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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


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


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


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


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


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


HFL Power Rankings - Week 4
1. Budapest Cowbells (3-0)
This was one of those performances where everything clicks. Offense, defense, and special teams all contributed, creating a complete and convincing win.
The tone was set late in the first quarter. WR Csumán Botond found the end zone on a receiving touchdown, finishing a well-executed drive. Moments later,K Horváth Szabolcs added the extra point, and from that point on, the momentum never shifted.
What stood out most was how balanced and composed
May 5


HFL Power Rankings - Week 3
1. Budapest Wolves (3-0)
In a tough rematch against Győr, the Wolves leaned heavily on a dominant defensive performance that repeatedly shut down Győr’s offense at key moments. From the opening quarter, it was clear that this wouldn’t be the same kind of high-scoring rhythm seen in their previous meeting.
The Wolves struck early when QB Tóth Levente connected with WR Pfisztner Máté Oszkár for a touchdown with just over three minutes left in the first quarter. Shortly after,
Apr 29


HFL Power Rankings - Week 2
1. Budapest Wolves (2-0)
The Budapest Wolves didn’t start fast, but once they found their spark, they took full control and never looked back.
That turning point came on special teams, where WR Pfisztner Máté Oszkár electrified the game with a punt return touchdown. From there, momentum swung heavily in Budapest’s favor, and the Wolves capitalized in every phase.
QB Tóth Levente led the offense with confidence and efficiency, throwing three touchdown passes. His connection
Apr 21


HFL Power Rankings - Week 1
The 2026 season of the Hungarian Football League officially got underway with two games that highlighted both dominance and resilience. While only four teams took the field, the action didn’t disappoint, as the Újpest Bulldogs and the Budapest Wolves opened their campaigns with victories.
It’s also worth noting that this was a shortened opening round, as the Győr Sharks and the Budapest Cowbells did not play this weekend, meaning all eyes were on these two teams.
1. Újpest
Apr 8
OTHER NEWS


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
7 days ago


FLORIAN BIERBAUMER INTERVIEW - “Seikovits and I played rock-paper-scissors to decide…”
“Seikovits and I played rock-paper-scissors to decide…”
Florian Bierbaumer is one of the star players of the Vienna Vikings. The Graz native, who carries the nickname “Cheat Code”, recently had to take an enforced break due to an ankle injury but used the time to try out new things alongside his recovery.
The former NFL hopeful looked back on his AFLE season so far exclusively with First Down Magazine, spoke about his experience as a co-commentator, his collaboration with f
Aug 13


IFL Teams Get Their Grades!
With the IFL having wrapped up its 2026 season about a month ago — featuring the Guelfi Firenze victory over the Panthers Parma in Ferrara—the final bell has rung, and it is time to grade the teams in the top league.
This article reviews the season for the nine teams competing in the First Division of Italian Football.
Which teams made the grade, which ones have work to do before the new term, and which ones failed?
Guelfi Firenze: A
The Italian Football League’s model te
Aug 6


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
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