NEW ELF CEO INSISTS STABILITY IS FIRST GOAL
Sports executive and financial expert Ingo Schiller has wasted little time in setting out his stall as the new co-CEO and chief financial officer of the European League of Football, promising to address its current instability as soon as possible.
Speaking in an interview with the league’s official website, Schiller insisted that there was much to admire about the ELF, despite the problems its has run into in year five, and that resolving those issues is not impossible.
“What [founders] Zeljko Karajica and Patrick Esume have achieved with their team in just five years is truly impressive,” Schiller emphasised. “A continental league with 16 franchises from nine countries, with strong partners, worldwide TV distribution and a growing fan base. This has enormous potential and, for me, taking on responsibility at the ELF and contributing my expertise is both exciting and appealing.”
The 2025 season has been marred by frequent lopsided results as the imbalance between teams, on and off the field, has become more marked, but also by claims that the league has not been transparent about its financial and business dealings, leading to the formation of a teams’ union, the European Football Alliance, that has threatened to ‘explore all options that serve the long-term preservation and development of their organisations’ — a claim that is understood to potentially include forming a breakaway league.
“Our overarching goal is to stabilise the ELF and position it sustainably and future-proofed,” Schiller stated. “This isn’t a sprint, but a marathon. It’s perfectly normal for such a young organisation to have some issues that creak openly, work together on solutions and build long-term, stable structures. The foundations have been laid and now it’s a matter of developing them further — intelligently and collaboratively.
“I’m approaching the tasks with a completely open mind. Before you create, you have to understand, and that’s why I’ll be conducting a lot of discussions in the coming weeks, both internally and with the franchisees. My primary focus will be listening to get a sense of what’s already working well at each location and where there are still issues. Every franchise has its own reality — I know this well from my time on the supervisory board of the German Football League, with 36 clubs, all of which have different requirements and want to be heard.
“I look forward to the exchange and will use the remaining matchdays to visit as many teams as possible to experience, first-hand, how this league works. I believe that personal contact is extremely important, especially during this phase of growth. Only those who have been there can understand the challenges and where the spirit that defines the ELF originates.”
Despite his sports background being firmly entrenched in the round-ball game, Schiller says he has long been a follower of American football — and is excited by the opportunity to help drive the European scene forward.
“Of course, football will always be a big part of my professional life, but the question for me was, ‘Where can I meaningfully apply my experience again to really make a difference?’,” he explained. “In general, it’s advisable to step out of your comfort zone and take on a new challenge. American football fascinates me with its strategic depth and versatility — on the one hand, the sport is powerful but, on the other hand, it’s also like chess on the pitch. It’s an incredibly exciting mix.
“I’m not someone who speaks loudly, but someone who takes responsibility and tackles things decisively. I look forward to constructive, but certainly also controversial, discussions and new perspectives. Listening, structuring, making decisions. If we can get everyone involved to pull together, then the ELF has a great future ahead of it.”