2021 European League of Football season

Sports season

2021 ELF season

League| European League of Football
Sport| American Football
Duration| June 19 – September 5
Number of games| 40 + 3 playoff games
Number of teams| 8
Total attendance| 94,704
Season MVP| Madre London (Cologne Centurions)
Division Champions
North Division champions| Hamburg Sea Devils
South Division champions| Frankfurt Galaxy
2021 Championship Game
Date| September 26, 2021
Venue| Merkur Spiel-Arena, Düsseldorf
Champions|  Frankfurt Galaxy (1st title)
Finals MVP| Jakeb Sullivan (Frankfurt Galaxy)
Seasons

2022 →

The 2021 ELF season was 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 the ELF Championship Game in Düsseldorf's Merkur Spiel-Arena, on September 26, 2021.[1] Frankfurt Galaxy won the title, beating Hamburg Sea Devils 32-30.

Map of ELF teams 2021

## Format

[edit]

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

[edit]

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 an 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

[edit]

Team  | City  | Stadium  | Capacity  | Head coach

|
|
|
|

North Division
Berlin Thunder |  Berlin | Amateurstadion Olympiapark[A] | 05,400  |  Jag Bal
Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark[B] | 19,708
Hamburg Sea Devils |  Hamburg | Stadion Hoheluft | 11,000  |  Andreas Nommensen
Leipzig Kings |  Leipzig | Alfred-Kunze-Sportpark | 04,999  |  Fred Armstrong
Wrocław Panthers |  Wrocław | Olympic Stadium | 11,000  |  Kuba Samel
South Division
Barcelona Dragons |  Reus | Estadi Municipal | 04,700  |  Adam Rita
Cologne Centurions |  Cologne | Südstadion[C] | 11,748  |  Kirk Heidelberg
Ostkampfbahn[D] | 00,333[2]
Frankfurt Galaxy |  Frankfurt | PSD Bank Arena | 12,542  |  Thomas Kösling
Stuttgart Surge |  Stuttgart | Gazi-Stadion auf der Waldau | 11,410  |  Martin Hanselmann

### Coaching changes

[edit]

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

[edit]

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.[citation needed]

## Regular season

[edit]

### Standings

[edit]

North Division

* v
* t
* e

Pos | Team  | GP | W | L | PF | PA | Div | Qualification
1 |  Hamburg Sea Devils | 10 | 7 | 3 | 274 | 178 | 4–2 | Advance to playoffs
2 |  Wrocław Panthers | 10 | 6 | 4 | 314 | 259 | 5–1
3 |  Leipzig Kings | 10 | 5 | 5 | 295 | 320 | 3–3 |
4 |  Berlin Thunder | 10 | 3 | 7 | 228 | 296 | 0–6 |

Source: europeanleague.football

South Division

* v
* t
* e

Pos | Team  | GP | W | L | PF | PA | Div | Qualification
1 |  Frankfurt Galaxy | 10 | 9 | 1 | 357 | 132 | 6–0 | Advance to playoffs
2 |  Cologne Centurions | 10 | 5 | 5 | 310 | 365 | 3–3
3 |  Barcelona Dragons | 10 | 3 | 7 | 237 | 277 | 2–4 |
4 |  Stuttgart Surge | 10 | 2 | 8 | 157 | 355 | 1–5 |

Source: europeanleague.football

### Results

[edit]

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

[edit]

| 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 |

### Divisional playoffs

[edit]

#### South: Frankfurt Galaxy 36, Cologne Centurions 6

[edit]

Cologne Centurions vs. Frankfurt Galaxy

Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3| 4| Total

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|
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Centurions | 0 | 0 | 0| 6| 6
Galaxy | 14 | 13 | 6| 3| 36

at PSD Bank Arena, Frankfurt, Germany

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

#### North: Hamburg Sea Devils 30, Wrocław Panthers 27

[edit]

Wrocław Panthers vs. Hamburg Sea Devils

Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3| 4| Total

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Panthers | 7 | 7 | 0| 13| 27
Sea Devils | 14 | 0 | 3| 13| 30

at Stadion Hoheluft, Hamburg, Germany

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

## Championship Game

[edit]

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

[edit]

Hamburg Sea Devils vs. Frankfurt Galaxy

Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3| 4| Total

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|
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|
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Sea Devils | 7 | 10 | 10| 3| 30
Galaxy | 0 | 20 | 0| 12| 32

at Merkur Spiel-Arena, Düsseldorf, Germany

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

## All-Star Game

[edit]

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 featured a selection of the best players from the ELF, playing against the United States Federation of American Football All-Stars.[7][8][9] Earlier, the league had advertised the game as the ELF all-stars playing against the United States national team.[10]

Year  | Home  | Away  | Venue  | City  | Attendance  | Ref

|
|
|
|
|
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2021 | ELF All Stars | 26 | US Federation All Stars | 8  | Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark |  Berlin, Germany | 300  | [11][12][13]

## Attendance

[edit]

As of September 5, 2021[14][E]

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.[citation needed]

Rank  | Team  | GP | Total | High | Low | Average

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|
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1 | Wrocław Panthers | 5 | 18,000 | 4,500 | 3,000 | 3,600
2 | Frankfurt Galaxy | 5 | 10,600 | 2,800 | 1,500 | 2,120
3 | Leipzig Kings | 5 | 10,362 | 2,380 | 1,727 | 2,072
4 | Hamburg Sea Devils | 5 | 8,263 | 1,800 | 1,600 | 1,653
5 | Stuttgart Surge | 5 | 7,143 | 1,998 | 750 | 1,429
6 | Cologne Centurions | 4 | 4,666 | 2,500 | 333 | 1,167
7 | Barcelona Dragons | 5 | 5,815 | 1,386 | 775 | 1,163
8 | Berlin Thunder | 4 | 3,655 | 1,325 | 400 | 914
– | Total | 38 | 68,504 | 4,500 | 333 | 1,803

## Awards

[edit]

### MVP of the Week

[edit]

Week  | Player  | Position  | Team  | Stat  | Source

|
|
|
|
|

1 | Lukas O'Connor  | QB | Wrocław Panthers | 27/38, 302 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int | 1
2 | Madre London | RB | Cologne Centurions | 352 Yds, 4 TD | 2
3 | Seantavius Jones | WR | Berlin Thunder | 9 Rec, 155 Yds, 3 TD | 3
4 | Jakeb Sullivan  | QB | Frankfurt Galaxy | 18/25, 270 Yds, 5 TD, 0 Int | 4
5 | Justin Rogers  | CB | Hamburg Sea Devils | 2 Punt return TD, 1 Int | 5
6 | Jean Constant  | WR | Barcelona Dragons | 10 Rec, 164 Yds, 3 TD | 6
7 | Madre London  (2) | RB | Cologne Centurions | 320 Yds, 4 TD | 7
8 | Zack Edwards  | QB | Barcelona Dragons | 20/45, 454 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int, 2 Rush TD | 8
9 | Joshua Poznanski  | DB | Frankfurt Galaxy | 2 Int, 2 return TD, 93 return Yds, 4 Tackles | 9
10 | Michael Birdsong  | QB | Leipzig Kings | 16/25, 189 Yds, 5 TD, 0 Int | 10
11 | Madre London  (3) | RB | Cologne Centurions | 154 Yds, 1 Rush TD, 1 Rec TD | 11
12 | Moritz Johannknecht  | QB | Frankfurt Galaxy | 23/31, 255 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int, 1 Rush TD | 12

### Honors for the season

[edit]

On 1. October 2021 the "ELF Honors" were presented at RCADIA Hotel in Hamburg. The following players received the awards mentioned below:[15][16]

* 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

[edit]

As of September 12, 2021[17]
Category | Player | Position | Team | GP | Stat

|
|
|
|
|

Passing
Yards | Lukas O'Connor  | QB | Wrocław Panthers | 11 | 3198
Touchdowns | Lukas O'Connor  | QB | Wrocław Panthers | 11 | 28
Jakeb Sullivan  | QB | Frankfurt Galaxy | 10 | 28
Completions | Lukas O'Connor  | QB | Wrocław Panthers | 11 | 259
Completion percentage | Jakeb Sullivan  | QB | Frankfurt Galaxy | 10 | 66.5%
Rushing
Yards | Madre London  | RB | Cologne Centurions | 10 | 2177
Touchdowns | Madre London  | RB | Cologne Centurions | 10 | 23
Yards per attempt | Madre London  | RB | Cologne Centurions | 10 | 7.2
Receiving
Yards | Jean Constant  | WR | Barcelona Dragons | 10 | 1038
Touchdowns | Seantavius Jones | WR | Berlin Thunder | 10 | 12
Timothy Knüttel  | WR | Leipzig Kings | 10 | 12
Receptions | Jean Constant  | WR | Barcelona Dragons | 10 | 74
Yards per reception | Seantavius Jones | WR | Berlin Thunder | 10 | 16.9
Defensive
Sacks | Kyle Kitchens  | LB | Leipzig Kings | 10 | 12.5
Tackles | Wael Nasri  | LB | Berlin Thunder | 10 | 141
Interceptions | Joshua Poznanski  | DB | Frankfurt Galaxy | 11 | 5
Andy Vera  | DB | Barcelona Dragons | 8 | 5
Justin Rogers  | DB | Hamburg Sea Devils | 11 | 5

## Signees to other professional leagues

[edit]

The following players invited to the NFL's International Combine, assigned to NFL's International Player Pathway Program (IPPP), signed or drafted by CFL team or signed with USFL team following their involvement with The ELF in 2021:[18][19][20]

### NFL

[edit]

Player  | Position  | ELF team  | NFL team

|
|
|

Aslan Zetterberg | DL | Leipzig Kings | International Combine
Jan-Philipp Bombek | DL | Hamburg Sea Devils | International Combine
Adedayo Odeleye | DL | Berlin Thunder | Houston Texans (IPPP)
Jai-Albert Jackson | DL | Stuttgart Surge | International Combine
Lance Leota | DL | Leipzig Kings | International Combine
Wael Nasri | LB | Berlin Thunder | International Combine
Marcel Dabo | DB | Stuttgart Surge | Indianapolis Colts (IPPP)
Yoshihito Omi | WR | Leipzig Kings | International Combine
Fabian Kratz | OL | Cologne Centurions | International Combine
Jan-Hendrik Hoffmeyer | OL | Frankfurt Galaxy | International Combine
Yannic Kiehl | OL | Frankfurt Galaxy | International Combine
Max Bruder | OL | Leipzig Kings | International Combine
John-Levi Kruse | TE | Hamburg Sea Devils | International Combine
Igor Mašlanka | TE | Panthers Wrocław | International Combine

### CFL

[edit]

The following players signed with a CFL team:

Player  | Position  | ELF team  | CFL team

|
|
|

Anthony Mahoungou | WR | Frankfurt Galaxy | Ottawa Redblacks
Keanu Ebanks | OL | Panthers Wrocław | Calgary Stampeders
Seantavius Jones | WR | Leipzig Kings | Ottawa Redblacks

The following players got drafted in the CFL's Global draft:

Player  | Position  | ELF team  | CFL team  | Pick

|
|
|
|

Karlis Brauns | DL | Panthers Wrocław | BC Lions | 3
Marcel Dabo | DB | Stuttgart Surge | BC Lions | 16
John-Levi Kruse | FB | Hamburg Sea Devils | BC Lions | 21
Otavio Amorim | OL | Berlin Thunder | Toronto Argonauts | 22

### USFL

[edit]

Player  | Position  | ELF team  | USFL team

|
|
|

Madre London | RB | Cologne Centurions | Pittsburgh Maulers
Kolin Hill | DE | Berlin Thunder | New Jersey Generals
KaVontae Turpin | WR | Panthers Wrocław | New Jersey Generals
Dartez Jacobs | S | Cologne Centurions | New Orleans Breakers
Dale Warren | LB | Stuttgart Surge | Pittsburgh Maulers

## Broadcasting

[edit]

Region  | Broadcaster

|

Germany  | ProSieben MaxxranSport

More Than Sports TV

Spain  | Esport3
Worldwide  | ELF Gamepass

## Notes

[edit]

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

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Neues Hamburger Footballteam spielt im Stadion Hoheluft" (in German). Hamburger Abendblatt. 17 February 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
2. ^ "Centurions im Halbfinale" (in German). Football-Aktuell. 31 August 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
3. ^ "ELF: Hamburg Sea Devils release HC Ted Daisher". americanfootballinternational.com. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
4. ^ "Hamburg Sea Devils: Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator found!". europeanleague.football. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
5. ^ "European League Updates". Archived from the original on 2021-07-06. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
6. ^ "Ladies and gentlemen, the champion of the first season will be determined in Sportstadt Düsseldorf on the 26 September!" (in German). 23 April 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
7. ^ "European League of Football All-Star Game". 13 July 2021.
8. ^ "Roster of the US Federation National Team Revealed".
9. ^ "European League Of Football All-Star Game Rosters".
10. ^ Stefanie Röcklinger (21 July 2021). "All Stars der European League of Football treffen auf das Nationalteam der USA". Ticketmaster Blog (in German). Retrieved 8 January 2025.
11. ^ "The European League of Football All-Stars win over the US Federation National Team".
12. ^ "ELF All-Stars down hodge-podge US Federation team in defensive affair".
13. ^ Sebastian Sendlak (9 October 2021). "ELF: All Star Game wird zum Fan-Fiasko". us-sports.tv (in German). Retrieved 8 January 2025.
14. ^ "European League of Football - past games". Retrieved June 21, 2021.
15. ^ Tim Hanswillemenke: European League of Football Honors 2021 powered by Project Pixxl. In: europeanleague.football. 1\. October 2021, retrieved 1. October 2021 .
16. ^ "European League Of Football Honors 2021".
17. ^ "European League of Football - player stats". Archived from the original on July 14, 2021. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
18. ^ "Four players added to AFC South rosters for 2022 season through NFL International Player Pathway program". May 3, 2022.
19. ^ "Why The XFL Should Embrace The European League Of Football". June 4, 2022.
20. ^ "Germany's Marcel Dabo shines at London NFL International Combine". October 10, 2021.

* v
* t
* e

European League of Football

Teams|

| North Division|

* Berlin Thunder
* Hamburg Sea Devils
* Nordic Storm
* Rhein Fire

|

West Division|

* Cologne Centurions
* Frankfurt Galaxy
* Paris Musketeers
* Stuttgart Surge

South Division|

* Helvetic Mercenaries
* Madrid Bravos
* Munich Ravens
* Raiders Tirol

East Division|

* Fehérvár Enthroners
* Panthers Wrocław
* Prague Lions
* Vienna Vikings

Former teams|

* Barcelona Dragons
* Helvetic Guards
* Istanbul Rams
* Leipzig Kings
* Milano Seamen

Seasons|

* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024
* 2025

Other|

* Stadiums

* v
* t
* e

2021 ELF season by team

» 2022

* Barcelona Dragons
* Berlin Thunder
* Cologne Centurions
* Frankfurt Galaxy
* Hamburg Sea Devils
* Leipzig Kings
* Stuttgart Surge
* Wrocław Panthers

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[Pos]: Position
*[GP]: Games Played
*[W]: Wins
*[L]: Losses
*[PF]: Points For
*[PA]: Points Against (Total points allowed)
*[Div]: Win–Loss record within their division
*[Qualification]: Qualification