The German Football League 2 (GFL2) is the second tier of

American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team wi ...

in Germany, below the German Football League. Until 2007, the league was known as the ''2. Bundesliga''.

League structure

The ''GFL2'', formerly the ''2. Bundesliga'', which was formed in 1982,Football History
Historic American football tables from Germany, accessed: 2 January 2010 is divided into a northern and southern division, with eight teams in each division. Unlike the GFL, there are no inter conference games and no GFL2 champion is determined. For the 2011 season, both the northern and the southern champions were promoted, while the runners-up of the two divisions played the last placed team in the GFL division above for another spot in the league in 2012.Spielplan der GFL für 2011 steht
GFL website, published: 8 December 2010, accessed: 29 December 2010 Since then the two division champions play a home-and-away series for a place each in the northern and southern division of the GFL. Below the GFL2, six '' Regionalligas'', ''Regional Leagues'', are set, North, South, West, Central, East and Southwest. Four teams each are promoted each season from the Regionalliga to the GFL2. However, additional spots may become available if teams resign from either the GFL or the GFL2. Promotion to the GFL2 is achieved through a promotion round at the end of the Regionalliga season which includes the best Regionalliga teams. For the southern division of the GFL2 the champions of the southern, southwestern and central division and for the northern GFL2 division the champions of the Regionalliga divisions north, west and east play each other once to determine the two promoted teams.

League history

The league was formed as the ''2nd American Football Bundesliga'' in 1982, consisting of 16 clubs in three regional divisions. League strength varied from season to season after this, but the three division format was retained until 1986, when a fourth regional group was added. In 1995, the league was reduced to two divisions with seven clubs each. The strength was increased to eight teams per division in 1998 but continued to fluctuate because of teams withdrawing. Promotion to the GFL2 is achieved through the promotion round of the best Regionalliga clubs whereby the champions from the south plays the runners-up from central division and the champions from central the runners-up from the south. The winners of these two contests earn a place in the southern division of the GFL2 for the following season. In the north the champions Of the Regionalliga divisions North,

GFL2 Teams in 2022

GFL2 North

GFL2 South

GFL2 season placings

The placings in the league since 2000:GFL 2010
www.football-aktuell.de, accessed: 2 January 2011

North

* In the 2000, 2001 and 2006 seasons, only seven clubs played in the league. * In the 2002 and 2011 seasons, only six clubs played in the league. * In the 2003 season, only five clubs played in the league. * ¹ Played as the Hamburg Wild Huskies until 2003, then as the Hamburg Eagles from 2004 to 2009 before becoming the Hamburg Huskies from 2010.

South

* In the 2003 and 2004 seasons, only seven clubs played in the league. * In the 2001 season, only six clubs played in the league. * ¹ Played as the Simbach Wildcats until 2003.

Divisional champions

The winners of the regional divisions of the GFL:

References

External links

*
German Football League official website
*
German American Football Association website
*
Football History
Historic American football tables from Germany {{American football in Germany American football leagues in Germany 1982 establishments in Germany Sports leagues established in 1982 American football leagues in Europe Professional sports leagues in Germany