The Austrian Football League (AFL) is a professional American football league in Austria. The league currently comprises eight teams, and operates on a system of promotion and relegation. It plays by rules based on those of the U.S. National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
Founded in 1982, the AFL is the highest tier level of American football in the country; below is a tier pyramid system consisting of teams playing in divisions I through IV. Winners of each division move up to the next level of play. The AFL is considered among the best and strongest leagues in Europe.
History The AFL was founded in 1982 by the teams such as the Salzburg Lions, Graz Giants, Vienna Ducks and Vienna Ramblocks. The first Austrian Bowl was held in 1984 in Salzburg.
The AFL is commonly considered as one of the best American football leagues in Europe. This was especially so in the period from 2004 to 2011, when the European Football League final game the Eurobowl, was won seven out of eight times by an Austrian league AFL team.
In 2010, the Prague Panthers from the Czech Republic joined the league as the first team from outside of Austria. The Panthers were a member of the AFL until the 2016 season. In 2016, the Ljubljana Silverhawks from Slovenia joined, and in 2018, the Bratislava Monarchs from Slovakia entered the league.
The Tyrol Raiders and Vienna Vikings announced their intention to leave for the European League of Football for the 2022 season. However, unlike teams in other countries that have made this move, the reserve team of both remained a participant in the league.
Foreign Import rules and format In the mid to late 1980's with the increase in talent and professionalism throughout the league, a more formalized mechanism was put in place to recruit and fly in former college and free agent football players to play in Austria for pay (salary) as well as room and board. Because homegrown players are one of the main focus points of the league, there are specific rule limitations for the numbers of foreigners. The rule has changed several times over the years. Currently, each roster can have a maximum of 6 American, Canadian, Mexican or Japanese professional import players, with two allowed on the field at the same time.
The regular season currently consists of ten games and starts in mid-March; the playoffs continue through July. The final game, the (Austrian Bowl), was held for the first time in 1984 in Salzburg, Austria.
Teams
In 2026, the AFL consists of:
Vienna Vikings Graz Giants Swarco Raiders Tirol Danube Dragons Prague Black Panthers
Fehérvár Enthroners
Austrian Bowl All games Bowl Date Champions Runners-up Score Location I October 20, 1984 Salzburg Lions Graz Giants 27–10 Salzburg II June 28, 1986 Graz Giants Vienna Vikings 31–12 Salzburg III July 5, 1987 Graz Giants Salzburg Lions 20–0 ASKÖ Schmelz, Vienna IV July 3, 1988 Graz Giants Vienna Vikings 33–15 ASKÖ Schmelz, Vienna V July 1, 1989 Salzburg Lions Graz Giants 34–0 Salzburg VI July 1, 1990 Graz Giants Klosterneuburg Mercenaries 59–7 Linzer Stadion, Linz VII July 7, 1991 Graz Giants Vienna Vikings 38–7 ASKÖ Stadium Eggenberg, Graz VIII July 5, 1992 Graz Giants AFC Rangers Schwarzenau 28–13 ASKÖ Schmelz, Vienna IX July 4, 1993 Feldkirch Oscar Dinos Salzburg Bulls 45–10 BSZ Südstadt, Maria Enzersdorf X July 4, 1994 Vienna Vikings Levi's Graz Giants 45–23 Rudolf-Tonn-Stadion, Schwechat XI July 15, 1995 Levi's Graz Giants Vienna Vikings 26–20 Rudolf-Tonn-Stadion XII July 13, 1996 Vienna Vikings Levi's Graz Giants 41–35 Rudolf-Tonn-Stadion XIII July 12, 1997 Levi's Graz Giants Klosterneuburg Mercenaries 35–14 Rudolf-Tonn-Stadion XIV July 18, 1998 Levi's Graz Giants Vienna Vikings 43–3 BSZ Südstadt, Maria Enzersdorf XV July 20, 1999 Chrysler Vikings Levi's Graz Giants 37–35 Rudolf-Tonn-Stadion XVI July 22, 2000 Chrysler Vikings Papa Joe's Tyrolean Raiders 34–28 Hohe Warte Stadium, Vienna XVII July 21, 2001 Chrysler Vikings Papa Joe's Tyrolean Raiders 24–14 Lindenstadion, Eisenstadt XVIII July 20, 2002 Chrysler Vikings Öko-Box Graz Giants 52–21 Hohe Warte Stadium, Vienna XIX July 12, 2003 Chrysler Vikings Öko-Box Graz Giants 56–42 Hohe Warte Stadium, Vienna XX July 17, 2004 Papa Joe's Tyrolean Raiders Chrysler Vikings 28–20 EM-Stadion Wals-Siezenheim, Salzburg XXI July 16, 2005 Chrysler Vikings Papa Joe's Tyrolean Raiders 43–14 Südstadt, Maria Enzersdorf XXII July 14, 2006 Swarco Raiders Tirol Dodge Vikings 43–19 Hohe Warte, Vienna XXIII July 14, 2007 Dodge Vikings Turek Graz Giants 42–14 Hohe Warte, Vienna XXIV June 27, 2008 Turek Graz Giants Swarco Raiders Tirol 31–21 Lavanttal-Arena, Wolfsberg XXV July 18, 2009 Raiffeisen Vikings Turek Graz Giants 22–19 Asko Stadium Eggenberg, Graz XXVI July 9, 2010 Danube Dragons Swarco Raiders Tirol 28–21 Tivoli-Neu, Innsbruck XXVII June 23, 2011 Swarco Raiders Tirol Raiffeisen Vikings 23–13 Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna XXVIII July 28, 2012 Raiffeisen Vikings Swarco Raiders Tirol 48–34 Hohe Warte, Vienna XXIX July 27, 2013 Raiffeisen Vikings Swarco Raiders Tirol 48–31 NV Arena, Sankt Pölten XXX July 26, 2014 Raiffeisen Vikings Swarco Raiders Tirol 24–17 NV Arena, Sankt Pölten XXXI July 11, 2015 Swarco Raiders Tirol Vienna Vikings 38–0 Wörthersee Stadion, Klagenfurt XXXII July 23, 2016 Swarco Raiders Tirol Graz Giants 51–7 Wörthersee Stadion, Klagenfurt XXXIII July 29, 2017 Dacia Vienna Vikings Swarco Raiders Tirol 45–26 Wörthersee Stadion, Klagenfurt XXXIV July 21, 2018 Swarco Raiders Tirol Dacia Vienna Vikings 51–48 NV Arena, Sankt Pölten XXXV July 27, 2019 Swarco Raiders Tirol Dacia Vienna Vikings 42–34 NV Arena, Sankt Pölten – September, 2020 Dacia Vienna Vikings Graz Giants 3–0 ASKÖ Eggenberg, GrazFootballzentrum Ravelin, Wien XXXVI July 31, 2021 Swarco Raiders Tirol Dacia Vienna Vikings 35–14 Tivoli Stadion Tirol, Innsbruck XXXVII July 30, 2022 Danube Dragons Vienna Vikings 51–29 NV Arena, Sankt Pölten XXXVIII July 29, 2023 Danube Dragons Vienna Vikings 14–13 NV Arena, Sankt Pölten XXXIX July 28, 2024 Prague Black Panthers Vienna Vikings 20–14 Wiener Neustadt Arena XL July 26, 2025 Vienna Vikings Danube Dragons 27–17 NV Arena, Sankt Pölten XLI July 25, 2026 Graz Giants Danube Dragons 16–14
By team Rank Teams Champions Runners-up 1 Vienna Vikings 15 15 2 Graz Giants 11 11 3 Tirol Raiders 8 9 4 Danube Dragons 4 3 5 Salzburg Bulls 2 2 6 Feldkirch Oscar Dinos 1 0 Prague Black Panthers 1 0 7 AFC Rangers 0 1
Notable players and coaches
David Tenney, player/coach 1989 AFL League national champion, Salzburg Lions North Dakota State Bison Sandro Platzgummer, RB Raiders Tirol, AFL-Offensive player of the year, NFL with the New York Giants Bernhard Raimann, TE-OL Vienna Vikings -AFL, currently of the NFL Indianapolis Colts Bernhard Seikovits, TE Vienna Vikings -AFL, currently NFL Arizona Cardinals Max Pircher, OL Raiders Tirol -AFL, Currently NFL Minnesota Vikings. Anthony Thompson, 1993 AFL League MVP, Bulls 1993-94 & Mercenaries 1995 RB/LB, NFL for Denver Broncos Eric Beavers, 1992 AFL League MVP, Graz Giants QB 1991–1993. Nevada Wolfpack Doug Wilkerson, Graz Giants OL/DL 1987, was NFL All Pro player for the San Diego Chargers Tony Hunt, RB Vienna Vikings & NFL for Philadelphia Eagles. Todd Hendricks, 1995 AFL League MVP & 1995-96 Offensive player of the year, AFC Rangers WR/RB Dave Dunn (American football), Graz Giants 1991-1992 DL Mark Helfrich, Former Vienna Viking QB 1997, former Oregon Ducks head coach Thomas Smythe, AFL Coach of the year, 1994-2006 Head coach Vienna Vikings, 8 AFL championships, 3 Eurobowl titles Hugh Mendez, 1993 AFL Coach of the year, AFL Champion 1993, head coach Feldkich Dinos 1993–94, Klosterneuburg Mercenaries 1995 Rick Rhoades, 2008 AFL Coach of the year, 2007-2011 Head coach Graz Giants, Austrian National team head coach Charles Drake (American football), DB Cinneplex Blue Devils. Emmanuel Moody, Vienna Viking RB, Florida Gators Chris Gunn, AFL League MVP, Graz Giants QB Jason Johnson (quarterback), Swarco Raiders QB 2009. Jaime Kimbrough, Carinthian Cowboys and Lions RB 1999–2001. Fresno State Bulldogs George Paton, Vienna Vikings DB/RB 1993. Current GM for Denver Broncos Sean Shelton, 3 X AFL League MVP, Swarco Raiders QB , AFL Coach of the year, AFL Champion, Eurobowl Champion, head coach Swarco Raiders Kevin Burke, (American Football) 2017 Austrian Bowl Game MVP, Vienna Vikings QB , AFL Coach of year & Former Vienna Viking DB, AFL Champions and Eurobowl Champion Cameron Frickey, 1999 AFL Offense POTY, 1998-2003 Vienna Vikings WR & current Woman's National team coach Clinton Graham, AFL Offense POTY, Vienna Vikings, Prague Panthers, and AFC Rangers RB. Eric Marty, 2010 Austrian Bowl game MVP, Danube Dragons QB Germaine Race, 2010 AFL Offense POY, St. Polten Invaders RB. Former NFL player Kyle Newhall-Caballero, 2012 AFL League MVP, Prague Black Panthers QB, NFL player & Scout Darius Robinson, Swarco Tirol Raiders DB & former NFL player, Clemson Tigers football Lance Gustafson, AFL League MVP, Vienna Vikings LB/RB Paul Kujawa, AFL League MVP 1994, Graz Giants RB/LB 1994–96, Iowa Hawkeyes , 2011 Austrian Bowl Game MVP, Swarco Raiders RB , Swarco Raiders QB/WR and coach D.J. Hernandez, AFL offense POY, Carinthian Lions QB, Brother of Aaron Hernandez Luke Atwood, Vienna Vikings QB/WR -AFL Offensive player of the year Reece Horn, Vienna Vikings WR- NFL player Geoff Stults, Mercenaries player WR, (now Dragons). Current Hollywood Actor Jonathan Dally, former Dragons QB Brad Strohm, AFC Rangers QB 1995–96, 1998, AFL-Offense POTY 1998 LSU Tigers / Mississippi College Matt Sayre, 1996 AFL league MVP, Graz Giants QB 1994–96 Tim Nielson, AFL league MVP 1989, Graz Giants QB/RB 1989–1990,1992
Austrian teams in international competitions
Despite the relatively small size of Austria, both the Austrian national American Football team and individual club teams of the AFL have enjoyed remarkable success in European competitions. The Austrian national team, whose players mostly play in the AFL (with a few also playing in the German Football League), won the final 28–0 over team Finland 2023 European Championship of American football to win the championship title. The National team also has placed third at the 1995 European Championship of American football (hosted in Austria), third place at the 2010 European Championship, second at the 2014 European Championship (hosted in Austria), losing the final in double overtime to Germany in front of 27000 spectators at Vienna's Ernst-Happel-Stadion and placed second again in 2018.
The Vienna Vikings have won the Eurobowl five times and reached the final ten times overall while the Tyrol Raiders have won it three times in five appearances in the final. Furthermore, the Central European Football League has been won five times by Austrian teams both before and after it became a premier European competition.
The AFL Graz Giants own the first known European victory against a US college team in 1991. The Giants won the exhibition game 32–23 against Albany State University. The game was played in the United States on August 31, 1991.
References
External links
Official website Historical AFL scores