MERCENARIES UNDAUNTED BY ELF-EFA DIVORCE
The Helvetic Mercenaries have yet to reveal their plans for the 2026 football season, but have been active behind the scenes and, it appears, were set to rejoin the European League of Football this year.
The recent announcement that the ELF would no longer have the support of the European Football Alliance has, the team admits, thrown a spanner in the works, essentially because the Mercenaries are not a member of the EFA. Instead, their ambition to continue playing at the highest level of the European game lay in their relationship with the ELF, in which Helvetic clearly intended to play this year, regardless of its now-doomed reunion with the EFA.
Despite having lost a major backer and much of its staff and roster to the new Alpine Rams operation that sprang up to align with the American Football League Europe shortly before Christmas, the Mercenaries have all but matched their new national rival in terms of announcing signings and signalling fan events in the build up to their 2026 campaign. With the ELF-EFA divorce catching many cold, however, the club admits that it is keeping its option open going forward.
“The Helvetic Mercenaries are closely monitoring the current developments and public speculation surrounding the European League of Football,” an official team statement revealed. “To date, the organisation has supported the league loyally, believed in the shared project and consistently fulfilled all contractual obligations. At the same time, however, it is our responsibility toward players, staff, partners, and service providers to demand planning security at an early stage in order to avoid jeopardising existing contracts.
“Against this backdrop, the Helvetic Mercenaries have requested a binding clarification of outstanding issues in order to establish the necessary foundations for planning security. This deadline serves exclusively to enable responsible decision-making.
“Regardless of rumours or further developments, the current situation explicitly does not mean the end of the Helvetic Mercenaries. The organisation has already been working in parallel on alternative scenarios since December. These options will be consistently pursued over the coming days, depending on further developments.
“The Helvetic Mercenaries remain committed to American football and its community and will communicate transparently about the next steps.”
With the EFA imposing strict controls on the viability of member teams, in terms of financial, management and on-field capabilities, it remains to be seen whether the Mercenaries — who struggled gamely through the 2025 ELF campaign despite a small roster and limited funds — will stand up to scrutiny. Should they fall short of the EFA’s expectations, heading for a national league may be the club’s only option.