IS BERLIN STANCE A SIGN OF THINGS TO COME?

Hidden amongst the wrangling over European professional football’s very future is another, not insignificant, problem that could affect several teams aligning with the nascent European Football Alliance.

It has already been reported, both by Gridiron and other sources, that the ailing European League of Football is not only planning legal action against franchises it believes have no grounds on which to terminate contracts, but will also demand the immediate end to the use of any team name that originates from NFL Europe.

The ELF at least has the right to make such a demand, having licensed use of the names from the NFL upon its creation in 2021, even if it means the loss of iconic monikers such as the Rhein Fire. The most successful ELF team of the past five years has already announced that it would hold a fan competition to choose a new identity ahead of the 2026 campaign which, until recently, looked nailed on to be with the EFA.

While Rhein decided upon its course of action almost as soon as the ELF made its declaration, however, the two other teams that would be affected by the stance over NFL Europe nicknames have yet to show any signs of moving on. Both the Berlin Thunder and Frankfurt Galaxy are operating under identities ‘owned’ by the ELF, but appear content to wait out the end of the contract with the league before deciding where to go next.

“We are not worried about having to change the name,” Berlin GM Rasheed Moka told Foot Bowl Newszone last week. “Should that happen, we naturally have ideas in the background that we will implement. But, as of now, there is no danger that we will have to do that.”

Given recent developments within the EFA, however, could Berlin’s relaxed approach to the potential identity crisis signal a possible return to the ELF fold? That is one rumour doing the rounds once a rift between the EFA membership came to light over the weekend. Realigning with the ELF, while it might take a helping of humble pie, would at least ensure that the Thunder nickname can remain. Frankfurt, who have yet to respond to our enquiries on this matter, are on the other side of the divide as things stand but, intriguingly, Rhein are in the same faction as Berlin, which clouds things somewhat.

The Rheinische Post, meanwhile, has speculated that the Thunder could be waiting to understand the fate of the ELF, which currently only has two teams on its books for 2026. Both theories have similar origins, namely that the ELF finds itself in such dire straits as to either fold, in which case the license for NFLE names would be up for grabs, or the NFL decides it no longer wants to be associated with a struggling league and, likewise, retracts the licensing agreement, meaning that it could be open for the EFA, amongst others, to acquire.

Speaking at a fan event in Düsseldorf, new Fire managing director Daniel Thywissen confirmed that a name change was imminent — although it should be noted that this was communicated prior to the recent upheaval within the EFA ranks.

“We have tried many different things but, on December 31st, 2025, we will divorce ELF, and marry into a new league — and this will need a new family name,” he told an audience the city’s Old Town district. “There is no way around it, the rights are where they are and we can’t be sure that we’ll be able to keep the Rhein Fire name next season — even if we get lucky.”

As things stand, there is potential for no fewer than three competitions in Europe next season, with the ELF insisting (at the time it threatened legal action against defectors at least) that it had 12 teams ready to play in 2026, while the EFA currently has two branches, ostensibly split between the European-owned teams and those under US control. While there is talk in some quarters of a reconciliation between the EFA teams once they find common ground in financial and funding discussions, there is also the belief that one or other side of the divide could be planning to reunite with the ELF. Right now, this is purely speculation as no-one is willing to put their head above the parapet and give a definitive summary of the situation but answers could, and really need, to emerge before too long — if only for the future of the sport and the teams that have brought it this far.