BIG6 European Football League

Genesis of BIG6: The European Federation of American Football and the German Football League

Jeffrey
game

Hello, fellow European American football enthusiasts! Here we are today, ready to tackle yet another topic on the BIG6 European Football League (BIG6). While it is true that this tournament has not been around since 2018, it was quite a significant competition back in the day. Therefore, it deserves all the attention it can get. After all, we predict days of glory ahead of European American football, so let us study the past for a better future!

How Did the BIG6 European Football League (BIG6) Originate: Brief Recap

Now, you probably remember that we studied in depth the history of the BIG6 European Football League (BIG6) and also discussed the founding teams in another article. However, we deem it is worth going back farther in time and exploring the very genesis of this tournament. Such an approach would not only help you learn more about BIG6 but it will also give you a more comprehensive view of the genesis of American football in Europe.

To recap, the BIG6 European Football League (BIG6) was originally organized by the European Federation of American Football (EFAF). However, in 2015, the German Football League International took charge and managed the tournament until it was disbanded in 2018.

In this blog post, we are going to tell you about the two organizers of BIG6. Each played a crucial part in the development of the competition and left an indelible mark in the hearts of American football fans across Europe. Therefore, in the paragraphs below, we will look into more detail in both the European Federation of American Football and the German Football League.

European Federation of American Football

The European Federation of American Football (EFAF) was the original organizer of BIG6. The organization has undergone several name changes throughout the years. Originally, it began in 2976 as AEFF, which was the abbreviation of the American European Football Federation. Nowadays, it is called IFAF Europe and acts as the governing body of American football on the Old Continent.

At present, IFAF Europe is the organizer of two major competitions. One of them is the European Championship, where male national teams compete. The other one is the European Junior Championship. As you might imagine by the name, the latter is a tournament for males between 16 – 19 years of age.

In addition, IFAF organizes several less popular competitions. These include the European Women’s tackle football championship, the European Men’s flag football championship, the European Women’s flag football championship, and the Under-15 and Under-17 European Flag football championships (Men and Women). The European Women’s tackle football championship takes place every four years, whereas the rest of the tournaments are held every two years.

Currently, IFAF has twelve full members. These include:

  • Austria
  • Denmark
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Great Britain
  • Israel
  • Italy
  • Norway
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland

Interesting fact: IFAF teams say “No” to armed conflict

An interesting fact from IFAF’s recent history concerns the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. In an attempt to protest against war and violence, the then-IFAF Europe title holders, the Italy national team, refused to play against the team of Russia. The Italian Federation of American Football announced that the national team would not be facing its opponent in the October 2022 qualifier for the 2023 IFAF European Championships.

The German Football League

As we mentioned at the beginning of this blog post, the German Football League (GFL) took over BIG6 in 2015 and remained in charge until the tournament’s last game in 2018. Known in Germany as the Deutsche Fußball Liga, this is the body that runs the country’s top two association American football leagues. You might be surprised, especially if you are new to the world of American football in Europe, but Germany actually has pretty strong traditions in the game!

The GFL was founded back in 1979 and accepted very closely the playing rules of the American NCAA. Initially, the association was called the American-Football-Bundesliga. However, in 1999, it adopted its current name.

Today, the GFL is considered to be the strongest national league in Europe. This estimation has been made based on several criteria including salaries, attendance numbers, international performance, ability to attract foreign players, and more.

Here is a very interesting video about the history and nature of American football in Germany:

The GFL has a pretty straightforward set-up. It is partitioned into two conferences, north and south. Each conference has eight teams, and every team plays against all the other teams from its conference. The games take place both at home and away.

After the regular season ends, the top four teams of each conference enter the playoffs. This is how the winner of the German Championship is determined. The mechanism is the following: the conference winner plays against the fourth-ranked team from the other conference, the runner-up plays against the third of the opposing conference, and so on. The final game is called the “German Bowl.”

Since its inception, the GFL is known to have produced a great deal of strong domestic teams. The success of German American football clubs in BIG6 is exemplary. Germany’s American football squads have also made it big in other international competitions throughout the game’s history in Europe.