List of American and Canadian football leagues
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This is a list of current and defunct leagues of American football and Canadian football.
Leagues in North America
Current professional leagues in North America
Professional outdoor leagues
Major
- National Football League (NFL), 1920–
- Originally American Professional Football Conference, American Professional Football Association (1920–1921)
- Merged with the American Football League (1960–69)
- Canadian Football League (CFL), 1909– (Grey Cup Canadian Football Championships since 1909)
- Formed from Interprovincial Rugby Football Union (1909) and Western Interprovincial Football Union (1936).
Other
- XFL, 2001; 2020; 2023–
- Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional (LFA), 2016–
- Fútbol Americano de México (FAM), 2019–
Professional arena/indoor leagues
- Indoor Football League, (15 teams) 2009–
- Formed from United Indoor Football and Intense Football League
- Champions Indoor Football, (8 teams) 2015–
- National Arena League, (6 teams) 2017–
- American West Football Conference, (6 teams) 2019–
- Fan Controlled Football League, (8 teams) 2021–
Developmental leagues
- Gridiron Developmental Football League,[1][2] 2010–
- Rivals Professional Football League,[3][2][4][5] 2015–
- The Spring League, 2017–
- United States Football League, 2022–
Current semi-professional leagues
- Puerto Rico American Football League, 2014-Present
- Chicagoland Football League, 1917–1934, 2005-
- Northern Football Conference, 1954-
- Eastern Football League, 1961-
- Empire Football League, 1969–
- Mason-Dixon Football League, 1978-
- Alberta Football League, 1984-
- The Minor Football League, 1993-
- New England Football League, 1994–
- National Public Safety Football League, 1997-
- Rocky Mountain Football League, 1997–
- MidStates Football League, 1999-
- Maritime Football League, 2001-
- The Pacific Coast Football League, 2006-
- Florida Football Alliance, 2007–
- Northern Elite Football League, 2008-
- Atlantic Coast Football Alliance,[6] 2009–
- Amateur to Professional Developmental Football League,[2][7] 2012–
- American 7s Football League,[8] 2014–
Collegiate and amateur leagues
- National Collegiate Athletic Association, 1906–
- National Federation of State High School Associations, 1920–
- California Community College Athletic Association, 1929–
- Collegiate Sprint Football League, 1934–
- National Junior College Athletic Association, 1938–
- National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, 1940–
- U Sports, 1961-
- Quebec Junior Football League, 1970-
- Canadian Junior Football League, 1974-
- Organización Nacional Estudiantil de Fútbol Americano, 1978–
- Atlantic Football League, 2009-
- Intercollegiate Club Football Federation, 2010–
- National Club Football Association, 2010–
- Hohokam Junior College Athletic Conference, 2019 -
Current Women's Leagues
- Women's Football Alliance, 2009–
- United States Women's Football League, 2010–
- Women's National Football Conference, 2019–
Women's Indoor/Arena leagues
- Legends Football League, 2009–
- Operated as the Lingerie Football League from 2009 to 2012.
Planned women's leagues
Planned leagues in North America
- National Gridiron League, TBA (proposed to begin in 2022)
- Freedom Football League, TBA (proposed to begin 2022) (seven-on-seven format)
- Major League Football, TBA (proposed to begin in 2022)
- American Patriot League, TBA (proposed to begin in 2023)
- United States Football League, TBA (proposed to begin in 2022)
Historical leagues in North America
Major outdoor leagues
- Western Pennsylvania Professional Football Circuit, 1892–19406
- National Football League, 1902
- Ohio Independent Championship (Ohio League), 1903–19196
- New York Pro Football League, c. 1913–19206
- American Football League, 1926, 1936–1937, and 1940–1941 (all unrelated, three separate leagues)
- All-America Football Conference, 1946–19491
- American Football League, 1960–19692
- World Football League, 1974–1975
- United States Football League, 1983–1985
- World League of American Football 1991–1992[a]/NFL Europe 1995-2007
Minor outdoor leagues
- American Football Union (1886–1895)
- Wilmington Football League (1922–1925, 1929–1935, 1940–1941, 1946–1955)
- Anthracite League (1924) / Eastern League of Professional Football (1926)
- Ohio Valley League, 1925-1929
- Pacific Coast League, 1926
- Eastern League of Professional Football, 1926-1927
- Anthracite League, 1928-1929
- Eastern Football League, 1932-1933
- Became Interstate Football League in 1933
- Greater New York League, 1934-1935
- Originally the New Jersey Football Circuit (1934)
- American Football League, 1934
- American Legion League, 1934-1935
- Northwest Football League, 1935–1938
- Midwest Football League, 1935–1937, became American Professional Football Association in 1938, American Football League in 1939
- Dixie League, 1936–1947 – originally South Atlantic Football Association
- American Association 1936–1941/American Football League 1946–19503
- New England Football League, 1936
- Virginia-Carolina Football League, 1937
- California Football League, 1938
- Eastern Pennsylvania Football League, 1938
- American Football League, 1938–19394
- Pacific Coast Professional Football League, 1940–1948
- Northeast Football League, 1940–1942
- Northwest War Industries Football League, 1942
- Eastern Football League, 1944
- American Football League, 19445
- Virginia Negro League, 1946
- Central States Football League, 1948–1953
- Pacific Football Conference, 1957–1958
- American Football Conference, 1959–1961
- Low-level fall league that was fully organized in September 1959 with five independent teams who played the other teams sporadically. The original teams were Duquesne Ironmen (Pennsylvania), Melvindale Redskins (Michigan), Toledo Tornadoes, Dayton Triangles (Ohio) and Newark Rams (New Jersey). Players were from both pro and college teams.[11] Teams also end up play in Sarnia, Zaneville (Ohio Colts), Port Huron and Detroit,[12] while Toledo Tornadoes leave for the larger United Football League (1961–1964).[13]
- United Football League, 1961–1964
- Central States Football League, 1962-1975
- Midwest Football League, 1962-1978
- Atlantic Coast Football League, 1962–1971, 1973
- Midwest Football League, 1962–1978
- Southern Football League, 1963-1965
- North Pacific Football League, 1963-1966
- New England Football League, 1964-1967
- Renamed North Atlantic Football League in 1967
- Continental Football League, 1965–1969
- North American Football League, 1965–1966
- Professional Football League of America, 1965–1967
- Texas Football League 1966–1968
- United American Football League, 1967
- South Carolina Football League, 1967
- Trans-American Football League, 1970–1971
- Midwest Professional Football League, 1970–1972
- Seaboard Football League, 1971–1974
- Southwestern Football League, 1972–1973
- California Football League, 1974-1982
- American Football Association, 1978–1983
- International Football League, 1984 (never played)[14]
- Professional Spring Football League, 1992
- Regional Football League, 1999[15][13]
- International Football Federation, 2000 (never played)
- Spring Football League, 2000[16]
- XFL, 2001
- World Football League, 2008–2010
- United Football League, 2009–2012
- Stars Football League, 2011–2013
- North American Football League, 2014 (never played)
- Fall Experimental Football League, 2014–2015
- Your Call Football, 2018–2019
- Alliance of American Football, 2019
- 1: Three teams now in NFL
- 2: Agreed to merger with the NFL in 1966, with merger completed in 1970
- 3: American Association suspended operations for duration of U.S. involvement in World War II; in 1946 the AA was renamed American Football League
- 4: Known as the American Professional Football Association in 1938; renamed American Football League in 1939; dissolution after 1939 season caused by formation of 1940–1941 AFL major league
- 5: Merged with PCPFL in 1945
- 6: Informal association of teams
Indoor leagues
- World Series of Football, 1902–03
- Arena Football League, 1987–2008, 2010–2019
- Professional Indoor Football League, 1998–2000 (Bought out by Af2 in 2001)
- Indoor Football League, 1999–2000 (Bought out by Af2 in 2001;not related to the Indoor Football League that began play in 2009)
- Indoor Professional Football League, 1999–2001
- Arenafootball2 (af2), 2000–2009 (assets acquired in the same transaction as that noted above for Arena Football League)
- National Indoor Football League, 2001–2007
- American Professional Football League, 2003–2013
- Intense Football League, 2004–2008 (merged into current incarnation of the Indoor Football League)
- United Indoor Football, 2005–2008 (merged into current incarnation of the Indoor Football League)
- American Indoor Football, 2005–2010, 2012–2016
- Continental Indoor Football League, 2006–2014
- World Indoor Football League, 2007
- Southern Indoor Football League, 2008–2011 (teams divided into either the Lone Star Football League, the Professional Indoor Football League, or American Indoor Football)
- Ultimate Indoor Football League, 2011–2014
- Lone Star Football League, 2012–2014
- Professional Indoor Football League, 2012–2015
- Champions Professional Indoor Football League, 2013–2014
- X-League Indoor Football, 2014–2015
Collegiate and amateur leagues
- Texas Sixman Football League, 1999–2012
Women's leagues
- Women's Professional Football League, 1965-1973
- National Women’s Football League, 1967-1982
- Women's Professional Football League, 1999–2007
- National Women's Football Association, 2000–2008
- Women's American Football League, formed 2001, became the AFWL in 2002
- American Football Women's League (AFWL), 2002
- Women's Football Association, 2002–2003
- Women's Football League, 2002–2007
Leagues outside North America
Current professional leagues outside North America
- Europe - ELF European League of Football, began play in June 2021
- Japan - X-League, began play in 1971
Current minor professional, semi professional and amateur leagues outside North America
- Brazil - CBFA Brasil Futebol Americano[17]
- Colombia - FECOFA Federación Colombiana de Football Americano[18]
- Uruguay - LUFA Liga Uruguaya de Football Americano
- Austria - AFL Austrian Football League
- Belgium - BFL Belgian Football League
- Croatia - HFL Hrvatska Football Liga
- Czech Republic - CLAF Česká Liga Amerického Fotbalu
- Denmark - NL National Ligaen
- Finland - VL Vaahteraliiga
- France - LEFA Ligue Élite de Football Américain
- Germany - GFL German Football League
- Hungary - HFL Hungarian Football League
- Ireland - IAFL Irish American Football League
- Italy - FIDAF Prima Divisione FIDAF
- Netherlands - AFBN AFBN Division One
- Poland - PFL Polish Football League
- Portugal - LPFA Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Americano
- Romania - CNFA Campionatul Naţional de Fotbal American
- Russia - UAFR Russian American Football Championship
- Slovakia - SLAF Slovenská futbalová liga
- Slovenia - SNFL Slovenian Football League
- Serbia - NLS Nacionalna Liga Srbije
- Spain - LNFA Liga Nacional de Fútbol Americano
- Sweden - Superserien
- Switzerland - NLA Nationalliga A
- Switzerland - NSFL Non Professional Swiss Romande American Football League
- Turkey - TKFL Türkiye Korumalı Futbol Ligi
- Ukraine - ULAF Super League
- United Kingdom - BAFANL BAFA National Leagues
- ///////// - CEFL Central European Football League
- /// - EEAFC Eastern European American Football Cup
- / - EESL Eastern European Super League
Asia:
- Israel - IFL Israel Football League
- South Korea - Korea American Football Association
- Philippines - ATFFP Philippine–American Football League
- China - CNFL Chinese National Football League
- India - EFLI Elite Football League of India
- Australia - Gridiron Australia
- Australia - Australian Gridiron League
- Australia - Ladies Gridiron League
- New Zealand - New Zealand American Football Association
Defunct minor leagues around the world
- - Australian American Football League 1984–1998
- - Torneio Touchdown 2009–2015
- // - Continental Football League, 1965–1969
- //// Intercontinental Football League - Intended to begin play in 1975, folded before first game[19]
- - BCAFL British Collegiate American Football League, 1985–2007
- - BAFL British American Football League, 1987–2010
- - ISAF Icelandic Society for American Football, 1988–1991
- ///// International League of American Football - Intended to begin play in 1990, folded before first game[20]
- ///// World League of American Football/NFL Europe/NFL Europa, 1991–1992, 1995–2007
- ///// Football League of Europe, 1994-1995
- - National Gridiron League of Australia 1991–1995
- Europe - BIG6 BIG6 European Football League
- Europe - CL IFAF Europe Champions League
- - Philippine Tackle Football League
Collegiate and amateur leagues
See also
- International Federation of American Football (IFAF), international governing body for American football
- European Federation of American Football (EFAF)
- British American Football Association (BAFA)
- Association of Professional Football Leagues - compact of NFL and three minor leagues, 1946–1948
- List of professional sports leagues#Football: American and Canadian
- American-style football quarterback leaderboard
Notes
- ^ The league was in hiatus and re-branded as the NFL Europe League in 1995.
References
- ^ Wallace, Scott (January 23, 2018). "Bulldawgs Join Gridiron Developmental Football League". The Tennessee Tribune. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
- ^ a b c Earlywine, Aaron (February 9, 2017). "A closer look at football developmental leagues". SI.com. Time, Inc. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
- ^ Shea, Bill (March 23, 2014). "Spring football ... in Detroit? 2 groups think so". Crain's Detroit Business. Crain Communications, Inc. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
- ^ George M., Thomas (February 27, 2014). "Former Zip looks to bring pro football to University of Akron". Akron Beacon Journal. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
- ^ Davis, Jason Carmel (April 17, 2014). "Rivals football league provides athletes with chance to fulfill dream". Journal. C & G Publishing. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
- ^ http://www.acfafootball.net/
- ^ Jones, Elane; Eagle, Daily Mountain. "P-Town Wreckaz switch leagues, tapped to host Kick-off Classic". Daily Mountain Eagle. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
- ^ "Learn the History of A7FL :: No Pads Spring Tackle Football League".
- ^ "Women's Football League Association – About". Women's Football League Association. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
- ^ Gaydos, Ryan. "Fitness guru Santia Deck makes history signing multimillion-dollar deal with football team". Fox News. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
- ^ "Ironmen Join Grid Conference". The Pittsburgh Press. September 9, 1959. p. 50. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
- ^ "Sarnia Stays of Top with 8 Straight Wins". Hamilton Daily News Journal. Hamilton, Ohio. AP. October 30, 1961. p. 18. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
- ^ a b Autullo, Ryan (April 3, 2014). "New league not coming to Toledo". The Blade. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
- ^ http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1121180/index.htm [dead link]
- ^ "So you want to start a pro football league? (side bar)". Sports Business journal. American City Business Journals, Inc. January 29, 2018. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
- ^ Shea, Bill (March 23, 2014). "Passes at pro football league alternatives". Crain's Detroit Business. Crain Communications, Inc. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
- ^ CBFA official website Archived 2014-01-17 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Pagina Oficial FECOFA
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-12-18. Retrieved 2011-05-24.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link), Origins of the WLAF. - ^ International League Delays Debut; Football: ILAF cancels season that was to open next month in Europe, blaming lack of preparation time., The Los Angeles Times, March 1, 1990.
External links
- dfusa
.net, Developmental Football USA news site - Spring League of American Football