PRAGUE COACH STEPS DOWN

Even as they were celebrating their most successful season in the European League of Football, and collecting individual awards at the league’s annual Honours event, the Prague Lions were already contemplating a new face coming on board for 2026.

Prior to Sunday’s championship game between the Stuttgart Surge and Vienna Vikings, head coach Dave Warner had confirmed that he would not be returning to the Czech side next season, despite having been a big reason for their transformation from a one-win in two seasons team to one going 7-5 and narrowly missing out on the ELF playoffs.

“Coach Dave Warner has decided not to return to Prague for the 2026 season,” the Lions confirmed in an Instagram post. “We thank him for his work with the Prague Lions and wish him the best moving forward.”

Warner arrived in Prague as successor to Daniel Disch, who stepped down as head coach at the end of the 2024 campaign, and brought extensive experience from a U.S. college coaching career, which included stints at D1 institutions such as Michigan State, where he oversaw the development of Kirk Cousins amongst others.

Prior to his new role in the Czech capital, Warner had held the post of offensive coordinator at the Madrid Bravos, leading them to the wildcard appearance in their first season.

Warner’s announcement followed more positive news earlier in the week, as the team confirmed the return of All-Star cornerback Ken Hike Jr, who played a major role in the team’s 2025 turnaround.