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NLA Power Rankings after 2026 Season
1. Bern Grizzlies (Swiss Bowl Champs)
Undefeated champions! For the first time since 2022, the capital takes home the championship. After two rebuilding years in 2023 and 2024, Bern went all in this season, and it paid off. Nolan O‘Leary has been the best WR in the league alongside MVP frontrunner Angel “Money” Mata and veteran superstar QB Aaron Ellis. The defense is still elite, led by Tim Hänni, Dominik Liechti, and Andreas Buri.
2. Calanda Broncos (Vice Champs)
The Euro
Jul 17


DAFL Power Rankings - Week 6: Playoff Picture Set
The DAFL regular season has come to an end, and we finally know the four teams that will battle for the championship. The Wild Boars, Bucharest Titans, Sofia Bears, and Bucharest Rebels have all secured playoff spots, but each team arrives with a very different story.
Some enter the postseason full of confidence, while others are looking for a fresh start. One thing is certain: when the playoffs begin, regular-season records won't matter anymore
1. Wild Boars (6-0)
The Wil
Jun 18


HFL Playoff Picture Set: The Final Four Are Ready for Battle
The HFL regular season has officially come to an end, and after months of hard-fought games, we finally know our playoff teams. The Budapest Cowbells, Budapest Wolves, Győr Sharks, and Újpest Bulldogs have secured their spots in the semifinals and will now turn their attention toward the championship race.
While some teams finished exactly where many expected, others had to fight until the final weeks to earn their place. One thing is certain: the road to the HFL title now r
Jun 18


THE MOST COMPETITIVE LEAGUE IN EUROPE IS STILL KEEPING US AT THE EDGE OF OUR SEATS
I don’t have a lot to say except that I know you guys missed my articles. I’m glad to be back and lets get right into it.
8. RAIDERS TYROL (0-8)
It’s extremely disappointing to see such a historically good team be so bad this season. Their players are consistently putting up amazing numbers that get them on leaderboards, but that’s just not enough if the whole team is bad.
7. FEHERVAR ENTHRONERS (2-6)
After two wins in a row, the Enthroners got their ass beaten by the Gr
Jun 11


SUPERSERIEN POWER RANKING Week 10
1) Carlstad Crusaders (6-0)
The Crusaders took care of business last week beating the Göteborg Giants 49-21 at home.
With their two remaining regular season games being Örebro and Tyresö, we will see if the reigning champions can protect their flawless record against stiffer competition.
2) Tyresö Royal Crowns (5-1)
Tyresö might currently have the most explosive group of Receivers in the entire league.
The addition of Alpha Jalloh has done wonders to this Royal Crowns t
Jun 5


2026 GFL Power Rankings — Week 4 Update
Biggest Takeaway
Outside of Pforzheim’s head-to-head win over Ravensburg, there wasn’t much reason for major movement this week. The top five remain relatively stable, and many teams simply reinforced what we already believed about them. As GFL conference play continues and schedules become more difficult, expect larger swings in the coming weeks.
1. Potsdam Royals (=)
A dominant 48-3 victory over the Kiel Baltic Hurricanes keeps the Potsdam Royals firmly at the top. Until
Jun 5


DAFL Power Rankings - Week 5
The DAFL season is starting to take shape, and Week 5 made one thing very clear: a gap is forming between the unbeaten and the chasing pack. While one team continues to dominate with complete performances, others are still searching for consistency as the playoff race slowly begins to define itself.
1. Wild Boars (5-0)
The Wild Boars remain the only unbeaten team in the league, and once again they delivered a complete performance on both sides of the ball. QB Isaiah Green c
Jun 5


HFL Power Rankings - Week 7: NO MORE ROOM FOR MISTAKES
The rematch between the Budapest Titans and Budapest Cowbells turned into one of the most entertaining games of the Hungarian Football League season. The Győr Sharks entered the weekend looking to solidify their place among the HFL's top contenders, while the Blue Dragons desperately needed a win to keep pace in the crowded playoff race.
1. Budapest Cowbells (5-0)
For the Cowbells, the story once again was RB Richard Seay Jr. The versatile playmaker put together another spe
Jun 4


IFL Final Power Ranking of the Year
1. Guelfi Firenze
Twenty consecutive wins. This alone explains the impact the Tuscans have had on our football in recent years.
Their 47-0 victory over the Warriors Bologna represents a significant milestone in our movement. Is this the birth of a new dynasty or a continuation of it?
With first place in the playoffs, the Guelfi will now have to watch their backs on several fronts. Next week, they will face the Thonon Black Panthers in the CEFL, who finished 9-1 in their Fr
Jun 4


2026 GFL Power Rankings — Week 3 Update
Disclaimer
Early season rankings in the German Football League are always difficult to evaluate due to limited film, uneven schedules, and the overall volatility of the league from week to week. Because of that, these rankings are based on a combination of early performance. These rankings are expected to shift significantly as competition levels increase over the coming weeks.
1. Potsdam Royals
The Potsdam Royals remain firmly at the top spot after a convincing win over t
May 29


NLA Power Rankings after Week 9
1. Bern Grizzlies (6-0) +1
Bern has won every difficult game on its schedule: one game against Calanda and two against Basel. They should easily finish the regular season undefeated and are a 90% lock for the Swiss Bowl. Ellis is the frontrunner for the MVP title. O‘Leary and Studer are the most explosive receiver duo this season.
2. Calanda Broncos (6-1) -1
The Broncos’ unbeaten streak in Switzerland came to an end after losing in Bern. They are still the heavy favorites,
May 28


HFL Power Rankings - Week 6: The Playoff Race Is Heating Up
The Hungarian Football League is entering the most important stretch of the regular season, and every game is starting to feel like a playoff matchup. While some teams are finding their rhythm at the perfect time, others are struggling to stay consistent. One thing is clear: outside of the league-leading Cowbells, nothing is decided yet.
1. Budapest Cowbells (4-0)
The Cowbells once again looked like the strongest team in the league. From the opening drive, they controlled t
May 27


IFL Power Ranking - Week 12
1. Guelfi Firenze
Another great victory for Guelfi Firenze, this time at the home of a direct rival, Frogs Legnano, mathematically securing first place in the playoff standings.
The 48-24 final score was perhaps predicted by some, but even against the big teams, the Tuscans are prepared, and now they can dream big.
After the match against the Warriors Bologna the following weekend, thoughts turn to a season finale that could bring not one, but two major trophies.
In fact,
May 27


DAFL Power Rankings - Week 4
1. Wild Boars (4-0)
The Wild Boars delivered another dominant performance this past weekend, continuing to prove why they are one of the strongest teams in the Danube American Football League this season.
The offense started fast right from the opening drive. QB Isaiah Green wasted no time, connecting with WR Dimitrije Novakovic on a 50-yard touchdown pass to immediately set the tone. From there, the Wild Boars offense stayed in complete control.
Green continued his impres
May 21


HFL Power Rankings - Week 5
1. Budapest Cowbells (3-0)
No games in the last two weeks, but no reason to move them from the top spot either. The Cowbells remain undefeated and continue to look like the most complete team in the Hungarian Football League. Their physical dominance, discipline, and consistency on both sides of the ball still make them the team to beat this season.
Until somebody proves they can slow them down, Cowbells stay at No. 1.
2. Budapest Wolves (3-1)
The Wolves also had a quiet t
May 21


AFL Mid-Season Power Ranking
1.DANUBE DRAGONS(5-1)
The Dragons are arguably the strongest team in the league right now and the loss against the Graz Giants changes little. I know that the players and the coaches internalised every single mistake and will not let them happen again. The Dragons are probably going to be in the final this season and there is nothing you can do about that.
2. VIENNA KNIGHTS (5-1)
For a team that’s new to the league the Knights are really making a statement. They are a domi
May 20


IFL Power Ranking - Week 11
1. Guelfi Firenze
The Guelfi rested in the Italian Football League, but their weekend was still filled with a solid 55-7 CEFL win over the Belgrade Blue Dragons.
While waiting to find out their next European opponent, next week they'll face Frogs Legnano away in a game that will decisively decide first place in the standings, which will go to the Viola if they win.
2. Panthers Parma
The Panthers' 47-7 home win over the Warriors Bologna was all too easy, a triumph that allo
May 20


SuperSerien Power Ranking
1) Carlstad Crusaders (5-0)
The reigning back-to-back champions have asserted their dominance over the league so far, scoring 49,6 points per game while only allowing 11,6 in the process.
To be fair, their schedule to start the season was a rather easy one, already playing all the teams that are expected to be finishing in the bottom half of the table, but they’ve also convincingly beaten both the Örebro Black Knights and Stockholm Mean Machines with 3+ TD margins.
A-Import
May 20


Early 2026 German Football League Power Rankings
Disclaimer
Early season rankings in the German Football League are always difficult to evaluate due to limited film, uneven schedules, and the overall volatility of the league from week to week. Because of that, these rankings are based on a combination of early and Week 1 performance. These rankings are expected to shift significantly as competition levels increase over the coming weeks.
1. Potsdam Royals
The Royals opened the year by finding a way to win a low-scoring an
May 14


IFL Power Ranking - Week 10
1. Guelfi Firenze
The Guelfi continued their winning streak with a crucial 42-7 home win over the Lazio Marines. The Tuscans have gone eighteen consecutive games without defeat between the Regular Season and the Playoffs since last year in the Italian Football League.
The game was settled in the first half for the league leaders, who, with their 6-0 record, officially qualified for the playoff semifinals. For them, the only thing left to do is decide whether they will finis
May 13
OTHER NEWS


Born on a Base: How FIDAF and Italian Football Began
Football’s Italian story starts more than a century ago, with a Thanksgiving Day game in Genoa between the crews of the USS Connecticut and the USS Kansas. It was a one-off game, and decades passed before the sport returned in any organized way: first with Allied troops, in the Bambino Bowl in Bari and the Spaghetti Bowl in Florence, the latter drawing a crowd of 25,000, both played between 1944 and 1945; then through U.S. bases that kept the game alive into the 1950s and 196
4 days ago


The Italian Football League Kicks Off Its 2027 Season in Bologna
On October 4th, at The Social Hub in Bologna, the Italian Football League began preparations for the upcoming 2027 season with a press conference and a league meeting that offered a preview of the league's new year.
In the presence of the press and top figures in Italian football, the new season of the country's premier league was launched, featuring numerous new developments and the announcement of several partnerships.
What new developments and challenges will the IFL fac
Oct 9


Andrew Weidinger - The Head Coach of the London Guard
Starting his coaching career at The University of Arizona in 2000, Andrew Weidinger has been everywhere, and then some, on his path to becoming EFA London’s Head Coach.
"Like every kid who has ever put the pads on, all I ever wanted to do was play in the NFL. Then I managed to crack a vertebrae when I was in high school and couldn’t play anymore, which got me interested in coaching. I was very fortunate to have a lot of great opportunities and work with a lot of great people
Oct 7


UNION JACK CLASSIC
Wembley Stadium has staged just about everything football has to offer. On Saturday, it added another chapter to its history: College Football. Kansas and Arizona State crossed the Atlantic for a Week 3 matchup that brought the sights, sounds and spectacle of a fall Saturday in America to the heart of London.
LONDON BECOMES THE CENTER OF EUROPEAN FOOTBALL
For one Saturday in September, London became the center of the College Football world.
The British capital is hardly a
Sep 24


The Pioneers: NFL Europe and the League That Dared to Cross an Ocean
Long before the NFL played regular season games in London, Munich, or Madrid, it tried something far bolder: building entire professional franchises on European soil.
In July 1989, NFL owners approved the creation of the World League of American Football, a genuinely transatlantic experiment and the first time the league had ever tried to plant a professional, developmental version of itself outside North America. When the WLAF kicked off on March 23, 1991, ten teams took th
Sep 23


Italian Football League News You Can Use #1
With the conclusion of the tackle football seasons in Italy, "News You Can Use" - the most beloved and imitated column - returns to First Down Mag, bringing you all the latest updates on Italian football.
From the first to the third division, and from North to South, here is everything you need to know about roster moves and the latest news from the world of Italian gridiron.
Here is the first batch of news from the Italian football scene. Enjoy the read.
Cameren Grodhaus
Sep 22


İTÜ HORNETS — INTERVIEW WITH HEAD COACH AHMET ÖZMEN
We've now won four championships in the university league, and in that arena we've long been a college team playing football at the very top level. In past years, though, as a club we struggled to carry that success over to the pro league. Even though the 2022 pro semifinal was a huge blow for us, I'd say it was the game that fueled our ambition and made us more determined than any other. But reducing the four championships won over the last two years — across both the pro an
Sep 15


2026 GFL Power Rankings — Week 18 Update
Biggest Takeaway
As the GFL season moves toward the postseason, the league has started to separate into clear tiers. At the top, three teams have consistently looked like the strongest championship threats.
Dresden Monarchs/Potsdam Royals/Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns
The Dresden Monarchs, Potsdam Royals, and Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns have separated themselves from the rest of the GFL.
These are clearly the three strongest teams in the league and the teams best positioned to ma
Sep 11


BELICHICK’S TAR HEELS WIN THE AER LINGUS COLLEGE FOOTBALL CLASSIC
DUBLIN DRESSES UP FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL AGAIN
Throughout the week, Dublin’s streets were dressed in TCU purple and unmistakable Carolina Blue, and long before kickoff it felt as though the Horned Frogs held a slight advantage in the stands.
Close to 10,000 fans had travelled from Texas, filling the pubs of Temple Bar and much of the city centre with TCU colours. In total, more than 14,000 supporters made the trip from the United States for this year’s Classic. Fewer than in
Sep 4
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