the quarter finals of the national... |
5 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 7 | |||||||
| Berlin Rebels | 6 | ||||||||||||
| Hamburg Blue Devils Hamburg Blue Devils The Hamburg Blue Devils are an American football team in Hamburg, Germany. The Blue Devils are one of the most successful American football clubs in Germany, having won four German Bowls as well as three Eurobowls... |
5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | ||||
| Cologne Falcons | 5 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |||||||||
| Hannover Musketeers | 6 | ||||||||||||
| Cologne Crocodiles Cologne Crocodiles The Cologne Crocodiles are an American football team from Cologne, Germany.The clubs greatest success came in 2000, when it won the German Bowl for the first and, so far, only time... |
1 | 4 | 3 | 5 |
| GFL South | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns The Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns are an American football team from Schwäbisch Hall, Germany.The clubs greatest successes were winning the southern division title in the German Football League in 2009 and 2011, followed up by winning the German Bowl in 2011.... |
4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||
| Marburg Mercenaries Marburg Mercenaries The Marburg Mercenaries are an American football team from Marburg, Germany.Internationally, the clubs greatest success came in 2005, when it won the EFAF Cup, followed by a losing appearance in the Eurobowl in 2007... |
6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | ||||
| Stuttgart Scorpions Stuttgart Scorpions The Stuttgart Scorpions are an American football team from Stuttgart, Germany.The clubs greatest success came in 2007, when it reached the German Bowl but lost to the Braunschweig Lions.-History:The Stuttgart Scorpions were formed in December 1982... |
4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | |
| Munich Cowboys Munich Cowboys The Munich Cowboys are an American football team based in Munich, Germany. The club, together with the Düsseldorf Panther and the Ansbach Grizzlies, is one of the oldest in Germany. The team refers to itself as The Grand Old Team of the South.... |
1 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 4 | ||||
| Wiesbaden Phantoms Wiesbaden Phantoms The Wiesbaden Phantoms are an American football team from Wiesbaden, Germany.The team experienced its greatest success in 2010, earning promotion to the German Football League.-History:... |
5 | ||||||||||||
| Saarland Hurricanes Saarland Hurricanes The Saarland Hurricanes are an American football team from Saarbrücken, Germany. Saarbrücken is the capital of the federal German state of Saarland, which the club is named after... |
5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | |||||
| Plattling Black Hawks Plattling Black Hawks The Plattling Black Hawks are an American football team from Plattling, Germany. The club was, until 2004, known as the Deggendorf Black Hawks.... |
5 | 3 | 7 | ||||||||||
| Weinheim Longhorns | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | |||||||||
| Darmstadt Diamonds | 4 | 5 | 6 | ||||||||||
| Franken Knights | 3 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 4 | ||||||||
| Rhein Main Razorbacks | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||
| Aschaffenburg Stallions | 5 | ||||||||||||
| Landsberg Express | 6 |
| GFL Champions | GFL Runners up | Divisional champion |
- In 2000, the northern division consisted of only five clubs.
- In 2005 and 2006, the southern division consisted of only five clubs.
Divisional champions
This is a list of the winners of the regional divisions of the GFL. A record nine divisional titles were won by the Berlin Adler and Düsseldorf Panther each, while the Ansbach Grizzlies still hold the record for division titles in the south, seven, despite not having competed in the league for twenty years:| Year | North | South |
| 1979 | Frankfurter Löwen | |
| 1980 | Frankfurter Löwen | Hanau Hawks |
| 1981 | Frankfurter Löwen | Ansbach Grizzlies |
| 1982 | Cologne Crocodiles | Ansbach Grizzlies |
| 1983 | Düsseldorf Panther | Ansbach Grizzlies |
| 1984 | Düsseldorf Panther | Ansbach Grizzlies |
| 1985 | Düsseldorf Panther | Ansbach Grizzlies |
| Year | North A | North B | Central | South |
| 1986 | Düsseldorf Panther | Berlin Adler | Badener Greifs | Ansbach Grizzlies |
| 1987 | Düsseldorf Panther | Berlin Adler | Badener Greifs | Noris Rams |
| Year | North A | North B | South A | South B |
| 1988 | Düsseldorf Panther | Berlin Adler | Bad Homburg Falken | Ansbach Grizzlies |
| 1989 | Red Barons Cologne | Berlin Adler | Badener Greifs | Noris Rams |
| 1990 | Düsseldorf Panther | Berlin Adler | Badener Greifs | Munich Cowboys |
| Year | North | South |
| 1991 | Berlin Adler | Noris Rams |
| 1992 | Berlin Adler | Munich Cowboys |
| 1993 | Cologne Crocodiles | Munich Cowboys |
| 1994 | Berlin Adler | Munich Cowboys |
| 1995 | Düsseldorf Panther | Hanau Hawks |
| 1996 | Düsseldorf Panther | Noris Rams |
| 1997 | Hamburg Blue Devils | Hanau Hawks |
| 1998 | Braunschweig Lions | Stuttgart Scorpions |
| 1999 | Braunschweig Lions | Rüsselsheim Razorbacks |
| 2000 | Cologne Crocodiles | Munich Cowboys |
| 2001 | Hamburg Blue Devils | Munich Cowboys |
| 2002 | Braunschweig Lions | Rhein Main Razorbacks |
| 2003 | Braunschweig Lions | Rhein Main Razorbacks |
| 2004 | Braunschweig Lions | Marburg Mercenaries |
| 2005 | Braunschweig Lions | Marburg Mercenaries |
| 2006 | Braunschweig Lions | Marburg Mercenaries |
| 2007 | Braunschweig Lions | Stuttgart Scorpions |
| 2008 | Kiel Baltic Hurricanes | Marburg Mercenaries |
| 2009 | Berlin Adler | Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns |
| 2010 | Kiel Baltic Hurricanes | Marburg Mercenaries |
| 2011 | Kiel Baltic Hurricanes | Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns |
European Football League participation
Since the inception of the EurobowlEurobowl
The Eurobowl is both the final game and the trophy of the European Football League , a European American football contest.-Eurobowls:-Champions:...
in 1986, German clubs have taken part in the competition in most seasons. In most cases, the German Bowl winner of the previous season was qualified. In some seasons more than one German club took part in the competition. On seven occasions clubs from Germany have won the Eurobowl. The participations of German clubs at the European Football League
European Football League
The European Football League is a European Cup style tournament for European American Football teams affiliated to EFAF...
:
| Year | Club | Progress |
| 1986 | Ansbach Grizzlies Ansbach Grizzlies The Ansbach Grizzlies are an American football team based in Ansbach, Germany. The club, together with the Düsseldorf Panther and the Munich Cowboys, is one of the oldest in Germany... |
Lost QF: Birmingham Bulls Birmingham Bulls The Birmingham Bulls were a professional ice hockey team based in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. They played in the World Hockey Association from 1976 to 1979 and the Central Hockey League from 1979 to 1981. The Bulls played their home games at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Center.Prior to being... (18–29) |
| 1987 | not held | |
| 1988 | Berlin Adler Berlin Adler The Berlin Adler is an American football club based in Berlin, Germany. The club is one of the most successful clubs in the sport in Germany, having won six German Bowls as well as a ten Ladies Bowls and five Junior Bowls.... |
Lost SF:  Amsterdam CrusadersAmsterdam Crusaders The Amsterdam Crusaders are an American Football club from Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Together with the Rotterdam Trojans and Alphen Eagles, Amsterdam Crusaders are the oldest surviving Dutch American Football club.-Beginnings:... (28–29) |
| 1989 | Red Barons Cologne Red Barons Cologne The Red Barons Cologne were an American football team from Cologne, Germany.The clubs greatest success came in 1988, when it won its sole German Bowl, followed by a losing appearance in the game in1989... |
Lost SF:  Legnano Frogs (15–49) |
| 1990 | Berlin Adler | Lost SF: Manchester Spartans Manchester Spartans The Manchester Spartans were an English American football club based in Manchester. The club were founded in 1983 under the name Northwich Spartans. Becoming Manchester Spartans in 1984, the club became national champions in 1989 and 1990 and competed in Eurobowl IV in 1990... (33–35) |
| 1991 | Berlin Adler | Lost EB: Amsterdam Crusaders (20–21) |
| 1992 | Berlin Adler | Lost QF: Torino Giaguari (13–35) |
| 1993 | Düsseldorf Panther Düsseldorf Panther The Düsseldorf Panther are an American football team from Düsseldorf, Germany. The club is the oldest still existing American football club in Europe, having been formed on 1 May 1978.... |
Lost Qual.: London Olympians London Olympians The London Olympians is a British amateur American football team, based in Crystal Palace, London. They are the United Kingdom's most successful amateur American football club... (29–32) |
| 1994 | Munich Cowboys Munich Cowboys The Munich Cowboys are an American football team based in Munich, Germany. The club, together with the Düsseldorf Panther and the Ansbach Grizzlies, is one of the oldest in Germany. The team refers to itself as The Grand Old Team of the South.... |
Lost SF: Bergamo Lions Bergamo Lions The Bergamo Lions is an American football team from Bergamo, Italy. They won the Eurobowl in 2000, 2001 and 2002, while losing to the Chrysler Vikings in the finals of 2004 and 2005. In Italy they have been unbeaten since 1998... (18–25) |
| 1995 | Düsseldorf Panther | Won EB: London Olympians London Olympians The London Olympians is a British amateur American football team, based in Crystal Palace, London. They are the United Kingdom's most successful amateur American football club... (21–14) |
| 1996 | Hamburg Blue Devils Hamburg Blue Devils The Hamburg Blue Devils are an American football team in Hamburg, Germany. The Blue Devils are one of the most successful American football clubs in Germany, having won four German Bowls as well as three Eurobowls... |
Won EB:  Aix-en-Provence Argonauts (21–14) |
| Düsseldorf Panther | Lost QF: Aix-en-Provence Argonauts (27–28) a.e.t. |
|
| Berlin Adler | Lost QF: Legnano Frogs (13–45) |
|
| 1997 | Hamburg Blue Devils | Won EB: Phoenix Bologna (35–14) |
| 1998 | Hamburg Blue Devils | Won EB: La Courneuve Flash La Courneuve Flash The La Courneuve Flash are a French American football team based in La CourneuveThe team plays in Ligue Élite de Football Américain and in European Football League.-Achievements:* 1997: Champion of France... (38–19) |
| Braunschweig Lions Braunschweig Lions The New Yorker Lions are an American Football team from Braunschweig, Germany. Until late 2010, the team was known as the Braunschweig Lions.... |
Lost SF:  Hamburg Blue Devils (14–24) |
|
| 1999 | Braunschweig Lions | Won EB: Hamburg Blue Devils (27–23) |
| Rüsselsheim Razorbacks | Lost Qual.:  Prague Panther (21–26) |
|
| Cologne Crocodiles Cologne Crocodiles The Cologne Crocodiles are an American football team from Cologne, Germany.The clubs greatest success came in 2000, when it won the German Bowl for the first and, so far, only time... |
Lost Qual.: Bergamo Lions (17–41) |
|
| 2000 | Hamburg Blue Devils | Lost EB: Bergamo Lions (20–42) |
| Cologne Crocodiles | Lost SF: Bergamo Lions (56–62) a.e.t. |
|
| Braunschweig Lions | Lost QF: Cologne Crocodiles (15–24) |
|
| 2001 | no participation | |
| 2002 | Braunschweig Lions | Lost EB: Bergamo Lions (20–27) |
| 2003 | Braunschweig Lions | Won EB:  Chrysler Vikings Vienna (21–14) |
| 2004 | no participation | |
| 2005 | no participation | |
| 2006 | Braunschweig Lions | Knocked out in group stage |
| Hamburg Blue Devils | Knocked out in group stage | |
| 2007 | Marburg Mercenaries Marburg Mercenaries The Marburg Mercenaries are an American football team from Marburg, Germany.Internationally, the clubs greatest success came in 2005, when it won the EFAF Cup, followed by a losing appearance in the Eurobowl in 2007... |
Lost EB: Dodge Vikings Vienna (19–70) |
| 2008 | Stuttgart Scorpions Stuttgart Scorpions The Stuttgart Scorpions are an American football team from Stuttgart, Germany.The clubs greatest success came in 2007, when it reached the German Bowl but lost to the Braunschweig Lions.-History:The Stuttgart Scorpions were formed in December 1982... |
Lost QF: Graz Giants (9–24) |
| 2009 | Braunschweig Lions | Lost QF: Tirol Raiders (7–35) |
| Berlin Adler | Knocked out in group stage | |
| 2010 | Berlin Adler | Won EB: Vienna Vikings (34–31) |
| 2011 | Berlin Adler | Lost EB: Swarco Raiders Tirol Swarco Raiders Tirol The Swarco Raiders Tirol, is a semi-professional American football club based in Innsbruck, Austria. Founded in 1992, the Raiders since has become one of Austria's and Europe's most dominant American Football clubs, winning the Eurobowl title three times and the EFAF Cup once... (12-27) |
| Kiel Baltic Hurricanes Kiel Baltic Hurricanes The Kiel Baltic Hurricanes are an American football team based in Kiel, Germany.The club has been, of recent, a strong force in the sport in Germany, playing in four consecutive German Bowls from 2008 to 2011, losing the first two, winning the third and losing the fourth.The club is part of the... |
Knocked out in group stage | |
- Qual. = Qualifying round
- QF = Quarter finals
- SF = Semi finals
- EB = European Bowl