The BIG6 European Football League (BIG6) was a European Cup style tournament for European

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 ...

teams. Originally organized by the EFAF (European Federation of American Football), the tournament had been run by the German Football League International since 2015. The final game of the BIG6 was called the Eurobowl, which had been held annually since 1986. Its last season was in 2018.

History

In 2014, the newly created BIG6 European Football League was introduced as the new top-tier competition of American football in Europe, replacing the old European Football League (EFL). The EFL continued to be played as a second-tier competition, with its teams now playing for the newly created EFL Bowl trophy instead of the Eurobowl. The BIG6 initially consisted of three teams from Germany, two from Austria and one from Switzerland, the clubs being Berlin Adler, New Yorker Lions, Dresden Monarchs, Raiffeisen Vikings Vienna,

Swarco Raiders Tirol The Raiders Tirol (for the AFL-Teams SWARCO Raiders Tirol, formerly Papa Joe’s Tyrolean Raiders) are an American football team based in Innsbruck, Austria. Founded in 1992, the Raiders since have become one of Austria's and Europe's most domin ...

and the Calanda Broncos. The Berlin Adler became inaugural BIG6 champions, defeating fellow German club New Yorker Lions 20–17 in Eurobowl XXVIII. For the 2015 season, Dresden and the Calanda Broncos were replaced by the Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns (Germany) and the

La Courneuve Flash The La Courneuve Flash are a French American football team based in La Courneuve, France. The team plays in Ligue Élite de Football Américain and in the European Football League The European Football League (EFL) established in 1986, was a ...

(France), making La Courneuve the first team from outside of German-speaking Europe to enter the competition. In Eurobowl XXIX, the New Yorker Lions defeated fellow German club Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns 24–14. For the 2016 season, the Flash were replaced by fellow French club

Aix-en-Provence Argonautes The Aix-en-Provence Argonautes are a French American football team based in Aix-en-Provence. The team plays in Ligue Élite de Football Américain and in BIG6 European Football League. History The team was established in 1986. In their second yea ...

. The 2016 season saw the first time that a non-German team survived the group stage when the Swarco Raiders Tirol knocked out the Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns in the last group match to advance to Eurobowl XXX against the New Yorker Lions. In the final in Innsbruck, the Lions defeated the Raiders 35–21. Before the 2017 season, both Austrian clubs left the BIG6. Aside from founding members New Yorker Lions, the league's management invited the Amsterdam Crusaders (Netherlands), the

Carlstad Crusaders Carlstad Crusaders is a Swedish American football team, based in Karlstad, Sweden. The team plays at Tingvalla IP in Karlstad. History The club was founded in 1991. It played its first game in 1992 against the Uddevalla Ravens. Championships Sw ...

(Sweden), the

Frankfurt Universe The Frankfurt Universe are a German American football team from Frankfurt, Hesse. The club, formed in 2007, won promotion to the German Football League 2, the second tier of league football in Germany, in 2011. The team rebranded itself as "Fran ...

(Germany), the Milano Seamen (Italy) and one team from Berlin (either founding members Berlin Adler or the

Berlin Rebels The Berlin Rebels are an American football team from Berlin, Germany. The team is playing in the German Football League, the highest level of American football in Germany. In the most recent seasons the Rebels managed to qualify for the play-of ...

) to join the league for the new season. However, Carlstad's participation was vetoed by the Swedish American Football Federation. On 1 February 2017, it was announced that the Amsterdam Crusaders, the Badalona Dracs (Spain), the Berlin Rebels, the Frankfurt Universe, the Milano Seamen and the New Yorker Lions would be the six teams to compete in the 2017 BIG6 European Football League. From 2017 on, the last placed team of the BIG6 may have to play a relegation game against the winners of the EFL Bowl, and be relegated to the EFL if they lose.Regulations for Club-Team Competitions
eurobowl.efaf.info, published: 15 October 2016, accessed: 2 November 2016 So far, this rule was never applied. For the 2018 season, which was the league's last, the BIG6 was reduced to four teams.

Teams

Former teams

Eurobowl Champions

For a list of champions by year (1986-2018), see Eurobowl.

Notes

References

External links

BIG6 European Football League
{{European Club Competitions European Football League Sports leagues established in 2014 2014 establishments in Europe