Central European Football League

Central European Football League
Formerly Southeast European League of American Football (SELAF)
Sport American Football
Founded 2005 (2005)
Inaugural season 2006
No. of teams 6
Country  Austria
 Czechia
 Poland
 Russia
 Serbia
 Turkey
Formerly:
 Bosnia and Herzegovina
 Croatia
 Denmark
 Hungary
 Slovakia
 Slovenia
Most recent
champion(s)
Swarco Raiders Tirol (2nd title)
Most titles Belgrade Vukovi (6 titles)
TV partner(s) Sport Klub
Official website european-league.com

The Central European Football League (CEFL) is a European American football organization which hosts two international competitions, CEFL Championship and CEFL Cup. The latest 2018 Championship was contested by 5 national champion teams and a returning CEFL champion from 2017. The final game of the Championship playoffs is dubbed CEFL Bowl.

Until the formation of the CEFL Cup in 2017 the name of the organization was synonymous with its flagship competition - CEFL Championship, or simply "the league". Initially, the league was named Southeastern European League of American Football (SELAF), and featured teams from Serbia and Slovenia. The name was changed to the current one before the 2008 season when teams from more countries joined ranks. First four seasons of the league were played during the spring and autumn, with a month-and-a-half to a three-month summer break. Starting from 2010 the competition takes place during the spring. Over the years, the league was played intermittently by teams from: Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Hungary, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Turkey.

The current champions are the Swarco Raiders Tirol who triumphed 49-20 over Koç Rams on 9 June 2018 at the Tivoli stadium in Innsbruck in CEFL Bowl XIII.

History

2006

The inaugural season featured a total of five teams: Belgrade Vukovi, Kragujevac Wild Boars, Novi Sad Dukes and Sirmium Legionaries from Serbia, as well as Ljubljana Silverhawks from Slovenia.

The first ever league champions were Wild Boars who beat Vukovi 23–12 in SELAF Bowl, played on FK Radnički stadium in Belgrade on 8 October.

2007

The second season was already a season of expansion for the league with two new teams. Joining the league were the top Hungarian team, Budapest Wolves, and CNC Gladiators, then of Austrian Division I. Meanwhile, the Legionaries have left the competition. For the first time teams were split into two conferences: North and South. North Conference consisted of Gladiators, Silverhawks and Wolves and South Conference included three Serbian teams: Dukes, Vukovi and Wild Boars.

The bowl game was played on the Ada Ciganlija stadium in Belgrade on 27 October, with the title won by Vukovi after beating Wolves 28–27 in a dramatic fashion.

That season was also the first in which the league made it to television: the semifinal and the bowl game were televised on Serbian nationally covered TV Avala.

2008

The league changed its name to Central European Football League and the third season featured three new teams from three different countries: Bratislava Monarchs from Slovakia, Budapest Cowboys from Hungary and Zagreb Thunder from Croatia, while the Wild Boars did not return. The Cowboys and Thunder joined the South Conference, also filling the vacant spot made with the departure of the Wild Boars, while the Monarchs were placed in the North Conference.

In the newly named CEFL Bowl, Gladiators beat Vukovi 14–8 at the Vienna Vikings' Ravelin football center in Vienna on 25 October.

2009

In the 2009 season, Cineplexx Blue Devils of Austria replaced the non-returning Monarchs. They joined a newly formed conference with Thunder, Vukovi and Wolves. The other conference consisted of 2008 champions, Gladiators, along with Cowboys, Dukes and Silverhawks.

The bowl game was again played on the Ada Ciganlija stadium in Belgrade on 24 October, with Vukovi reclaiming the title after beating Blue Devils 39–20.

The season was also a considerable milestone for the league, as multiple league games have been televised on a trans-European channel Sport Klub.

2010

The league changed format again in 2010, with the Turkish national champion Istanbul Cavaliers joining the league and Cowboys, Gladiators and Thunder not returning. Cavaliers were scheduled to play Blue Devils in the newly formed wild card cup, with the winner taking the final playoff spot.

The bowl game was played in Ivančna Gorica, Slovenia on 18 July, where Vukovi beat Silverhawks 42–20 to become the league champions once again.

2011

In the 2011 season the league saw the departure of Blue Devils and Dukes. Competition consisted of four teams, which were all national champions of their respective countries.

The title was again claimed by the Vukovi who beat the Wolves 34–33 in yet another dramatic bowl game between these two teams played on Margaret Island Athletic Center in Budapest on 23 July.

2012

Croatian top team Zagreb Patriots joined the league and Blue Devils rejoined, while Cavaliers departed. The league was renamed to Sport Klub CEFL after its main sponsor and had multiple league games broadcast on Sport Klub television channels.

CEFL Bowl VII was played on Ada Ciganlija stadium in Belgrade on 21 July, where the Silverhawks won their first title after beating the Vukovi 34-21.

2013

In 2013, the league has seen the return of one of its original teams, Kragujevac Wild Boars.[1] Blue Devils and Patriots have left the league.

The bowl game was again played on Ada Ciganlija stadium in Belgrade on 7 July, with Vukovi reclaiming the title after the most convincing bowl game win over Wild Boars 42–0.

2014

The 2014 season was again played with the same four teams: Budapest Wolves from Hungary, Belgrade Vukovi and Kragujevac Wild Boars from Serbia, and Ljubljana Silverhawks from Slovenia.

CEFL Bowl IX was played in Ivančna Gorica on 20 July, where Vukovi won the title beating Silverhawks 27-17.[2]

2015

The 2015 season was once again played with four teams. Belgrade Vukovi and Ljubljana Silverhawks have extended their membership, accompanied by two returning teams Novi Sad Dukes from Serbia and the Cineplexx Blue Devils from Austria. Kragujevac Wild Boars and Budapest Docler Wolves have left the league.[3]

CEFL Bowl X was played on FK Kabel stadium in Novi Sad on 5 July, where Dukes took their first trophy by beating Vukovi in a nailbiter 25-23.

2016

The 2016 season marked the expansion of the CEFL with 12 teams. Member teams from last year were joined by new additions Budapest Cowbells from Hungary and Projekt Spielberg Graz Giants from Austria, while Zagreb Patriots from Croatia returned to the fold. Former Alpe Adria Football League teams joined as well. Those were: Domžale Tigers and Kranj Alp Devils from Slovenia, Niš Imperatori and Inđija Indians from Serbia, and Sarajevo Spartans from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

CEFL Bowl XI was played on ASKÖ Stadium in Graz on 3 July, where Giants won the trophy by outgunning Vukovi 52-49 in another cliffhanger.

2017

CEFL Championship continued to gain traction. Problems with IFAF leadership which started the year before lead to the discontinuation of IFAF Europe Champions League competition. Some of its team members joined CEFL Championship, while others formed Northern European Football League (NEFL). CEFL Championship was composed of two conferences:

This year the league also introduced CEFL Cup, played in two conferences as a developmental competition:

  • Western Conference: Kranj Alp Devils, Sarajevo Spartans, Zagreb Patriots
  • Eastern Conference: Novi Sad GAT Dukes, Inđija Indians, Sirmium Legionaries, Belgrade Blue Dragons[5]

CEFL Bowl XII was played at the Tivoli stadium in Innsbruck on 10 June, where Swarco Raiders overpowered Kragujevac Wild Boars 55-20. CEFL Cup finals were played the same day in Kranj, the home of Alp Devils who were shutout by Novi Sad Gat Dukes 0-59.

2018

Most prominent season in organization's existence. CEFL Championship was played by 6 champions: 5 national and a returning CEFL Bowl XII winner. It was made possible by two new additions, Prague Black Panthers from Czechia in the Western Conference and Moscow Patriots from Russia in the Eastern, while Cowbells, Razorbacks and Vukovi exited.

CEFL Cup was transformed into a cup competition for high-level teams and featured four participants. Vukovi, who left the Championship and Cowbells, Hungarian champions, were former CEFL members. Two national vice-champion teams were added to membership: Seahawks Gdynia from Poland and Sakarya Tatankalari from Turkey.

CEFL Bowl XIII was again played on the Tivoli stadium in Innsbruck on 9 June, where Swarco Raiders defended the title by beating Koç Rams 49-20. CEFL Cup finals took place the following day on the BASK stadium in Belgrade, where Vukovi beat Seahawks 55-41.

The Superfinal game between CEFL and NEFL champions was played on 30 June at Gentofte Sportspark in Copenhagen, where Swarco Raiders beat Copenhagen Towers 45-20 to claim the title.

CEFL Bowls

YearHost CityHomeResultVisitorMVP (winning team player)
2006SELAF Bowl ISerbia BelgradeSerbia Belgrade Vukovi12–23Serbia Kragujevac Wild BoarsMarko Obradović
2007SELAF Bowl IISerbia BelgradeSerbia Belgrade Vukovi28–27Hungary Budapest WolvesPavle Tasić
2008CEFL Bowl IIIAustria ViennaAustria CNC Gladiators14–8Serbia Belgrade VukoviPeter de Gouw
2009CEFL Bowl IVSerbia BelgradeSerbia Belgrade Vukovi39–20Austria Cineplexx Blue DevilsJordan Green
2010CEFL Bowl VSlovenia Ivančna GoricaSlovenia Ljubljana Silverhawks20–42Serbia Belgrade VukoviBrandon McDowell
2011CEFL Bowl VIHungary BudapestHungary Budapest Wolves33–34Serbia Belgrade VukoviVinnie Miroth
2012CEFL Bowl VIISerbia BelgradeSerbia Belgrade Vukovi21–34Slovenia Ljubljana SilverhawksAnthony Gardner
2013CEFL Bowl VIIISerbia BelgradeSerbia Belgrade Vukovi42–0Serbia Kragujevac Wild BoarsMihailo Josović
2014CEFL Bowl IXSlovenia Ivančna GoricaSlovenia Ljubljana Silverhawks17–27Serbia Belgrade VukoviShaun Rutherford
2015CEFL Bowl XSerbia Novi SadSerbia Novi Sad Dukes25–23[6]Serbia Belgrade VukoviWilliam Powell
2016CEFL Bowl XIAustria GrazAustria Graz Giants52–49[7]Serbia Belgrade VukoviMoritz Profant
2017CEFL Bowl XIIAustria InnsbruckAustria Swarco Raiders Tirol55–20[8]Serbia Kragujevac Wild BoarsSean Shelton
2018CEFL Bowl XIIIAustria InnsbruckAustria Swarco Raiders Tirol49–20[9]Turkey Koç RamsFabian Seeber

Champions

ClubWonYears won
Serbia Belgrade Vukovi62007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014
Austria Swarco Raiders Tirol22017, 2018
Serbia Kragujevac Wild Boars12006
Austria CNC Gladiators12008
Slovenia Ljubljana Silverhawks12012
Serbia Novi Sad Dukes12015
Austria Graz Giants12016

Participating teams

TeamNatSeasons2006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018
SBB Vukovi BeogradSerbia2006–2017
Novi Sad DukesSerbia2006-2010, 2015–2016
Sirmium LegionariesSerbia2006
Kragujevac Wild BoarsSerbia2006-2007, 2013-2014, 2017-present
Ljubljana SilverhawksSlovenia2006–2016
Budapest WolvesHungary2007–2014
CNC GladiatorsAustria2007–2008
Bratislava MonarchsSlovakia2008
Budapest CowbellsHungary2008-2009, 2016–2017
Gromovi ZagrebCroatia2008-2009
Cineplexx Blue DevilsAustria2009-2010, 2012, 2015–2016
Istanbul CavaliersTurkey2011
Zagreb PatriotsCroatia2012, 2016
Graz GiantsAustria2016
Alp DevilsSlovenia2016
Sarajevo SpartansBosnia and Herzegovina2016
Domžale TigersSlovenia2016
Inđija IndiansSerbia2016
Niš ImperatoriSerbia2016
Panthers WrocławPoland2017-present
Swarco Raiders TirolAustria2017-present
Triangle RazorbacksDenmark2017
Koç RamsTurkey2017-present
Moscow PatriotsRussia2018
Prague Black PanthersCzech Republic2018
  • Note: those in bold are current participants.

References

Notes

  1. "CEFL welcomes back the Wild Boars".
  2. "SBB Vukovi raise the trophy again".
  3. "A dream decade".
  4. Top European teams joining CEFL
  5. Constituting CEFL Cup
  6. "Dukes take the title in a thriller".
  7. "Giant win".
  8. "Austria's Swarco Raiders down Kragujevac Wild Boars from Serbia to win CEFL Bowl XII".
  9. "CEFL Bowl XIII – Swarco Raiders repeat as champions, beat Turkey's Koc Rams".
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