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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


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


IFL Semifinals Recap!
The Italian Football League has officially reached the semifinals, the penultimate stage of a short but highly intense season.
Four teams are vying for two spots in the Italian Bowl, scheduled for July 4th in Ferrara; Guelfi Firenze, Panthers Parma, Giaguari Torino, and Dolphins Ancona will battle it out over a weekend that promises to be hot in every sense of the word.
Which two teams will compete for the Gionni Colombo Trophy in the grand final taking place in less than t
Jun 26


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


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


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


IFL Power Ranking - Week 9
1. Guelfi Firenze
Even in a remake of the last Italian Bowl, Guelfi managed to take control, winning 51-17 against Dolphins Ancona.
The tie lasted only one quarter, the first, which ended 14-14, before the Viola began to put the fifth quarter into effect, matching their winning streak this year.
A win against Lazio Marines next week could secure direct qualification to the semifinals, a step closer for the league's top favorite. However, the threat of too many matches in a
May 6


IFL Power Ranking - Week 8
1. Guelfi Firenze Despite the Bye Week, the Guelfi still won in Week 8. The Frogs Legnano's loss at the Dolphins Ancona allows the Tuscans to remain alone at the top of the Italian Football League standings, undefeated. The next match will be against the Dorics, who are coming off three consecutive wins and are currently among the hottest teams in the IFL. While the goal in Italy will be to defend first place, the European plans have become clearer this weekend. In fact, the
Apr 30


IFL Power Ranking - Week 7
1. Guelfi Firenze
Guelfi Firenze's journey toward a back-to-back title continues in Ferrara with yet another strong performance from Coach Fabrizio Bocci's team.
The Tuscans defeated Aquile Ferrara on the road 40-12, putting their purple Ferrari in fourth gear as they race toward the Italian Bowl and, perhaps, something more important.
Meanwhile, four wins in as many games allow the Florentines to once again achieve their playoff goal and dream of another title that would c
Apr 23


IFL Power Ranking - Week 6
1. Guelfi Firenze Yes, Guelfi Firenze are seriously hurting the other teams. The purple team confirmed their position as the best team in the Italian Football League after defeating the Parma Panthers at home in a match that has been considered a classic in Italian football for years. The direct clash with the Emilians was worth the top spot, and the Tuscan team was ready with a superb offensive performance, thus earning their third win of the season and their fifteenth con
Apr 16


BACK TO SCHOOL - IFL 2026 MIDTERM GRADES
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
Apr 2


IFL Power Ranking - Week 3
1. Guelfi Firenze
Guelfi Firenze's forced break is over, and the match against Rhinos Milano will determine whether the reigning Italian Football League champions have lost their edge after consecutive weeks off the field.
The Guelfi Sport Center will await their favorites during Week 4 in what will be the purple's home opener.
2. Giaguari Torino
Are these Giaguari really serious? After last year's struggles, with four consecutive losses that shattered the Gialloneri's mom
Mar 17


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


More Than Perfect: Guelfi Firenze Wins the 2025 Italian Bowl in Toledo
For the second time in the club’s history, the purple team has won it all by defeating the Dolphins Ancona 49-14 in dominant fashion. After 2 disappointing finals played in the last two years, Guelfi was devastating all game just like they were during the regular season, beating the green and orange side, who had been waiting for a championship game since 2004.
Jul 1, 2025


Preview Italian Bowl 2025 - A Tale of 2 Teams
After a long journey, Guelfi Firenze and Dolphins Ancona will face each other to determine which team will take home the Gionni Colombo Trophy, named after one of the pioneers of the Italian movement. Only one team will leave the United States as the Italian Football League champions on June 28th, at the end of the 44th Italian Bowl.
Jun 28, 2025


IFL SEMIFINALS AND PLAYOUTS REVIEW!
The Italian Football League has awarded both finalists for the June 28th Championship Game in Toledo and a relegated team for next year's tournament. Guelfi Firenze and Dolphins Ancona have won against Frogs Legnano and Panthers Parma in the deciding games for the second final in the States, while the Pirates Albisola have beaten the Bergamo Lions, who have been relegated to IFL 2, the Second Division of Italian Football, at least on the field.
The stage Is almost set for th
Jun 17, 2025


Wild Card Round IFL 2025
After the end of the regular season, the Italian Football League playoffs have finally started. The second Road To Toledo sees six teams on the field competing for a ticket to the United States of America.
Dolphins Ancona (9-1) and Guelfi Firenze (10-0) are the two best teams in the league after the regular season, so they will skip the Wild Card round and will directly play in next week’s Semifinals, while Frogs Legnano (8-2), the two time defending champions Panthers Parma
Jun 9, 2025


Italian Football League - Report Card
Ancons Dolphins : A+ (9-1)
Fantastic season for the Ancona Dolphins who dominate Girone A, the change of head coach seems to have given them greater awareness. They won both the direct clashes with Parma and edged over Legnano to get the #1 seed and enter the playoffs as favorites. Their import QB Blake Eaton has shown great ability and perseverance, together with the help of one of the best defenses we've ever seen in the IFL they'll be a tough matchup for anyone. Will they
Jun 7, 2025


IFL Season Awards Prediction!
The Italian Football League regular season is over and the Road to Toledo is starting once again.
After 14 weekends of games played, the six remaining teams will face each other in the playoffs starting this weekend in the Wild Card round. The games will see the second and third place teams from both groups on the field. That means we'll see a rematch of last year's semifinal with the Skorpions Varese hosting the Panthers Parma, whilst the Legnano Frogs will host the Giaguar
Jun 3, 2025
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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