NFL Europe was originally founded in the spring of 1991 as the
World League of American Football. The original WLAF was an American football league partially backed by the National Football League and, like the current NFL Europe, was a spring developmental league.
Originally, the ancestor to NFL Europe had 10 teams: six American teams, three European teams, and one Canadian team. The top two
teams in the World League of American Football met at the end of the season in the World Bowl.
The original WLAF was less than popular in the United States, and only marginally more so in Europe, and suspended operations
in 1993 prior to the season. However, the National Football League still liked the idea of a spring developmental league, and after
revamping itself into an exclusively European circuit, the World League was formed. World League, re-launched in
1995, consisted of 6 European teams, 5 of which are members of the present-day NFL Europe,
although one team has moved from its original city. The London Monarchs moved to Berlin in 1999, becoming the Berlin Thunder. The
one original team that no longer exists is the Barcelona Dragons. In 2002, the team became
an official section of FC Barcelona, adopting the name FC Barcelona
Dragons, but folded after the 2003 season when Barça dropped its sponsorship. A new German
franchise, the Cologne Centurions, took the Dragons' place in the league in 2004. In
1998, the World League changed its name to NFL Europe.
Players in NFL Europe are predominately assigned by NFL teams who want these younger, "developmental" players to get
additional game experience and coaching. The expenses of these players and their coaches while living in Europe are assumed by
the league.
Rules unique to NFL Europe included assigning increasing point value to field goals based on length, and a requirement that at
least one player of European extraction participate in at least every other series of downs.
Teams
World League of American Football (1991-1992)
U.S.
- Birmingham Fire
- New York/New Jersey Knights
- Ohio Glory [Columbus] (1992)
- Orlando Thunder
- Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks (1991)
- Sacramento Surge
- San Antonio Riders
Canada
Europe
- Barcelona Dragons
- Frankfurt Galaxy
- London Monarchs
NFL Europe (1995-present)
Current teams
Former teams
- Barcelona Dragons
(1995-2001 as Barcelona Dragons; known as FC Barcelona Dragons in 2002-2003 while affiliated with FC Barcelona)
- London Monarchs (1995-1998)
NOTE: In 1998, the London Monarchs were known as the England Monarchs. Also, although the Glasgow-based franchise is called
Scotland in box scores, its official name is Scottish Claymores.
World Bowl (WLAF and NFL Europe Championships)
- 1991 - London Monarchs 21, Barcelona Dragons 0
- 1992 - Sacramento Surge 21, Orlando Thunder 17
- 1993 - Not Played
- 1994 - Not Played
- 1995 - Frankfurt Galaxy 26, Amsterdam Admirals 22
- 1996 - Scotland Claymores 32, Frankfurt Galaxy 27
- 1997 - Barcelona Dragons 38, Rhein Fire 24
- 1998 - Rhein Fire 34, Frankfurt Galaxy 10
- 1999 - Frankfurt Galaxy 38, Barcelona Dragons 24
- 2000 - Rhein Fire 13, Scotland Claymores 10
- 2001 - Berlin Thunder 24, Barcelona Dragons 17
- 2002 - Berlin Thunder 26, Rhein Fire 20
- 2003 - Frankfurt Galaxy 35, Rhein Fire 16
- 2004 - Berlin Thunder 30, Frankfurt Galaxy 24
See List of leagues of
American football
External link:
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