This is a list of current and defunct leagues of

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

and

Canadian football Canadian football, or simply football, is a Sports in Canada, sport in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete on a field long and wide, attempting to advance a Ball (gridiron football), pointed oval-shaped ball into the opposi ...

Leagues in North America

Current professional leagues in North America

Professional outdoor leagues

''Major:'' *

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...

(NFL), 1920– ::Originally ''American Professional Football Association'' (1920–1921) ::Merged with the

All-America Football Conference The All-America Football Conference (AAFC) was a major professional American football league that challenged the established National Football League (NFL) from 1946 to 1949. One of the NFL's most formidable challengers, the AAFC attracted many ...

(1946-1949) and with the

American Football League The American Football League (AFL) was a major professional American football league that operated for ten seasons from 1960 until 1970, AFL–NFL merger, when it merged with the older National Football League (NFL), and became the American Foot ...

(1960–69) *

Canadian Football League The Canadian Football League (CFL; , LCF) is a Professional gridiron football, professional Canadian football league in Canada. It comprises nine teams divided into two divisions, with four teams in the East Division (CFL), East Division and f ...

(CFL), 1958– ::Formed from

Interprovincial Rugby Football Union The East Division is one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League, its counterpart being the West Division. Although the CFL was not founded until 1958, the East Division and its clubs are descended from earlier leagues. T ...

(1909) and

Western Interprovincial Football Union The West Division is one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League (CFL), its counterpart being the East Division. With a few exceptions, a senior men's football championship has been contested in Western Canada since 1911 ...

(1936). ::

Grey Cup The Grey Cup () is both the championship game of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the trophy awarded to the victorious team playing in the namesake championship of professional Canadian football. The game is contested between the winners ...

Canadian Football Championships since 1909 ''Minor:'' *

Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional The Professional American Football League ( or LFA), is a semi-professional American football league in Mexico, founded in 2016. Starting with four teams, the LFA has since expanded to eleven members as of 2022. The regular season runs in the sp ...

(LFA), 2016–2020; 2022– * United Football League (UFL), 2024– ::Formed from merger of XFL (2020) and

United States Football League The United States Football League (USFL) was a professional American football league that played for three seasons, 1983 through 1985. The league played a spring/summer schedule in each of its active seasons. The 1986 season was scheduled to be ...

(2022) *

International Football Alliance The International Football Alliance (IFA) is a semi-professional, outdoor, 11-man American football summer Minor league football (gridiron), minor league that operates internationally in both Mexico and the United States. The IFA's inaugural sea ...

(IFA)2025-

Professional arena/indoor leagues

Arena Football One (2025) Arena Football One (AF1) is a professional arena football league based in Nashville, Tennessee, that began play in 2025. The league was founded by the eight teams who had survived the 2024 Arena Football League season. The eight founding teams, ...

(AF1), 2025- *

American Arena League The American Arena League (AAL) is a professional Indoor American football, indoor football minor league that began playing in 2018. The league was initiated by a merger between Arena Pro Football (APF) and the Can-Am Indoor Football League (Ca ...

(AAL), 2018- *

Indoor Football League The Indoor Football League (IFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional indoor American football league in the United States. The league comprises 14 teams, divided equally between the Eastern Conference (EC) and Western Conference ...

(IFL), 2009– ::Formed from

Intense Football League The Intense Football League (IFL) was a professional indoor football minor league that began operations in 2004. Its focus was in Texas, but it was notable for being the first professional football league to place a franchise in Alaska. History ...

(2004) and

United Indoor Football United Indoor Football (UIF) was an indoor American football league in the United States that operated from 2005 to 2008. Ten owners from the National Indoor Football League, including one expansion (the Dayton Warbirds, which never played a ...

(2005) *

National Arena League The National Arena League (NAL) is a professional indoor football league that began play in 2017. As of the end of the 2024 season, the league consisted of five teams. A team's typical payroll budget is $600,000 per season, but as of the 2022 ...

(NAL), 2017– *

Great Lakes Arena Football The Great Lakes Arena Football (GLAF) was a professional American indoor football minor league based in the Great Lakes region in the United States whose operations are currently dormant. The GLAF was designed to be a regional "bus league" wit ...

(GLAF), 2023– ::Originally ''Great Lakes Arena Alliance'' (2023) *

United Indoor Football Association The United Indoor Football Association (UIFA) is a professional developmental indoor football league, one of the several regional professional indoor football leagues in North America. The league plays their games in the Fall as opposed to ma ...

(UIFA), 2023– ::Originally ''United Indoor Football League'' (2023) *

The Arena League The Arena League (The AL or TAL) is an indoor American football league in the United States. The league launched in 2024 with four teams playing six-on-six football, but expanded to six-teams and started playing regular 7-on-7 indoor football i ...

(The AL or TAL), 2024- *

Entertainment Football Association Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and Interest (emotion), interest of an audience or gives pleasure and delight. It can be an idea or a task, but it is more likely to be one of the activities or events that have deve ...

(ENTFLA), 2025-

Current Developmental leagues

Gridiron Developmental Football League The Gridiron Developmental Football League (GDFL) is a low-level American football minor league based in Memphis, Tennessee, using the franchise model. The GDFL acts as an umbrella group that encompasses teams from across the contiguous United St ...

, 2010– *

Rivals Professional Football League The Rivals Professional Football League (RPFL) is a low-level american football minor league owned by Quentin Hines and consisting of 12 teams in Michigan, Florida and Georgia. The majority of the league players are on fully incentive based cont ...

, 2015–

Current semi-pro/amateur leagues

Chicagoland Football League The Chicagoland Football League is a football league based in Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, ...

, 1917–1934, 2005– *

Northern Football Conference The Northern Football Conference (NFC) is a semi-professional Canadian football league with franchises based primarily in Ontario, Canada. The league consists of five teams and runs from May until mid-August. It's the oldest running senior amat ...

, 1954– * Eastern Football League, 1961– *

Empire Football League The Empire Football League (EFL) is a semi-professional American football league with franchises based primarily in New York State. The league was established in 1969. Many franchises have come and gone including in locations such as Pennsylvan ...

, 1969– * Mason-Dixon Football League, 1978– *

Alberta Football League The Alberta Football League (AFL) is an amateur Canadian football league. The league's schedule runs from the start of June through to the end of September. The league currently consists of six teams: Airdrie Irish, Calgary Gators, Calgary Wol ...

, 1984– * The Minor Football League, 1993– *

New England Football League The New England Football League (NEFL) is a semi-professional American football league based in Salisbury, Massachusetts, and is a Non-profit Corporation founded by Thomas Torrisi. It is the second largest semi-professional league in New England, ...

, 1994– * National Public Safety Football League, 1997– * Rocky Mountain Football League, 1997– * MidStates Football League, 1999– *

Maritime Football League The Maritime Football League (MFL) is a men's Canadian football minor league in the The Maritimes, Maritime Provinces of Canada. The season runs from April until the end of June. The league consists of former Canadian Football League, CFL, U Sport ...

, 2001– *

The Pacific Coast Football League ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The' ...

, 2006– *

Florida Football Alliance The Florida Football Alliance (FFA) was an American football semi-professional league based out of Boynton Beach, Florida. Founded in May 2007, the league opened its first season of operation on January 19, 2008, and remains the oldest continuous ...

, 2007– * East Coast Football Association, 2007– *

Northern Elite Football League Northern may refer to the following: Geography * North, a point in direction * Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe * Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States * Northern Province, Sri Lanka * Northern Range, a ra ...

, 2008– * Atlantic Coast Football Alliance, 2009– * Texas United Football Association, 2010– * Amateur to Professional Developmental Football League, 2012– *

Central Midwest Football League Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...

, 2014– * American 7s Football League, 2014– * Puerto Rico American Football League, 2014– * Atlantic Football Association, 2014– *

Florida Champion Football League Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

, 2017– * Cactus Football League, 2018– *

North Louisiana Football Alliance The North Louisiana Football Alliance (NLFA) is a nine-man football american football developmental league based in Bossier City, Louisiana. The league established itself as a single entity, owning all eight of its teams, and playing during sp ...

, 2019– * Southern Elite Football League, 2021– * Mid-West United Football league, 2021– * Heartland Football Association, 2022–

Current Flag football leagues

''Pro'' * American Flag Football League, 2018– ''Other'' *

National Gay Flag Football League National Gay Flag Football League (NGFFL) is a nonprofit LGBT flag football league, currently comprising 200 teams in 28 leagues in the United States and Canada. History The NGFFL was founded by Jim Buzinski and Cyd Zeigler in 2002. Teams co ...

, 2002– * DC Gay Flag Football League, 2009–

Current Collegiate or Junior leagues

National Collegiate Athletic Association The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...

, 1906– *

National Federation of State High School Associations The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) is the body that writes the rules of competition for most high school sports and activities in the United States. NFHS's headquarters are located in White River State Park in Indi ...

, 1920– *

California Community College Athletic Association The California Community College Athletic Association (3C2A; formerly CCCAA) is a sports association of community colleges in the U.S. state of California. It oversees 108 athletic programs throughout the state. The organization was formed in ...

, 1929– *

Collegiate Sprint Football League Sprint football is a varsity sport played by United States colleges and universities, under standard American football rules. Since the 2022 season, the sport has been governed by the Collegiate Sprint Football League and the Midwest Sprint Footba ...

, 1934– *

National Junior College Athletic Association The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) is the governing association of community college, state college, and junior college athletics throughout the United States. Currently the NJCAA holds 24 separate regions across 24 states ...

, 1938– *

National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) established in 1940, is a college athletics association for higher education, colleges and universities in North America. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic schola ...

, 1940– *

U Sports U Sports (stylized as U SPORTS) is the national sport governing body for universities in Canada, comprising the majority of degree-granting universities in the country and four regional conferences: Ontario University Athletics (OUA), Résea ...

, 1961– *

Quebec Junior Football League The Quebec Junior Football League (QJFL) is a junior semi Professional Canadian football competition held in Quebec, Canada since 1970, as a successor to the Quebec Juvenile Football League. It began competition as a conference of the Canadian Ju ...

, 1970– *

Canadian Junior Football League The Canadian Junior Football League (CJFL) is a national Canadian football league consisting of 19 teams playing in five provinces across Canada. The teams compete annually for the Canadian Bowl. Many CJFL players move on to professional footbal ...

, 1974– *

Organización Nacional Estudiantil de Fútbol Americano The National Student Organization of American Football ( or ''ONEFA'') is the major college football league in Mexico. American football has been played in Mexico since the early 1920s in different colleges and universities, mainly in Mexico City ...

, 1978– *

Atlantic Football League The Atlantic Football League (AFL) is an amateur club-level Canadian football league that features four teams based in Atlantic Canada. The league is for players aged 18–24 that either attend universities without U Sports football programs or ...

, 2009– * Intercollegiate Club Football Federation, 2010– *

National Club Football Association The National Club Football Association (NCFA) is an association of collegiate American football teams. It is a member of CollClubSports and manages the National Club Football Association#NCFA National Championship, NCFA National Championship. NCF ...

, 2010– * Hohokam Junior College Athletic Conference, 2019– *

Great Plains Athletic Conference The Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Member institutions are located in Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota. The conference was f ...

, 1969-

Current women's leagues

Outdoor leagues

Women's Football Alliance The Women's Football Alliance (WFA) is a semi-pro full-contact women's American football league in the United States. Founded in 2009, it is the largest 11-on-11 football league for women in the world, and the longest running active women's ...

, 2009– *

United States Women's Football League The United States Women's Football League (USWFL) is a full-contact women's American football minor league that opened with exhibition play in 2010 and subsequently played its first regular season in 2011. The league was known as the "Women's S ...

, 2010– *

Western Women's Canadian Football League The Western Women's Canadian Football League (WWCFL) is a full-contact women's Canadian football league which began play in the spring of 2011. The league plays an annual season in the spring and summer, and with seven teams it is the largest w ...

, 2011– *

Utah Girls Tackle Football League The Utah Girls Tackle Football League (GFL) is the first all-girls youth American football league in the world, founded as a nonprofit in March 2015. The league is currently in its season. The GFL consists of three age divisions: elementary (gr ...

, 2015– *

Women's National Football Conference The Women's National Football Conference (WNFC) is a professional full-contact Women's gridiron football, women's American football league in the United States. With teams across the United States, the WNFC had its first game in 2019 with fourt ...

, 2019– * Central Canadian Women's Football League, 2022–

Women's Indoor/Arena leagues

* National Football Confederacy, 2024– * X League, 2009– ::Operated as the Lingerie Football League from 2009 to 2012 and then as the Legends Football League from 2013 to 2019. * Women's Arena Football League, 2012–

Planned leagues in North America

(IFA), 2025 * American Spring Football League (ASFL), proposed to begin in 2025 * Major League Football (MLF), proposed to begin in September 2025 * Major League Football (MLFB), TBD (cancelled seasons in

2016 2016 was designated as: * International Year of Pulses by the sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly. * International Year of Global Understanding (IYGU) by the International Council for Science (ICSU), the Internationa ...

and

2022 The year began with another wave in the COVID-19 pandemic, with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, Omicron spreading rapidly and becoming the dominant variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide. Tracking a decrease in cases and deaths, 2022 saw ...

) *

American Patriot League The American Patriot League (APL) is a planned professional American football minor league, which is owned by ''The World Professional Football Association'', a single entity corporation, that will manage the business of the APL. It was initia ...

(APL), TBD * Professional Independent Football League (PIFL), 2026

Historical leagues in North America

Major outdoor leagues

The following leagues partly or fully merged with

NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The N ...

: *

, 1946–1949 *

, 1960–1969 Other notable major outdoor leagues: *

Western Pennsylvania Professional Football Circuit The Western Pennsylvania Professional Football Circuit was a loose association of American football clubs that operated from 1890 to approximately 1940. Originally amateur, professionalism was introduced to the circuit in 1892; cost pressures push ...

, 1892–1905 *

, 1902 * Ohio Independent Championship (

Ohio League The Ohio League was an informal and loose association of American football clubs active between 1902 and 1919 that competed for the Ohio Independent Championship (OIC). As the name implied, its teams were mostly based in Ohio. It is the direct p ...

), 1903–1919 *

, 1907–1959 *

New York Pro Football League The New York Pro Football League (NYPFL) was a professional American football league, active in the 1910s, and based in upstate New York, primarily Western New York. Between 1920 and 1921, the league's best teams were absorbed into the National Foo ...

, c. 1913–1920 * American Football League,

1926 In Turkey, the year technically contained only 352 days. As Friday, December 18, 1926 ''(Julian Calendar)'' was followed by Saturday, January 1, 1927 '' (Gregorian Calendar)''. 13 days were dropped to make the switch. Turkey thus became the ...

, 1936–1937, and 1940–1941 (all unrelated, three separate leagues) *

California Winter League California Winter League is a former baseball winter league. It was the first integrated league in the 20th century as players from Major League Baseball and Negro league baseball played each other in training games. The league was in existence ...

, 1927–1928 *

, 1936–1960 *

, 1945 (Never played) * Trans-America Football League , 1945 (Never played) *

World Football League The World Football League (WFL) was an American football league that played one full season in 1974 in sports, 1974 and most of its second in 1975 in sports, 1975. Although the league's proclaimed ambition was to bring American football onto a w ...

, 1974–1975 *

, 1983–1985

Minor outdoor leagues

Wilmington Football League The Wilmington Football League, also known as the Wilmington Football Association (1930–1935, 1940–1941), was a semi-professional American football league that existed from 1929 to 1956. It was based in Wilmington, Delaware. From 1932 to 1935, ...

(1922–1925, 1929–1935, 1940–1941, 1946–1955) *

Anthracite League The Anthracite League, also referred to as the Anthracite Association, was a short-lived American football Minor league football (gridiron), minor league comprising teams based in coal-mining towns in eastern Pennsylvania (hence the league name' ...

(1924) * Ohio Valley League, 1925–1929 *

Eastern League of Professional Football The Eastern League of Professional Football was an american football minor league formed in 1926 by independent clubs from Pennsylvania and New Jersey (separate from the ''" Eastern Pennsylvania Football League"'' which played in the late 1930s an ...

(1926) *

Pacific Coast League The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade bel ...

, 1926 *

, 1926–1927 *

, 1928–1929 * Eastern Football League, 1932–1933 :::Became Interstate Football League in 1933 * Greater New York League, 1934–1935 :::Originally the New Jersey Football Circuit (1934) *

, 1934 * American Legion League, 1934–1935 * Northwest Football League, 1935–1938 * Midwest Football League, 1935–1937, became

American Professional Football Association The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The N ...

in 1938, American Football League in 1939 * Dixie League, 1936–1947 – originally South Atlantic Football Association * American Association 1936–1941/ American Football League 1946–1950 *

, 1936 * Virginia-Carolina Football League, 1937 * California Football League, 1938 * Eastern Pennsylvania Football League, 1938 *

, 1938–1939 *

Pacific Coast Professional Football League The Pacific Coast Professional Football League (PCPFL), also known as the Pacific Coast Football League (PCFL) and Pacific Coast League (PCL) was a professional American football minor league based in California. It operated from 1940 through 19 ...

, 1940–1948 * Northeast Football League, 1940–1942 * Northwest War Industries Football League, 1942 * Eastern Football League, 1944 *

, 1944 * Virginia Negro League, 1946 *

Central States Football League The Central States Football League (CSFL) was a college athletic conference affiliated with the NAIA. Member institutions were located in Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas and Arizona and competed only in football. The conference was established in 200 ...

, 1948–1953 * Pacific Football Conference, 1957–1958 *

American Football Conference The American Football Conference (AFC) is one of the two conferences of the National Football League (NFL), the highest level of professional American football in the United States. The AFC and its counterpart, the National Football Conference ...

, 1959–1961 :Low-level fall league that was fully organized in September 1959 with five independent teams who played the other teams sporadically. The original teams were Duquesne Ironmen (Pennsylvania), Melvindale Redskins (Michigan),

Toledo Tornadoes Toledo most commonly refers to: * Toledo, Spain, a city in Spain * Province of Toledo, Spain * Toledo, Ohio, a city in the United States Toledo may also refer to: Places Belize * Toledo District * Toledo Settlement Bolivia * Toledo, Oru ...

, Dayton Triangles (Ohio) and Newark Rams (New Jersey). Players were from both pro and college teams. Teams also end up play in Sarnia, Zaneville (Ohio Colts), Port Huron and Detroit, while Toledo Tornadoes leave for the larger

United Football League (1961–1964) The United Football League was a professional American football minor league that operated between 1961 and 1964. It had eight teams, primarily based in the Midwestern United States. The league was founded in 1961 as a minor league alternative ...

. * United Football League, 1961–1964 *

, 1962–1975 *

Atlantic Coast Football League The Atlantic Coast Football League (ACFL) was a professional American football Minor league football (gridiron), minor league that operated from 1962 to 1973. Until 1969, many of its franchises had working agreements with National Football Leagu ...

, 1962–1971, 1973 * Midwest Football League, 1962–1978 *

Southern Football League The Southern League is a football competition featuring semi-professional clubs from East Anglia, the South and Midlands of England, and South Wales. Together with the Isthmian League and the Northern Premier League it forms levels seven a ...

, 1963–1965 *

North Pacific Football League The North Pacific Football League is the collaboration name for two separate but related minor American football leagues - the Pacific Football League and Northern California League - that operated in the Pacific Northwest region, between 1963 and ...

, 1963–1966 *

, 1964–1967 :::Renamed North Atlantic Football League in 1967 *

Continental Football League The Continental Football League (COFL) was a professional American football Minor league football (gridiron), minor league that operated in North America from 1965 through 1969. It was established following the collapse of the original United Fo ...

, 1965–1969 *

North American Football League ''For the 1960s league, see '' The North American Football League (NAFL) was a proposed American spring football minor league. In 2014, the league announced it was to begin play for the 2016 season; however, there have been no further announcem ...

, 1965–1966 *

Professional Football League of America A professional is a member of a profession or any person who works in a specified professional activity. The term also describes the standards of education and training that prepare members of the profession with the particular knowledge and ski ...

, 1965–1967 *

Texas Football League The Texas Football League (TFL) was a low-level American football minor league that operated in primarily in the United States from 1966 through 1968, and again between 1970 and 1971 as a new incarnation called the Trans-American Football League ...

1966–1968 * United American Football League, 1967 * South Carolina Football League, 1967 * Trans-American Football League, 1970–1971 *

Midwest Professional Football League The Midwestern United States (also referred to as the Midwest, the Heartland or the American Midwest) is one of the four List of regions of the United States, census regions defined by the United States Census Bureau. It occupies the northern c ...

, 1970–1972 *

Seaboard Football League The Seaboard Football League was an American football minor league that operated from 1971 to 1974.Bob Gill, with Steve Brainerd and Tod Maher, ''Minor League Football, 1960-85'' (McFarland and Co., 2002), pp84, 99-100 It folded during the 1974 ...

, 1971–1974 *

Southwestern Football League The Texas Football League (TFL) was a low-level American football minor league that operated in primarily in the United States from 1966 through 1968, and again between 1970 and 1971 as a new incarnation called the Trans-American Football League ...

, 1972–1973 * California Football League, 1974–1982 *

American Football Association American Football Association may refer to: * American Football Association (1884–1924), the first attempt in the United States to form an organizing association football body * American Football Association (1977–1983), a minor profession ...

, 1978–1983 * International Football League, 1984 (never played) *

World League of American Football NFL Europe League (simply called NFL Europe and known in its final season as NFL Europa) was a professional American football league that functioned as the List of developmental and minor sports leagues, developmental minor league of the Nati ...

1991–1992/

NFL Europe NFL Europe League (simply called NFL Europe and known in its final season as NFL Europa) was a professional American football league that functioned as the List of developmental and minor sports leagues, developmental minor league of the Nati ...

1995–2007 * Professional Spring Football League, 1992 * Fan Ownership League, 1996 (never played) *

Regional Football League The Regional Football League (RFL) was an American football minor league formed to be the self-styled "major league of spring football." Established in 1997, the league played a single season, 1999, and then ceased operations. History The RFL s ...

, 1999 * International Football Federation, 2000 (never played) *

Spring Football League The Spring Football League (SFL) was a short lived professional American football minor league that existed for only one season in 2000. Spring football Founded by several ex-NFL players such as Eric Dickerson, Drew Pearson, Bo Jackson, and ...

, 2000 * XFL, 2001 *

, 2008–2010 * United Football League, 2009–2012 *

Hawaii Professional Football League The Hawaii Professional Football League, or HPFL, was a proposed professional-American football, football league based in the U.S. state of Hawaii, aiming for an inaugural season to start in February 2011 with four teams. The four teams are to b ...

, 2011 (never played) *

Stars Football League The Stars Football League (SFL) was an American football league that operated primarily in Florida from 2011 to 2013. The league was headquartered in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. It was a single-entity league and players were paid a few hundred dollar ...

, 2011–2013 *

, 2014 (never played) *

Fall Experimental Football League The Fall Experimental Football League (FXFL) was a professional football minor league that played two seasons in 2014 and 2015. This league's stated goal was to become a professional feeder-system for the National Football League (NFL). The le ...

, 2014–2015 *

The Spring League The Spring League (TSL) was an American football Minor league football (gridiron), developmental league and scouting event (pro showcase) that played from 2017 to 2021 and was founded by Brian Woods. Aimed at professional football (gridiron), p ...

, 2017–2021 * Trinity Professional Spring Football League, 2018 (never played) * Your Call Football, 2018–2019 * Freedom Football League (FFL), 2019 (never played) *

Alliance of American Football The Alliance of American Football (AAF) was a professional American football minor league. The AAF consisted of eight centrally owned and operated teams in the southern and western United States, seven of which were located in metropolitan area ...

(AAF), 2019 *

Fútbol Americano de México Mexican American Football ('', FAM'') was a professional American football minor league in Mexico, founded in 2018. Due to sponsorship reasons, the league was also known as FAM-YOX for the 2022 season. Starting with five teams, the FAM expanded ...

(FAM), 2019–2022 * XFL, 2020; 2023 *

(USFL), 2022–2023

Indoor leagues

* World Series of Football, 1902–03 *

Arena Football League The Arena Football League (AFL) was a professional arena football league in the United States. It was founded in 1986, but played its first official games in the 1987 Arena Football League season, 1987 season, making it the third longest-runnin ...

, 1987–2008, 2010–2019 *

Professional Indoor Football League The Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL) was a professional indoor football league that played four seasons from 2012 to 2015. Like the Lone Star Football League, the PIFL was mainly composed of teams formerly part of Southern Indoor F ...

, 1998–2000 (Bought out by Af2 in 2001) *

, 1999–2000 (Bought out by Af2 in 2001;not related to the Indoor Football League that began play in 2009) *

Indoor Professional Football League The Indoor Professional Football League (IPFL) was the new incarnation of the Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL), which started in 1998. Two of its teams (the Madison Mad Dogs and the Green Bay Bombers) left the league and their owner ...

, 1999–2001 * Arenafootball2 (af2), 2000–2009 (assets acquired in the same transaction as that noted above for Arena Football League) *

National Indoor Football League The National Indoor Football League (NIFL) was a professional indoor football league in the United States. For their first six years, the league had teams in markets not covered by either the Arena Football League or its developmental league, ...

, 2001–2007 *

American Professional Football League The American Professional Football League (APFL) was an indoor football league that was founded in 2003. After the 2012 season, most of the teams left to start the Champions Professional Indoor Football League. The league consisted of professi ...

, 2003–2013 *

, 2004–2008 (merged into current incarnation of the Indoor Football League) *

, 2005–2008 (merged into current incarnation of the Indoor Football League) *

American Indoor Football American Indoor Football (AIF) is a professional Indoor American football, indoor football league, one of the several regional professional indoor football leagues in North America. The AIFL began as a regional league with six franchises on the ...

(AIF), 2005–2010, 2012–2016, 2024- *

Continental Indoor Football League The Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL) was an indoor American football, indoor American football, football league based along the Midwestern United States region that played nine seasons from 2006 to 2014. It began play in April 2006 as ...

, 2006–2014 *

World Indoor Football League The World Indoor Football League was an indoor football league that was to begin in 1988 to compete with the Arena Football League, which was playing its second season in 1988. Some of the teams in the league ran into financial trouble before t ...

, 2007 *

Southern Indoor Football League The Southern Indoor Football League (SIFL) was an indoor football league based in the Southern and Eastern United States. The most recent incarnation of the league was a consolidation of an earlier league of the same name that was formed by Thom ...

, 2008–2011 (teams divided into either the

Lone Star Football League The Lone Star Football League (LSFL) was a regional professional indoor football minor league that played three seasons from 2012 to 2014. All of the LSFL's charter teams were based in the state of Texas, with five teams coming from the Souther ...

, the

, or

) *

Ultimate Indoor Football League The Ultimate Indoor Football League (UIFL) was a regional professional indoor football league that began its inaugural season on February 18, 2011 as the Ultimate Indoor Football League before playing as the United Indoor Football League in 2012 ...

, 2011–2014 *

, 2012–2014 *

, 2012–2015 *

Champions Professional Indoor Football League The Champions Professional Indoor Football League (CPIFL) was an indoor football minor league based along the Midwestern United States region. The league began play in February 2013. In August 2014, the CPIFL and Lone Star Football League (LSFL) ...

, 2013–2014 *

X-League Indoor Football X-League Indoor Football (X-League) was a professional indoor American football minor league that began play in 2014 in the United States. The league was co-chaired by Michael Mink and Kacee Smith. On September 19, 2015, the league announced a mer ...

, 2014–2015 *

Champions Indoor Football Champions Indoor Football (CIF) was a professional indoor American football minor league created in 2014 out of the merger between the Champions Professional Indoor Football League (CPIFL) and Lone Star Football League (LSFL), plus one team fr ...

, 2015-2023 * American West Football Conference, 2019–2023 * National Gridiron League/United Football League, 2019-2023 (never played) *

Arena Football Association The Arena Football Association (AFA) was a professional indoor football league based in Texas, Kansas and Mississippi, United States. The league began operation in June 2021 with five teams, known that season as the Lone Star Series. The league ...

, 2021-2022 *

Fan Controlled Football Fan Controlled Football (FCF) is a dormant professional 7-on-7 Indoor American football, indoor football league that played two seasons in 2021 Fan Controlled Football season, 2021 and 2022 Fan Controlled Football season, 2022. The league operate ...

, 2021-2022 *

American Indoor Football Alliance The American Indoor Football Alliance (AIFA) was a minor-professional American indoor football league in the United States. Teams' typical operating budget was $500,000 with a $90,000 payroll budget per season. Players were paid up to $200 per ...

, 2022–2023 *

(AFL), 2024– * Arena Football One (AF1), 2025–

Collegiate and amateur leagues

Quebec Rugby Football Union The Quebec Rugby Football Union (QRFU) was a football league consisting of teams from Quebec and formed in 1883. Eastern Ontario teams like Ottawa City and Ottawa College joined in 1894. League formation and play The QRFU was formed officiall ...

, 1883–1944 *

Ontario Rugby Football Union The Ontario Rugby Football Union (ORFU) was an early amateur Canadian football league comprising teams in the Canadian province of Ontario. The ORFU was founded on Saturday, January 6, 1883, and in 1903 it became the first major competition to ado ...

, 1883–1960 *

American Football Union The American Football Union (AFU) was a coalition of amateur, semi-professional, and collegiate club football teams that operated from 1886 to 1895 in the New York metropolitan area. Although the minor league was practically inconsequential and ob ...

, 1886–1895 *

Texas Sixman Football League The Texas Sixman Football League (TSFL) was a complex-based amateur six-man football league based in San Antonio, Texas. The league comprises eight teams, all of which played their games at one (usually parochial) school in the San Antonio area ...

, 1999–2012

Women's leagues

Women's Professional Football League The Women's Professional American Football League (WPFL) was a women's professional American football league in the United States of America, United States. With teams across the United States, the WPFL had its first game in 1999 with just two o ...

, 1965–1973 * National Women's Football League, 1974–1982 *

, 1999–2007 *

National Women's Football Association The National Women's Football Association (NWFA) was a full-contact American football league for women headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. The league was founded by Catherine Masters in 2000, as the two benchmark teams, the Alabama Renegade ...

, 2000–2008 * Women's American Football League, formed 2001, became the AFWL in 2002 *

American Football Women's League The American Football Women's League (AFWL) is a defunct league that had eight teams. It debuted on May 15, 2002, was one of the first women's football leagues formed, originally using the name WAFL, or Women's American Football League in 2001 ...

(AFWL), 2002 *

Women's Football Association The Women's Football Association (WFA) was the governing body of women's football in England. It was formed in 1969 and was disbanded in 1993, as responsibility for overseeing all aspects of the game of women's football in England passed to t ...

, 2002–2003 * Women's Football League, 2002–2007 * Women's Football League Association, 2021 (never played)

Leagues outside North America

Current professional leagues outside North America

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

–

European League of Football The European League of Football (ELF) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football sports league, league based in Europe, continuing some team names and logos of the former NFL Europe. The ELF played its first season in 2 ...

(ELF), began play in June 2021 *

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

– X-League, began play in 1971.

Current minor professional, semi professional and amateur leagues outside North America

Central and South America Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...

: * – CBFA Brasil Futebol Americano * – FECOFA Federación Colombiana de Football Americano * – LUF
Liga Uruguaya de Football Americano
* – LIGF
Liga Guatemalteca de Football Americano

: * – AFL

Austrian Football League The Austrian Football League (AFL) is a professional American football league in Austria. The league comprises six teams, and operates on a system of promotion and relegation. It plays by rules based on those of the U.S. National Collegiate Athl ...

* – BFL

Belgian Football League The Belgian American Football League (BAFL) is a sports league for American football in Belgium founded in 1987. The league currently consists of 11 teams from Belgian cities and regions. The league used to be divided into two conferences—the ...

* – HFL Hrvatska Football Liga * – CLAF Česká Liga Amerického Fotbalu * – NL

National Ligaen Nationalligaen (NL) is the top American football league in Denmark founded in 1988. It is organized by the Danish American Football Federation. The league finale and the winning trophy is called Mermaid Bowl. The Copenhagen Towers won the 202 ...

* – VL

Vaahteraliiga The Vaahteraliiga (Maple League) founded in 1980 is the highest level of American football in Finland played under American Football Association of Finland. The winner of the Vaahteraliiga is the Finnish champion. The Vaahteraliiga season is play ...

* – LEFA

Ligue Élite de Football Américain The Catholic League of France (), sometimes referred to by contemporary (and modern) Catholics as the Holy League (), was a major participant in the French Wars of Religion. The League, founded and led by Henry I, Duke of Guise, intended the erad ...

* – GFL

German Football League The German Football League (GFL) is a professional American football league in Germany. The league was formed in 1979. In 1999, the league changed to its current name from American-Football-Bundesliga.

* – HFL Hungarian Football League * – IAFL

Irish American Football League American Football Ireland (AFI) is the national governing body for American football on the island of Ireland, with teams across both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Founded in 1984, it is entirely run by volunteers and played by ...

* – FIDAF Prima Divisione FIDAF * – AFBN AFBN Division One * – PFL Polish Football League * – LPFA

Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Americano Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Americano (LPFA) is the name of the top American football league which operates in Portugal. History Teams 2025 Former References External links (in Portuguese)
{{European Football Leagues American ...

* – CNFA Campionatul Naţional de Fotbal American * – UAFR

Russian American Football Championship Russian American Football Championship () is the highest level of American football played in Russia originally founded in 1991, previously known as the League of American Football (LAF; , ЛАФ). There are 11 teams in two divisions participating ...

* – SLAF Slovenská futbalová liga * – SNFL Slovenian Football League * – NLS Nacionalna Liga Srbije * – LNFA

Liga Nacional de Fútbol Americano Liga Nacional de Fútbol Americano (LNFA) is the name of the top gridiron league which operates in Spain. It was first founded in 1988 and reorganized in 1995 after the merge of several previous Spanish competitions. The league is run by the Sp ...

* –

Superserien Superserien is the highest level of American football in Sweden, founded 1984 and became official in 1991. The number of teams in the top league has varied through the years, ranging from 4 to 10. Superserien 2025 The Superserien 2025 will feat ...

* – NLA Nationalliga A * – NSFL Non Professional Swiss Romande American Football League * – TKFL Türkiye Korumalı Futbol Ligi * – ULAF Super League * – BAFANL

BAFA National Leagues The BAFANL (BAFA National Leagues) is the primary American football domestic league competition in Great Britain. Originally formed in 1983, the league is run by the British American Football Association to coordinate American football, contact ...

*///////// – CEFL Central European Football League */// – EEAFC Eastern European American Football Cup */ – EESL Eastern European Super League

Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...

: * – IFL

Israel Football League The Israel Football League (IFL; ), also known as the Kraft Family Israel Football League for sponsorship reasons with the Robert Kraft, Kraft Family, is an amateur American football Sports league, league consisting of eight teams. The IFL is the ...

* – Korea American Football Association * – ATFFP Philippine–American Football League * – CNFL

Chinese National Football League The Chinese National Football League (CNFL), previously known as American Football League of China (AFLC) is the highest level American-rules football league in China. Founded in 2013, the AFLC has expanded rapidly and in 2019, the AFLC officiall ...

* – EFLI

Elite Football League of India The Elite Football League of India (EFLI) was a professional American football league based in India. It was founded with eight franchises in 2011, and now has 23 franchises throughout South Asia, among whom 20 located in India, two in Sri Lank ...

* - JLAF Jordanian American Football League

Oceania Oceania ( , ) is a region, geographical region including Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Outside of the English-speaking world, Oceania is generally considered a continent, while Mainland Australia is regarded as its co ...

: * –

Gridiron Australia Gridiron Australia is the governing body of American football in Australia. It is an approved sporting association under federal government regulations and is a member of the International Federation of American Football (IFAF). The organisatio ...

* –

Australian Gridiron League The Australian Gridiron League (AGL) is a gridiron competition that forms the highest level of American Football in Australia. The league consists of six state teams from New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, The Australian Capital Territory, ...

* – Ladies Gridiron League * – New Zealand American Football Association

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

: * – EFAF Egyptian Federation of American Football

Defunct minor leagues around the world

* - EFL

European Football League The European Football League (EFL) established in 1986, was a tournament for the best European American football American football, referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football, is a ...

1986-2018 * – Australian American Football League 1984–1998 * –

Torneio Touchdown Touchdown Tournament was an American football American football, referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular ...

2009–2015 *// –

, 1965–1969 *//// Intercontinental Football League – Intended to begin play in 1975, folded before first game * – BCAFL

British Collegiate American Football League The British Collegiate American Football League (BCAFL) was an American football league consisting of players from various colleges and universities in the United Kingdom. In 2007 it was succeeded by the British Universities American Football ...

, 1985–2007 * – BAFL

British American Football League The British American Football League (BAFL) was the United Kingdom's primary American football league from 1998 until 2010. It was formerly known as the British Senior League (BSL) until 2005. BAFL was the trading name for Gridiron Football Leag ...

, 1987–2010 * – ISAF Icelandic Society for American Football, 1988–1991 *///// International League of American Football – Intended to begin play in 1990, folded before first game *///// World League of American Football/NFL Europe/NFL Europa, 1991–1992, 1995–2007 *///// Football League of Europe, 1994–1995 * –

National Gridiron League of Australia American football, known locally as "gridiron football, gridiron", is a participation and spectator sport in Australia. The sport is represented by Gridiron Australia, a member of the International Federation of American Football (IFAF), and als ...

1991–1995 * – BIG6

BIG6 European Football League The BIG6 European Football League (BIG6) was a European Cup style tournament for European American football teams. Originally organized by the EFAF (European Federation of American Football), the tournament had been run by the German Football L ...

* – CL IFAF Europe Champions League * – Philippine Tackle Football League

Collegiate and amateur leagues

* – List of Japanese collegiate American football programs * –

British Universities American Football League The British Universities American Football League (BUAFL) is an American football league contested by university teams in the United Kingdom as part of the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) organisation. The league was formed by the ...

Notes

References

External links

*, Developmental Football USA news site * {{DEFAULTSORT:List Of Leagues Of American And Canadian Football

American football leagues This is a list of current and defunct leagues of American football and Canadian football. Leagues in North America Current professional leagues in North America Professional outdoor leagues ''Major:'' * National Football League (NFL), 19 ...

American footbal Flag football

Leagues in North America

Current professional leagues in North America

Professional outdoor leagues

Professional arena/indoor leagues

Current Developmental leagues

Current semi-pro/amateur leagues

Current Flag football leagues

Current Collegiate or Junior leagues

Current women's leagues

Outdoor leagues

Women's Indoor/Arena leagues

Planned leagues in North America

Historical leagues in North America

Major outdoor leagues

Minor outdoor leagues

Indoor leagues

Collegiate and amateur leagues

Women's leagues

Leagues outside North America

Current professional leagues outside North America

Current minor professional, semi professional and amateur leagues outside North America

Defunct minor leagues around the world

Collegiate and amateur leagues

See also

Notes

References

External links