The first Elite 5s tournament rewrote the script on what British American football could look like on a single day. Now it's time to do it again, bigger, louder, and with even more on the line. Elite 5s: NextGen lands at Surrey Sports Park on April 18th, bringing 144 of the best university-age players together across 8 teams in a pro bowl format. That's 13 games of full-contact, 5-a-side football packed into one day, and a £3,500 Moneyball prize pot waiting at the end of it.

With the Easter holidays already upon us, the IFL is taking a general Bye Week before resuming full steam ahead until the end of May with the Regular Season. In this special edition of the Power Ranking, in addition to the usual commentary on the league games—only one this weekend—there's also a rating for the teams based on their performances this season. 1. Guelfi Firenze (A) There's no getting around it. Guelfi Firenze's season start, undefeated in 14 consecutive game

This is the most competitive season the LNFA has seen in decades, marked by the first loss of Las Rozas Black Demons in 2 years, who has recently fell against the Osos de Rivas. After 9 weeks and 35 games played, we are in the midst of the LNFA season. With only one regular season week left, it’s safe to say that, at least this year, the Spanish league has turned into one of the most entertaining competitions in Europe. I'm aware that a statement of that caliber is no joke,

For Keegan McCormack-Reamer, this next move is about more than football. It is about trust, opportunity, and the chance to write a new chapter in a place that already feels familiar. As he begins his journey in Germany, the quarterback speaks openly about resilience, growth, and the motivation that continues to push him forward. With long-term goals, high standards, and a championship in his sights, he is approaching this fresh start with both gratitude and determination. Ho

American football in Southeast Europe is entering a new chapter with the creation of the Danube American Football League (DAFL). A regional competition built on ambition, collaboration, and a shared vision for growth. The league was not created overnight. The idea of a regional competition had been circulating since 2019, when something close to a true regional platform last existed. Over the years, founding teams met in different competitive contexts. The Bucharest Titans p

In Italy, once the NFL season is over, anticipation grows ever greater for the start of the Italian Football League. The Italian Football League, now in its forty-fifth edition, is ready to return at the end of February, as per tradition, with plenty of players and plenty of stars, both established and emerging, ready to battle it out on the Italian pitches. First Down Magazine, this year's Media Partner of FIDAF, will accompany you in this preview with the top names to fol

For several seasons now, a growing murmur has echoed through the corridors of the National Football League. The league has increasingly fast-tracked its young prospects, pushing them onto the field earlier than ever and handing them ever-greater responsibility. Some of those players never fully develop, hindered by deeper structural issues in their progression. That trend has become impossible to ignore. In recent years, NFL franchises have entrusted rookies with enormous re

Did you miss it? We did too! Here is the first power ranking of the D1 Élite 2026’s season! Do not mind your favorite team position this week, it's still kinda hard to figure out who’s really good and who isn't. 1. Flash - La Courneuve 1-0 They faced a solid Leopards squad, but the scoreboard still reflected the gap between the two teams. The Flash relied on a brand-new dual threat in Keegan McCormack-Reamer (former Mercenaries QB in ELF), who was accurate and consistent w

After a disastrous start to his career, Sam Darnold was widely seen as unfit for the NFL. But over the past two seasons, he has reinvented himself, first in Minneapolis, then in Seattle. As he prepares to play in his first Super Bowl, the entire league has changed its perspective on him. Drafted by the New York Jets with the third overall pick in 2018, Sam Darnold endured a difficult start to his career in the league. Quickly labeled a “bust,” he struggled to embody the hope

American Football continues to make news with our friends across the pond, and there is a lot to cover this offseason. Shortly after the end of the 2025 European League of Football (ELF) season, there was an outcry from ownership for better transparency and a more democratic style of league management. Team owners became frustrated with ELF CEO Zeljko Karajica at the helm. Money was not coming in, sponsors were not paying up, and the entire league reeked of a potential coll

After two years, the European Championship comes to a close with the first ever Final Four in Germany. The home team, after ten years, will host a huge event in continental Tackle Football, coming back after a ban arrived as a result of problems with the old IFAF management. They will face Austria, the defending champions and the favourites to win it all. In the other semifinal, Finland, the National Team with more continental wins than any other country, will face Italy, c

Another edition of the Portuguese American Football League has come to an end, once again capped off by a televised final. It was a season of plot twists, revenge stories, and new stars who stepped onto the stage and shone brightly. And we’ve now gathered all their grades.   Top of the Class Lisboa Devils – A The Devils did exactly what was expected of them: reach the final. With major reinforcements like Jordan Vieira  and Chris Thelasco , plus a culture of consistency bui

The sun is setting on another British American Football season, and a rematch for the ages is the final treat before the 2025 season enters the history books and the 25/26 British University American Football season can be born out of its ashes. A new playoff format for those competing in Divisions 1 & 2 means that no teams from those divisions will be loading their car with pads and helmets to take the field at the home of British American Football at Butts Park in Coventry

The curtain has fallen on the regular season, and as tradition dictates, the council gathers one last time. The grades are in, the exam papers have been marked, and it’s time to see which teams proudly move to the top of the class, which barely scraped a passing grade, and which will be stuck in detention until next year. We could have done that division by division to hand out the grades, but here’s a little spoiler for the impatient: nobody really shone across the board. Ea

As every year, Dublin dressed up to host a new edition of the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. Shop windows and pubs across the city were adorned with the vibrant colors of the universities: the red of Iowa State and the purple of Kansas State blended into every corner. Yet this time there was something truly special in the air: for the first time, the Aviva Stadium would host a game officially considered a rivalry — the storied Farmageddon. This is one of the oldest and

Almost a month later, First Down Mag is back with some news on Italian Football during the offseason. The Italian Movement is running wild despite the forced stop after the end of the Senior championships in July. Now the focus is on the national Flag Football teams playing in both The World Games and in the Euros in September, while the Junior Tackle Championships will start in less than two months, while the National Tackle team will face a new challenge in November. ...

The Italian Football League has come to an end as Guelfi Firenze have beaten the Ancona Dolphins 49-14 to take their second Italian Bowl in the team’s history. With that, though, the offseason has just started. Right up until the start of the 2026 season in February, First Down Mag will inform you about all the movements in the IFL by all teams and around the league...

A (POSSIBLE) NEW DYNASTY We might have a new dynasty on our hands. The Carlstad Crusaders were Swedish champions for 8 years in a row between 2010 and 2017 and HC Christian Forsman might have just restored that old glory with a second consecutive title. Crusaders key players seem to be going nowhere and they are reinforcing their strong homegrown squad with clever (and long-term) import choices each season. As we see what unfolds in the offseason, we could be looking at yet

The halfway point of the European League of Football season is here, and there's more drama and excitement than ever. We've seen the rise of programs like the Prague Lions fighting for playoff positioning, the dominance of the new program Nordic Storm, and the consistency of teams like the Rhein Fire, Stuttgart Surge, and Paris Musketeers. Last year’s midseason MVP list was all over the board. This year, to promote a more focused conversation, Fourth Down Fiasco has introduc

With just 1 week left in the regular season, we know what 4 teams will compete for a chance at AFL Championship glory!