AFLE and EFA Hit Cruising Speed as Early Contenders Begin to Emerge
- Jesús Sánchez Sanvi
- Jun 5
- 4 min read
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, Paris and Rhein Fire Move Forward
Week 2 of the American Football League Europe delivered four games and a much clearer picture of a league beginning to find its identity.
The headline matchup came in Wroclaw, where the Vienna Vikings remained unbeaten with a 43-23 win over the Panthers Wroclaw. The final score suggests control, but the game itself was far tighter than that. The Panthers had chances to shift the momentum early, including a fumble on their opening drive and another costly turnover at Vienna’s five-yard line. Against a team like the Vikings, those missed opportunities are brutal.
Jameson Wang still produced a strong performance for Wroclaw, completing 32 of 43 passes for 354 yards and three touchdowns, while Mike Harley Jr. continued to look like one of the most dangerous receivers in the league. But Vienna had the answers. Ben Holmes was sharp, Yannick Mayr turned explosive plays into touchdowns, and the Vikings’ defense made the decisive moments count. Benjamin Straight, in particular, set the tone with forced fumbles and relentless effort. Vienna were made to work for it, but good teams know how to survive difficult afternoons.
Berlin Thunder also got their first win of the season, beating the Alpine Rams 24-14 in Switzerland. After a difficult Week 1, Berlin needed a response, and they got one. Jakeb Sullivan looked much more comfortable behind an improved offensive line, spreading the ball around and giving the Thunder a more balanced attack. The running game also took a step forward, with Kai Hunter and Tomiwa Oyewo helping Berlin find more rhythm on the ground.
Still, the Thunder remain a difficult team to read. The win was important, but the penalty problem is becoming impossible to ignore. Berlin have been heavily flagged in both games, and while they survived it against the Rams, that kind of self-inflicted damage will be far harder to overcome against the league’s stronger teams.
For the Alpine Rams, the loss was frustrating but not hopeless. Gabriel Cunningham’s mobility caused problems, and the Rams showed they have offensive weapons. The issue was discipline. Too many penalties turned promising moments into dead ends. If they clean that up, they will be a much tougher opponent than their record currently suggests.
Elsewhere, the Paris Lights earned an important win over the Firenze Red Lions, with French running back Armand Soulerot standing out as one of the key figures of the weekend. Soulerot scored both on the ground and through the air, giving Paris a versatile weapon and helping quarterback Evan Hillock settle into European football.
Rhein Fire, meanwhile, handled business against the London Warriors. Their defense looks strong, their kicking game has been reliable, and linebacker Marius Kensy delivered one of the standout defensive performances of the week, including a safety-producing tackle for loss and an interception.
After two weeks, the AFLE already has clear storylines. Vienna look polished. Rhein Fire look dangerous. Paris are building. Berlin have talent but must find discipline. Wroclaw have firepower but need to finish drives. London, Firenze and the Alpine Rams are still looking for their first real statement.
EFA Week 3: Ravens Hold Off Galaxy’s Fightback
In the European Football Alliance, Week 3 was headlined by one of the most entertaining games of the young season as the Munich Ravens moved to 2-0 with a 45-26 road win over Frankfurt Galaxy.
For much of the first half, Munich looked ready to turn the game into a blowout. Bijon Harris opened the night with a 98-yard kickoff-return touchdown, giving the Ravens immediate control. From there, Munich kept building. By halftime, the visitors led 31-13 and seemed to have the game firmly in hand.
But Frankfurt refused to disappear.
Galaxy came out of the locker room with a completely different energy. Defensively, they adjusted to Munich’s running game and began to create more pressure on quarterback Russell Tabor. Offensively, Ethan Garbers started finding Brevin Easton, and suddenly the game had life again. Easton’s 72-yard touchdown reception brought the crowd back into it, and another scoring drive turned what had looked like a comfortable Ravens win into a real contest.
Sebastian Gauthier’s spectacular interception gave Frankfurt another jolt of momentum, and for a stretch it genuinely felt as if Galaxy might drag themselves back into the game. They moved the ball, forced Munich to keep working, and showed the kind of resilience that losing teams need if they are going to turn close defeats into wins later in the season.
In the end, Munich had enough control and enough answers. The Ravens never allowed Frankfurt to get within one possession, and their early advantage proved too large to erase. Still, even Munich head coach Kendral Ellison admitted afterward that his team had not played to the standard it expects. That may be the most encouraging sign for the Ravens: they are 2-0, scoring heavily, and still feel they have plenty to correct.
For Frankfurt, the record remains painful, but the performance was not empty. Brevin Easton was named EFA MVP of Week 3 despite the loss, and deservedly so. He was the driving force behind Galaxy’s comeback attempt and already looks like one of the most dangerous offensive players in the league. Frankfurt are still searching for their first win, but their second-half display against Munich showed they are not far away.
Upcoming Games
AFLE Week 3
Saturday, June 6
Panthers Wroclaw at Paris Lights
13:00 CEST — Stade Robert Barran, Athis-Mons, France
Berlin Thunder at Firenze Red Lions
16:10 CEST — Guelfi Sport Center, Florence, Italy
Rhein Fire at Vienna Vikings
16:45 CEST — Generali Arena, Vienna, Austria
Sunday, June 7
Alpine Rams at London Warriors
15:00 CEST — Cherry Red Records Stadium, London, United Kingdom
EFA Week 4
Saturday, June 6
Munich Ravens at Paris Musketeers
18:00 CEST, Stade Bauer, Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine, France
Frankfurt Galaxy at Raiders Tirol
18:00 CEST — Tivoli Stadium, Innsbruck, Austria
Sunday, June 7
Nordic Storm at Prague Lions 13:00 CEST, Městský stadion Ďolíček, Prague
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