TIROL ABSENT AS EFA CONFIRMS 10 FOR 2026
The European Football Alliance has announced that ‘at least’ 10 teams will compete in its inaugural season in 2026
Having evolved from the ELF Franchise Association, which had been founded in April last year, the EFA’s caused a stir amongst the European League of Football when it revealed that its member teams would not be competing in the existing league from next year. Bound by a desire to strengthen cooperation among professional franchises, while enhancing operational standards and supporting the sustainable development of American football across Europe, the EFA grew quickly from an original membership of nine to eventually feature 11 of the 16 ELF franchises.
While Raiders Tirol — a founding member of the EFA — are conspicuous by their absence from the latest line-up, the 10 teams confirmed by the new organisation are no longer bound by ELF franchise agreements, which either expire at the end of the calendar year or have been terminated ‘for cause’. By taking this step together, the teams have secured their independence and united to form a league they control — something that they felt was impossible under the existing ELF set-up.
“Fans can be sure that quality football will be played next season, among well-established teams proudly representing, and embedded into, Europe’s most iconic cities,” Mason Parker, CEO and GM of the Prague Lions, commented. “We know there is demand for the sport in Europe, and the best football teams on the continent are working together to deliver a professional product that will make our fans proud.”
The ten teams confirmed for the 2026 EFA season are thus two-time ELF champions Rhein Fire, fellow title winners Vienna Vikings, Frankfurt Galaxy and Stuttgart Surge, plus the Paris Musketeers, Madrid Bravos, Wroclaw Panthers, Prague Lions, Nordic Storm and Berlin Thunder.
The EFA statement goes on to note that ‘while others may choose a different path, the reality is that at least 10 teams are free of ELF agreements and committed to the EFA — already giving the Alliance the critical mass to deliver a sustainable and professional league in 2026’.
The group also revealed that its number may yet swell beyond the current 10, intimating that ‘more teams may be added in the coming months, and details on league structure, schedule, and expansion will follow soon’.
Raiders Tirol’s official response to the EFA announcement is awaited with interest, but managing director Markus Wieser told Football-World that complications, including an existing contract to play in the ELF next season, were at the heart of their absence.
“We have over 35 years of history,” he pointed out. “Therefore, the club is paramount. We won’t let ourselves be carried along and tempted into a hasty decision.”