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LPFA XVI Team Grades: Evaluating Every Team from the 2026 Season
Another LPFA season is officially in the books.
The 2026 campaign delivered dominant defenses, dramatic comebacks, breakout players, rebuilding projects, and one of the most impressive undefeated runs the league has seen in recent memory.
But not every season is measured the same way. For some teams, success meant lifting the trophy. For others, simply remaining competitive, developing younger players, or re-establishing stability represented meaningful progress.
With that
May 26


Lisboa Devils Complete Perfect Season with Maleo Bowl Victory Over Cascais Crusaders
The 2026 LPFA season has its champion.
After months of dominance, pressure, expectations, and increasingly difficult tests, the Lisboa Devils completed a perfect campaign, defeating the Cascais Crusaders 24–20 in the Maleo Bowl 2026 and finishing the season undefeated. But while the final result will forever show another Devils victory, the game itself was far from comfortable.
For one half, it genuinely felt like the Crusaders might pull off the upset.
A Final Worthy of t
May 22


LPFA Playoffs Deliver Drama as Devils Stay Perfect and Crusaders Complete Historic Comeback
The LPFA semifinals delivered two very different games — one defined by control and discipline, the other by chaos, momentum swings, and one of the greatest comebacks the league has seen in recent years.
The result? The Lisboa Devils remain unbeaten and advance to yet another final, while the Cascais Crusaders survive an instant classic against the Lisboa Navigators to set up a highly anticipated championship clash.
Lisboa Devils 16 – 7 Braga Warriors
Silent dominance send
May 12


LPFA Regular Season Finale: Playoff Picture Set as Devils Stay Perfect
The 2026 LPFA regular season has officially come to a close, and with it, the playoff picture is now fully defined. While some teams entered the final week fighting for survival, others used it as a statement opportunity — or a chance to fine-tune ahead of the postseason.
At the end of it all, the Lisboa Devils remain unbeaten, the Braga Warriors claim the final playoff spot, and the Lisboa Navigators quietly prepare for their title push.
Braga Warriors 28 – 18 Lisboa Bulld
May 2


LPFA – Weeks 11 & 12 Recap
With the regular season entering its decisive stretch, Weeks 11 and 12 brought exactly the kind of football the LPFA needed: physical battles, a statement win from the league leaders, and a crucial result in the race for the final playoff spot. As the postseason picture starts to take shape, every game now carries extra weight — and this past stretch made that clearer than ever.
Cascais Crusaders 21 – 14 Braga Warriors
One of the most competitive games of the season saw the
Apr 11


Portuguese American Football League - Week 9
Week 9 of the LPFA didn’t just bring results — it brought clarity.
As the regular season progresses, the gap between contenders and the rest is no longer subtle. With dominant performances at the top and growing struggles at the bottom, the identity of this year’s championship race is beginning to take shape.
And now, more than ever, the standings tell the story.
Devils set the benchmark
The ...
The Lisboa Devils continue to separate themselves from the rest of the league.
Mar 27


Portuguese American Football League – Weeks 7 & 8
Playoff Picture Begins to Take Shape
As the Portuguese American Football League approaches the final stretch of the regular season, every result begins to carry heavier weight in the playoff race. Weeks 7 and 8 provided a clearer picture of where each team stands — with some solidifying their position among the contenders while others now appear to be playing primarily for development heading into next season.
With the Lisboa Devils on a bye week, three matchups highlighted
Mar 16


Portuguese American Football League – Week 3
Separation Season: Hierarchies Are Forming
Three weeks in, the league is no longer experimenting. It’s organizing itself.
Week 3 didn’t just produce results — it clarified trajectories. Some teams are building momentum. Others are already fighting urgency.
And one contender used the weekend to tighten its grip on the top.
With the Lisboa Navigators on a bye week, attention turned to three matchups that reshaped the table.
Cascais Crusaders 40 – 9 Lisboa Bulldogs
Structure
Mar 2


Portuguese American Football League – Week 2
Defense Sets the Tone Again, Bulldogs Rebound, Navigators Confirm Momentum
Week 2 of the Portuguese American Football League reinforced an early-season trend: physical football, trench battles, and defenses dictating outcomes. While some offenses are still searching for rhythm, certain teams are already separating themselves through discipline and execution.
With the Crusaders on a bye week, the spotlight fell on three matchups, each offering a different storyline as the s
Mar 2


Portuguese American Football League – Week 1
Built in the Trenches: Week 1 Proves the League Is Faster, Tougher and Here to Compete
Week 1 rarely tells the whole story, but it always reveals tendencies: who is prepared, who is still experimenting and who already looks like they’ve been playing meaningful football for months.
The opening weekend of the Portuguese American Football League didn’t feel like a cautious start to a season. It felt sharp, physical and tactically mature — three games decided less by big plays
Feb 3


A League in the Making: How Preseason Shaped the 2026 LPFA
Preseason football is rarely about answers. It is about clues.
Across Portugal, the LPFA’s preseason games offered something far more valuable than results: a glimpse into how teams are thinking, building, and positioning themselves for a season that promises little margin for error. With a limited preseason schedule and every snap used as an evaluation tool, preparation may decide championships long before kickoff weekend.
From controlled defensive battles to flashes of of
Jan 8


Portugal: LPFA XV Team Grades
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
Sep 3, 2025


Week 8 Showdown: Desperate Maia Mutts Host Dominant Lisboa Devils
In a pivotal Week 8 clash, the winless Maia Mutts face the dominant Lisboa Devils. Can the Mutts upset the Devils' title aspirations?
Apr 12, 2024


Week 5 Showdown: Undefeated Devils Face Off Against Strong Renegades
Undefeated Devils face tough Renegades in a pivotal Week 5 clash, shaping playoff race in Portuguese American Football League.
Mar 16, 2024


Portugal Week 3 Matchup: Lisboa Devils Seek to Maintain Perfect Record Against Bulldogs
The Lisboa Devils (1-0) look to extend their winning streak to two games as they take on the Lisboa Bulldogs (0-1) this Saturday, March 2nd.
Mar 1, 2024


LPFA Week 1 Highlights: Devils Dance, Renegades Reign in Football Duels
LPFA Week 1: Lisboa Devils conquer Braga Warriors, Renegades reign over Lisboa Bulldogs in gripping clashes!
Feb 23, 2024


LPFA Weekend Showdown: Anticipated Battles Heat Up Portuguese Gridiron!
Exciting weekend ahead in the Portuguese American Football League (LPFA)! Top teams clash for gridiron glory in thrilling matchups.
Feb 16, 2024
OTHER NEWS


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
1 hour ago


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
23 hours ago


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


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
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