THIS GIVEN SUNDAY: CONTENDERS CONFIRMED
The European League of Football now knows the two teams that will contest the 2025 Championship Game in Stuttgart next Sunday as it prepares to crown a successor to back-to-back winners Rhein Fire.
Two closely-fought semi-finals left fans on the edge of their seats before the Vienna Vikings edged past league newcomer Nordic Storm in Austria and the Stuttgart Surge, on the road after coming through their wildcard encounter, saw off the higher-seeded Munich Ravens to ensure that they would return home for their second championship game appearance in three seasons.
Neither team is a stranger to the big game, with Vienna having won the ELF title at the first attempt back in 2022, before losing to Rhein last season. Stuttgart’s sole appearance also foundered against the Fire, in 2023, giving both teams good reason to give their all. For Vienna, ironically, the final will feel like an away game for the second year running as, having had to play in Rhein’s back yard last season, they must now travel to Stuttgart’s MHP Arena in pursuit of the crown.
***
The first game of the weekend, at the Hohe Warte natural arena in Vienna, was perhaps the more tantalising of the two, with the Vikings and Storm set for a first-ever meeting having gone neck-and-neck for the number one seed until the very end of the regular season. Just as they had in their wildcard matchup with the Fire, it was the Storm who scored first, taking advantage of receiving the opening kickoff as QB Jadrian Clark steered his offense down the field before finding Simon Føns for the touchdown. Vienna came straight back at their visitors, however, with Ben Holmes mixing run and pass to get his team in position for RB Karri Pajarinen to plunge over from a yard out. The ensuing conversion attempt was blocked, however, leaving the Storm narrowly ahead.
That advantage didn’t last long as, after an exchange of second quarter possessions, Clark’s pass intended for WR Brendan Beaulieu was picked off by Vikings safety Divine Buckrham, allowing Holmes to engineer another time-consuming drive before finding WR Yannick Mayr for a 42-yard score — and then hitting TE Florian Bierbaumer for a two-point conversion to Vienna back on track. Trailing for the first time, the game could have got away from Nordic on their next drive, not least because Clark, so often their talisman, was quickly caught in a car crash, twisting his right knee as he went down under the combined weight of three Vienna players. Having to be helped off the field, apparently unable to put any pressure on the injured leg, did not bode well for the Storm but, despite backup Alexander Kronborg Bjerre opening with a deep pass to Beaulieu, Clark reappeared under center and, two plays later, found the same receiver in the endzone. Again, the score was coverted, albeit from the 30-yard line following a penalty on the first attempt, and the sides went into the half-time break all-square.
The second half began with an exchange of punts before the Vikings re-established their advantage, this time with Holmes leading a drive from Vienna’s own 18 to paydirt as he found running back Florian Wegan over the middle. Nordic’s response was short but far from sweet as Clark, now with his knee more substantially strapped, managed just four plays — all pass attempts — before being picked off on his own 42, leaving the Vikings a short field that Holmes and Mayr wasted little time in converting to a touchdown and a 14-point lead. The Storm weren’t done, however, and, boosted by a 42-yard kickoff return from Edvin Almeida, made short work of reducing the deficit as Clark again found Føns for the score. The ensuing conversion was deflected wide, however, leaving the Scandinavians trailing by eight going into the final quarter.
As they had threatened to do throughout, both defenses stiffened down the stretch, switching possession at regular intervals. Nordic were still in the fight, albeit knowing that they’d need a successful two-point conversion to any touchdown to force an extra period, but their chances faded with just over two minutes remaining, when a roughing the kicker penalty on a Vikings punt gave the home team a fresh set of downs and the ability to run out the clock.
***
Where the game in Vienna opened with an exchange of touchdowns, the second semi-final at Munich’s SportPark Unterhaching began with both defenses making their presence felt. Following two stifled drives, however, Surge QB Reilly Hennessey was handed a short field when a Ravens punt from practically in their own endzone failed to clear halfway. With Michael Harley Jr returning the ball a further 16 yards, Stuttgart set up on their hosts’ 28 and, five short plays later, the quarterback called his own number to squeeze through the wrestling lines and open the scoring. Munich came straight back, with their own QB, Russell Tabor, doing much of the hard work himself as the Ravens went 55 yards before the American sprinted home from the 20. Kick good, the scores were tied at seven.
The end-to-end nature of the game appeared set to continue into the second quarter, with Hennessey again at the controls as the opening drive covered the length of the field, much of the hard work being done on a 55-yard completion over the middle to Harley Jr. With the endzone in sight, however, the quarterback made an uncharacteristic error, lobbing the ball up for Harley only to see Ravens safety Cole Coleman come down with it. Fortunately for Hennessey, Munich were unable to do anything with the possession and, given a second chance, the Surge drove from their own two to give the quarterback the chance to atone for his mistake, finding Harley Jr for the score and giving Stuttgart the half-time advantage.
Munich’s final possession of the first half had ended in a punt and it was a similar story at the start of the second as the Ravens went three-and-out. It only took Stuttgart six plays to get into scoring range before RB Tomiwa Oyewo found a hole up the middle to put another six on the board. Blocking Timo Bronn’s conversion attempt seemed to keep Ravens spirits alive and, starting from their own 30 following the ensuing touchback, Tabor was able to move the ball to the opposite goal-line despite a series of sacks and incomplete passes that looked set to stymie the home side at any moment. Once in scoring range, however, Tabor again bet on himself, going over from the two — only to see Daniel Schweiger’s extra point attempt batted down by the Surge line.
Handed the ball to start the fourth quarter, Tabor moved his offense to the Surge 33, only to throw an interception to Stuttgart corner Ben Wenzler. The ensuing return set Hennessey up in enemy territory and the QB made short work of closing on the endzone before adding a second score of his own to re-extend Stuttgart’s advantage. By now, Tabor was beginning to feel the heat from the visiting defense and having been forced to turn the ball over on downs next time around, was left with too much to do on the Ravens’ final possession which, perhaps fittingly, ended in a sack as time expired.
***
WEEK 16 SCORES — SEMI-FINALS
30.08.2025
Nordic Storm 20 @ 28 Vienna Vikings
31.08.2025
Stuttgart Surge 27 @ 13 Munich Ravens
***
What comes next?
The fifth European League of Football Championship Game takes place at the MHP Arena in Stuttgart this coming Sunday (7th September). While not the regular home of the Surge, it should ensure a raucous atmosphere, with over 30,000 tickets having already been sold, many of them through the course of the regular season. For Vienna, it will be a second successive title game behind enemy lines, having had to play the Fire in front of 41,000+ in the heart of Rheinland last season. The Vikings crowd gives as good as it gets, however, and will bring their own brand of noise to the occasion in search of a second ELF crown.
***
MVP of the Week
Ben Holmes (Vienna Vikings)
Despite facing unrelenting pressure from the Nordic Storm defense, Holmes again showed remarkable composure in making crucial plays when they mattered. Unlike each of the three other starting quarterbacks in action over the weekend, the American did not throw an interception, completing 24 of 33 attempts for 260 yards and a hat-trick of scores, all of which came from distance. His connection with Yannick Mayr again proved strong, the homegrown receiver on the end of two touchdown tosses, but Holmes spread the ball around and, unlike some, knew when to leave the hard yards to his team-mates.
UPS
Yannick Mayr (Vienna Vikings)
Since returning from early season injury, Mayr has become one of Ben Holmes’ favourite targets and again proved his value to the Vikings with two scores and 70 receiving yards in the victory over Nordic Storm.
Mike Harley Jr (Stuttgart Surge)
He may have been accused on commentary of over-using his favourite receiver, but Reilly Hennessey’s connection with Harley Jr cannot be overlooked. Averaging 16 yards per reception against Munich, the former Miami Hurricane added a touchdown to his 144 yards to help send the Surge to the ELF final.
Ben Wenzler (Stuttgart Surge)
Amidst an all-round strong performance by the Surge defense, Wenzler snared a crucial interception of Russell Tabor as the Ravens threatened to come back into their semi-final, and was also responsible for four more pass breakups as the visitors limited Munich to just 76 yards through the air.
Brendan Beaulieu (Nordic Storm)
It may have come in a heart-breaking defeat, but Beaulieu put up yet another 100-yard game and returned to the scoresheet by getting on the end of a pass from hobbled QB Jadrian Clark as the Stork went toe-to-toe with the #1 seed.
DOWNS
Jadrian Clark (Nordic Storm)
Still a candidate for MVP honours after steering the Storm to the semi-finals, Clark was unable to make his usual contribution after suffering a knee injury late in the second quarter. He missed only two plays, but was clearly hobbled. That said, he still racked up 316 yards and three scores, but two interceptions proved costly.
Nordic Storm run game
Clark’s injury not only limited his own performance, but also the Storm ground game, where he had shown to be a willing participant in the win over Rhein in the wildcard round. A single attempt for seven yards did little to elevate a run game that would have been so much different with a fit Glen Toonga, and left Vienna with just 25 yards to its credit.
Luke Glenna (Nordic Storm)
Glenna was once again a vital contributor to the Storm defensive effort in Vienna, with 11 tackles and a pass break-up to his name. However, it will be the fourth quarter roughing the kicker penalty he conceded on a Vikings punt that remains in mind after giving the home side a chance to run down the clock.
Russell Tabor (Munich Ravens)
There is no doubt that Tabor is amongst the leading quarterbacks in the ELF, but the apparent need to do more and more by himself eventually hamstrung the Ravens offensive effort against Stuttgart. Facing a swarming Surge D, Tabor ran 17 times for 108 yards and two scores, almost out-weighing the 130 air yards he accrued on 12 of 27 passing attempts
***
SEEN AND HEARD
- “I am very proud of my team. We controlled the game today and managed to contain Munich’s offense, especially their quarterback. Now it’s time to fulfill our dream of winning the final in front of our home crowd and lifting the trophy. We know how much work lies ahead, and we’re going to get started right away.”
Stuttgart Surge HC Jordan Neuman - “I’m really proud of my whole team, the entire franchise. We are in the final now, but I told the team right after the game: we’re not done. On Monday, we start preparing.”
Vienna Vikings HC Chris Calaycay (to ProSieben)
- “We’re not done yet. Of course, I’m happy, but I want more. We had two three-and-outs in a row, and that cannot happen if we want to win. But we will work on it.”
Vienna Vikings QB Ben Holmes (to ProSieben)
- “Wins and lessons, never losses. Proud of this team and everything we accomplished this season. The future is brighter than the present. We are just getting started!”
Munich Ravens HC Kendral Ellison