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Classroom of Champions: ELF Teams Get Their Grades
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
Aug 29, 2025


A TRUE RIVALRY IN DUBLIN
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
Aug 28, 2025


News You Can Use – IFL Edition #2
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.
...
Aug 27, 2025


BAFA Premiership Final Power Ranking
And with that, the 2025 BAFA Premiership regular season comes to an end, making this not only the last power ranking of the year, but also the playoff preview (where we’ll begin), and we’ll have a look at the promotion picture as it stands.
Playoffs Set
In my first ranking of the season, I outlined this weekend’s fixtures as being an unmissable part of the playoff race, and while there weren’t any huge surprises, it definitely didn’t disappoint.
In the first match of the w
Aug 22, 2025


ELF Final Power Rankings
And just like that, the regular season of Europe’s premier league has come to an end.
It’s been one of the most thrilling campaigns yet, but before the playoffs begin, let’s take one last look back at everything that unfolded.
1st. Vienna Vikings 11-1
What a season, huh? In one of the decisive games, they completely crushed the Parisians’ ambition of reaching the playoffs. But it was far from an easy task, the battle went all the way to overtime before they could finally s
Aug 22, 2025


The Road to the Playoffs: Odds, Ifs, and Maybes
While everyone is wondering which teams still have a shot at the playoffs, we turned to ELFpedia.eu for some clarity, using math, not guesswork. ELF Pedia is a data-driven platform that provides valuable insights and up-to-date resources like current rosters, standings, and stats, which we often rely on for our coverage. Here’s how they broke down the playoff odds and who’s still in the race… and who’s not:
“We applied a probabilistic forecasting model using one million Mont
Aug 9, 2025


ELF Week 11 Power Rankings:
The playoff race is now well underway, with several compelling games already in the books. Which teams have climbed the standings, and which have lost ground? Here’s a closer look. Every next game is mentioned as “next-week” but obviously it’s after the league-around bye-week...
Jul 31, 2025


Exciting New 5v5 Contact Tournaments Launch; Could This Be Britball’s Most Competitive Format?
In 2025, American football in the UK is set for a seismic shake-up with the arrival of new 5 aside contact tournament — an electrifying new 5v5 format designed to deliver fast-paced, high-energy action for players and fans.
The concept? A one-day tournament featuring 8 teams battling it out, with the winners walking away with a cool £2,000 cash prize.
The name of this new Tournament? Elite 5s.
Elite 5s is the brainchild of three Britballers who first crossed paths at U19s
Jul 30, 2025


Austrian Bowl Review
The amazing Austrian Football League just wrapped up with an exciting final and if you managed to miss such a nerve-wracking game, here is everything that you need to know.
THE FIRST QUARTER
The quarter started out quiet with no points scored for each team, until the Vikings defence started slipping. The first Touchdown was made by the Danube Dragons runningback Lukas Schlemm and after a successful PAT the Dragons were up 7-0. with 10 seconds left of the first quarter, Devi
Jul 30, 2025


BAFA Premiership Power Ranking
We are back.
After the BAFA Coaching Convention gave us a week without any Britball fixtures, the penultimate round of Premiership fixtures were played this week, and our four playoff teams are now confirmed - so let’s jump straight into it...
Jul 25, 2025


ELF Week 10 Power Rankings:
Another amazing week of action across European football fields has come to a conclusion. Some teams are charging full speed ahead, while others have seen their dreams come to an early end.
Is your team still in the running, or have they already been shown the door? Let’s break it all down together and take a closer look at who’s rising, who’s falling, and what it means for the road ahead.
1st. Vienna Vikings
Another dominant showing from the Austrian squads, further cement
Jul 24, 2025


GFL Power Rankings
We’re hitting the middle of the German Football League (GFL) season, and the playoff picture is starting to take shape. Some teams are dominating, others are fighting for survival, and a few are still trying to figure out their identity.
Here’s where every team stands right now:
1) Dresden Monarchs
The Monarchs could very well keep their dominant run alive. With every game won by large margins, they’re holding the number one spot firmly and showing no signs of slowing down.
Jul 19, 2025


ELF Week 9 Power Rankings:
From jaw-dropping plays to unexpected upsets, the weekend delivered all the drama and excitement fans could hope for. Now, it’s time to dive into the highs and lows, the standout performances and the surprising slip-ups. Are you ready to take a closer look at all the ups and downs from this past weekend on the gridiron?
...
Jul 18, 2025


AFL Playoffs Review
The playoffs of the Austrian Football League, one of the most competitive leagues in the world just came to a close and here is everything you need to know if you missed the games and want to know what’s waiting for you in the finals.
Two games in one weekend and four teams wanting to come out on top while only two of them are going to be in the finals. Welcome to the Austrian Bowl playoffs review...
Jul 17, 2025


News You Can Use – IFL Edition #1
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...
Jul 15, 2025


5 Takeaways from Superserien 2025
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
Jul 15, 2025


HFL Semis and Hungarian Bowl overview
The game kicked off with high intensity, as Cowbells quickly drove into field goal range on their opening possession, only to be denied by a blocked kick from the Bulldogs special teams. That didn’t faze the home team, though: they bounced back immediately and capped their next drive with a well-timed quarterback run for a touchdown. The Bulldogs, however, wouldn’t back down. They methodically moved the ball downfield, and although standout S Komiszár — who’s had a stellar se
Jul 11, 2025


TKFL 2025 Regular Season Wrap-Up with Week 7 & Playoff Kickoff Review
The 2025 TKFL regular season has officially come to an end, and what a final week it was. While the last round of games brought clarity to the standings, it also brought emotion, surprises, and a high level of football. The regular season wrapped up with postponed and rescheduled games, and the playoffs kicked off shortly after with two big-time semi-final matchups. We also saw the playout game and the Division 2 finish, deciding promotions and relegations.
Here’s everything
Jul 10, 2025


ELF Week 8 Power Rankings
Curious about what made headlines last week and what’s coming up in the days ahead? You’ve come to the right place. Whether you missed the action or just want a quick recap, we’ve got you covered. From standout moments and major upsets to what’s on the radar for the next few days, we’re diving into all the key highlights and upcoming stories you need to know. So sit back, get comfortable, and let’s take a closer look at the past week, and what’s waiting just around the corner
Jul 10, 2025


Superserien Award Predictions
MVP - Jakub Brezina (ÖBK)
There should be no other option. Jakub Brezina is by far the most valuable player in this league. The Black Knights looked like a completely different team with him and the statistics speak for themselves. 774 rushing yards (1st in the league), 11 rushing TDs (1st in the league), an 82 yard longest run (1st in the league), 0 fumbles and an extra 122 receiving and 265 kick return yards. Nothing short of spectacular...
Jul 5, 2025
OTHER NEWS


SUPERSERIEN TAKEAWAYS 2026
Tyresö gets it’s championship
After a lot of years of being the dark horse to win the prestigious SM-Guld, the Tyresö Royal Crowns can finally call themselves Champions of Sweden upsetting #1 seed Carlstad and #3 seed Stockholm in the semis and final respectively.
This team had arguably no weakness and only finished in the #4 seed by having a game overturned and losing to both SMM and Calrstad with only one score each during the regular season.
While the semi against the C
Jul 16


Perfect From Start to Finish: Budapest Cowbells Capture the HFL Championship
The HFL Championship Game had everything fans could ask for. Hard hits, defensive stands, momentum swings, and late-game drama. After an unbeaten regular season, the Budapest Cowbells completed the job, defeating the Győr Sharks to finish the year with a perfect record and lift the HFL trophy.
It wasn't an offensive shootout. Instead, it was a defensive battle for most of the afternoon, with both teams refusing to give an inch.
The game opened with an early fumble by the Co
Jul 14


DAFL History Made: Wild Boars Complete a Perfect Season to Become the First DAFL Champions
The inaugural DAFL Championship delivered an exciting battle between the Wild Boars and the Bucharest Titans. Both teams entered the final determined to make history, but in the end, it was the Wild Boars who proved why they had been the league's most dominant team all season.
From the opening kickoff, both offenses showed they were ready for the big stage.
The Wild Boars struck first as RB Bogdan Djordjevic powered into the endzone to give his team an early lead. The Titan
Jul 14


IFL - Italian Bowl Weekend Recap
The Italian Bowl Weekend took place in Ferrara on July 4–5, 2026, with all three FIDAF senior football finals held at the same venue: the Paolo Mazza Stadium.
Saturday saw action from the IFL2 and the IFL, while Sunday’s stage belonged to the Nine Football League - the third division of Italian football.
Who won the three titles? Who were the standout players? What tone will the sport set for the coming year?
2026 Italian Bowl – Guelfi Firenze vs. Panthers Parma: Guelfi’s
Jul 9


First Down Magazine's IFL 2026 Season Awards!
With the Italian Bowl 2026—the 45th edition in Italian football history—just a week away, it is time to present awards to the top players of the season that is now drawing to a close.
Ahead of the grand finale, the Italian editorial team at First Down Magazine is announcing its picks for the season's top players in Italian Football’s Top tier.
The categories are:
MVP (Most Valuable Player)
OPOY (Offensive Player of the Year)
DPOY (Defensive Player of the Year)
MIP (Most Imp
Jul 3


XLeague Breakdown!
With well known names from European football such as AJ Wentland and Reece Horn moving to the XLeague in 2026, many on the old continent have been asking for information about football in Japan.
So, here are some facts about Japanese gridiron - including several to show how it differs from the game in Europe.
Football started at the university level in Japan in 1934, and within a year USC came to the Land of the Rising Sun to play games against Japanese colleges - starting
Jun 30


AFLE and EFA Hit Cruising Speed as Early Contenders Begin to Emerge
The 2026 European football season is no longer warming up. Both the AFLE and the EFA are already moving at full speed, and after another packed weekend of football, the early shape of both competitions is becoming clearer. Some teams are confirming their status as contenders, others are still searching for rhythm, and several teams that looked beaten have shown enough fight to suggest that this season will not be short on drama.
AFLE Week 2: Vikings Stay Perfect as Thunder,
Jun 5


Northern Cyprus American Football League: 2025-2026 Season Report Card
With the final whistle blown and the championship trophy lifted, another thrilling inaugural season of the Northern Cyprus American Football League has come to an end. It was a year defined by tactical evolutions, fierce gridiron battles, and critical growth both on the field and in officiating standards. After a roller-coaster ride of injuries, comebacks, and internal team dynamics, it’s time to look back at the entire journey and grade all four programs based on their perfo
Jun 4


Have you heard of the IFL 2 and 9FL?
Italian football isn't just about the Italian Football League. The two lower divisions have provided just as much entertainment and plenty of surprises in the three months of the regular season just concluded.
Between the movement's fallen nobles, developing local projects, and countless hidden talents, the two leagues have kept pace with the main league, successfully providing thrills to both insiders and fans across the country.
In this article, we explore the journeys of
Jun 1
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