2021 European League of Football season

The 2021 ELF season is the inaugural season of the European League of Football, a newly formed professional American football league based in Europe. It started on June 19, 2021, and ended with a Championship Game in Düsseldorf's Merkur Spiel-Arena, on September 26, 2021.[1]

Map of ELF teams 2021
2021 ELF season
Regular season
DurationJune 19 – September 5
2021 Championship Game
DateSeptember 26, 2021
SiteMerkur Spiel-Arena, Düsseldorf
Champions Frankfurt Galaxy (1st title)

Format

The league is divided into two divisions, North and South. Each team plays 10 games during the regular season: twice against their division rivals, and twice against two of the teams from the other division. The top two teams in each division qualify for the playoffs, with the North and South champions qualifying for the Championship Game.

Rules

For the inaugural season, the ELF is mostly using adapted NFL rules, as opposed to adapted NCAA rules which virtually all other European American Football leagues use. There is a limit of two "Americans" (a category which also includes some other non-European nationalities) per down but people who are dual citizens of the U.S. and a EU-member country are not counted towards that limit in keeping with the Bosman ruling. Unlike in most other European American football leagues there is overtime during regular season games that are still tied after regulation, but the overtime rules are based on NCAA rules.

Teams

Team
City
Stadium
Capacity
Head coach
North Division
Berlin Thunder Berlin Amateurstadion Olympiapark[upper-alpha 1]
Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark[upper-alpha 2]
5,400
19,708
Jag Bal
Hamburg Sea Devils Hamburg Stadion Hoheluft 11,000 Andreas Nommensen
Leipzig Kings Leipzig Alfred-Kunze-Sportpark 4,999 Fred Armstrong
Wrocław Panthers Wrocław Wrocław Olympic Stadium 11,000 Kuba Samel
South Division
Barcelona Dragons Reus Estadi Municipal 4,700 Adam Rita
Cologne Centurions Cologne Südstadion[upper-alpha 3]
Ostkampfbahn[upper-alpha 4]
11,748
333[2]
Kirk Heidelberg
Frankfurt Galaxy Frankfurt PSD Bank Arena 12,542 Thomas Kösling
Stuttgart Surge Stuttgart Gazi-Stadion auf der Waldau 11,410 Martin Hanselmann

Coaching changes

Team Outgoing coach Manner of departure Date of vacancy Incoming coach Date of appointment
Hamburg Sea Devils Ted Daisher Released[3] July 6, 2021 Andreas Nommensen July 13, 2021[4]

Salaries

For its first season, the league pays a salary to American "import" players that generally ranges from €600 (around $700) to €3,000 ($3,500) per month, and provides housing, health insurance and two meals per day to players during the season.[5] Despite claims to the contrary by the league, most "local" players did not get paid during the 2021 season.

Regular season

Standings

Results

Home \ Away BER HAM LEI WRO BAR COL FRA STU
Berlin Thunder 20–28 27–37 26–45 19–3 40–19
Hamburg Sea Devils 44–6 17–18 24–30 22–17 17–15
Leipzig Kings 37–24 0–55 13–21 47–48 49–23
Wrocław Panthers 35–12 23–26 54–28 55–39 7–36
Barcelona Dragons 48–16 14–32 60–51 14–22 17–21
Cologne Centurions 24–42 33–31 40–12 20–41 19–9
Frankfurt Galaxy 35–9 22–13 42–22 45–7 57–3
Stuttgart Surge 0–38 27–24 12–30 23–39 20–42
Source: europeanleague.football
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Playoffs

Division Finals Championship Game
      
N1 Hamburg Sea Devils 30
N2 Wrocław Panthers 27
Hamburg Sea Devils 30
Frankfurt Galaxy 32
S1 Frankfurt Galaxy 36
S2 Cologne Centurions 6

South: Frankfurt Galaxy 36, Cologne Centurions 6

Cologne Centurions vs. Frankfurt Galaxy
1 2 34Total
Centurions 0 0 066
Galaxy 14 13 6336

at PSD Bank Arena, Frankfurt, Germany

  • Date: 11 September 2021
  • Game time: 14:45 CET
  • Game attendance: 2,000
  • Referee: K. Walentynow
  • Game Book

North: Hamburg Sea Devils 30, Wrocław Panthers 27

Wrocław Panthers vs. Hamburg Sea Devils
1 2 34Total
Panthers 7 7 01327
Sea Devils 14 0 31330

at Stadion Hoheluft, Hamburg, Germany

  • Date: 12 September 2021
  • Game time: 14:45 CET
  • Game attendance: 2,200
  • Referee: Thomas Denker
  • Game Book

Championship Game

The inaugural Championship Game, between the North and South division champions, was played on September 26, at Merkur Spiel-Arena in Düsseldorf.[6] In a game in which the lead changed more than once, Frankfurt, not confident enough of the quality of their placekicker, opted for two-point conversions after every single touchdown (only one out of five being successful), and not attempting a single field goal. Meanwhile, Hamburg's kicker Phillip Friis Andersen, who led the league in successful attempts during the regular season and won "Special Teams Player of the year", missed 2 FG attempts, including one from 61 yards on the last play, that could have won the game for Hamburg.

The Championship MVP trophy was won by Frankfurt QB Jakeb Sullivan, who passed for 324 yards, with 4 TD and no interceptions, and added another rushing TD.

Hamburg Sea Devils 30, Frankfurt Galaxy 32

Hamburg Sea Devils vs. Frankfurt Galaxy
1 2 34Total
Sea Devils 7 10 10330
Galaxy 0 20 01232

at Merkur Spiel-Arena, Düsseldorf, Germany

  • Date: 26 September 2021
  • Game time: 14:45 CET
  • Game attendance: 22,000
  • Referee: M. Scholz
  • Game Book

All-Star Game

The inaugural All-Star Game was held one week after the end of the season, on October 3 (the Day of German Unity), at Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark in Berlin. It will feature a selection of the best players from the ELF, playing against the United States Federation of American Football All-Stars.[7][8][9]

Year Home Away Venue City Attendance Ref
2021 ELF All Stars 26 US Federation All Stars8 Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark Berlin, Germany [10][11]

Attendance

As of September 5, 2021[12][upper-alpha 5]

Games without fans are not counted in averages or games played. All teams started the season with capacity restrictions, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rank Team GP Total High Low Average
1Wrocław Panthers518,0004,5003,0003,600
2Frankfurt Galaxy510,6002,8001,5002,120
3Leipzig Kings510,3622,3801,7272,072
4Hamburg Sea Devils58,2631,8001,6001,653
5Stuttgart Surge57,1431,9987501,429
6Cologne Centurions44,6662,5003331,167
7Barcelona Dragons55,8151,3867751,163
8Berlin Thunder43,6551,1304001,218
 Total3868,5044,5003331,803

Awards

MVP of the Week

Week Player Position Team Stat Source
1Lukas O'Connor QBWrocław Panthers27/38, 302 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int1
2Madre London RBCologne Centurions352 Yds, 4 TD2
3Seantavius Jones WRBerlin Thunder9 Rec, 155 Yds, 3 TD3
4Jakeb Sullivan QBFrankfurt Galaxy18/25, 270 Yds, 5 TD, 0 Int4
5Justin Rogers CBHamburg Sea Devils2 Punt return TD, 1 Int5
6Jean Constant WRBarcelona Dragons10 Rec, 164 Yds, 3 TD6
7Madre London (2)RBCologne Centurions320 Yds, 4 TD7
8Zack Edwards QBBarcelona Dragons20/45, 454 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int, 2 Rush TD8
9Joshua Poznanski DBFrankfurt Galaxy2 Int, 2 return TD, 93 return Yds, 4 Tackles9
10Michael Birdsong QBLeipzig Kings16/25, 189 Yds, 5 TD, 0 Int10
11Madre London (3)RBCologne Centurions154 Yds, 1 Rush TD, 1 Rec TD11
12Moritz Johannknecht QBFrankfurt Galaxy23/31, 255 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int, 1 Rush TD12

Honors for the season

On 1. October 2021 the "ELF Honors" were presented at RCADIA Hotel in Hamburg. The following players received the awards mentioned below:[13][14]

  • Most Valuable Player: Madre London, Running back, Cologne Centurions
  • Offensive Player of the Year: Jakeb Sullivan, Quarterback, Frankfurt Galaxy
  • Defensive Player of the Year: Kyle Kitchens, Defensive End, Leipzig Kings
  • Special Teams Player of the Year: Phillip Friis Andersen, Kicker / Punter, Hamburg Sea Devils
  • Rookie of the Year: Louis Geyer, Wide Receiver, Stuttgart Surge
  • Coach of the Year: Thomas Kösling, Head coach, Frankfurt Galaxy
  • Offensive Rookie of the Year: Gerald Ameln, Running back, Frankfurt Galaxy
  • Defensive Rookie of the Year: Marcel Dabo, Cornerback, Stuttgart Surge
  • Assistant Coach of the Year: Kendral Ellison, Defensive Coordinator, Hamburg Sea Devils
  • Man of Honor: Jan Weinreich, Quarterback, Cologne Centurions

Statistical leaders

As of September 12, 2021[15]
CategoryPlayerPositionTeamGPStat
Passing
YardsLukas O'Connor QBWrocław Panthers113198
TouchdownsLukas O'Connor
Jakeb Sullivan
QBWrocław Panthers
Frankfurt Galaxy
11
10
28
CompletionsLukas O'Connor QBWrocław Panthers11259
Completion percentageJakeb Sullivan QBFrankfurt Galaxy1066.5%
Rushing
YardsMadre London RBCologne Centurions102177
TouchdownsMadre London RBCologne Centurions1023
Yards per attemptMadre London RBCologne Centurions107.2
Receiving
YardsJean Constant WRBarcelona Dragons101038
TouchdownsSeantavius Jones
Timothy Knüttel
WRBerlin Thunder
Leipzig Kings
1012
ReceptionsJean Constant WRBarcelona Dragons1074
Yards per receptionSeantavius Jones WRBerlin Thunder1016.9
Defensive
SacksKyle Kitchens LBLeipzig Kings1012.5
TacklesWael Nasri LBBerlin Thunder10141
InterceptionsJoshua Poznanski
Andy Vera
Justin Rogers
DBFrankfurt Galaxy
Barcelona Dragons
Hamburg Sea Devils
11
8
11
5

References

Notes

  1. First two home games of the season
  2. Last three home games of the season
  3. First three home games of the season
  4. Last two home games of the season
  5. The attendances for Leipzig - Cologne (July 4), Hamburg - Berlin (July 11), Berlin - Wroclaw (July 18), Hamburg - Barcelona (July 31), Cologne - Wroclaw (Aug 1), Leipzig - Berlin (Aug 1), Hamburg - Wroclaw (Aug 22) and Berlin - Barcelona (Aug 22) haven't been announced
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