IFAF, the International Federation of American Football, is re-launching a European club championship series, dubbed the 2019 European Club Team Competition, ECTC.
A total of 13 teams will compete from 11 different countries – Austria, France, Sweden, Serbia, Finland, Turkey, Denmark, Spain, Switzerland, Italy and Poland – including seven teams who will play in the Central European Football League tournament.
The last time IFAF organized a European club tournament, the IFAF Europe Champions League in 2016, Poland’s Wroclaw Panthers won the title, defeating the Milano Seamen from Italy in the final.
Over the past two years, a Northern European Football League tournament has been held, involving teams from Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Great Britain. Last year’s tournament was won by the Copenhagen Towers.
The ECTC tournament will also include the seven teams vying for the CEFL title.
Notably absent are the top teams from Germany including the reigning champion Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns. IFAF extended the invitation but due to the strict import rules and the high number of German Football League games, they decided not to participate.
The tournament will be played in four divisions of which two are arranged in cooperation with the CEFL (West and East Division).
The winners of each will then meet in the ECTC Championship Final.
NORTH DIVISION
Stockholm Mean Machine (Sweden)
Helsinki Roosters (Finland)
Copenhagen Towers (Denmark)
North Division Schedule
April 13th 12 noon: Stockholm Mean Machines @ Helsinki Roosters
April 27th/28th: Copenhagen Towers @ Stockholm Mean Machines
May 11th 15:00: Helsinki Roosters @ Copenhagen Towers
CENTRAL DIVISION
Dacia Vienna Vikings (Austria)
Badalona Dracs (Spain)
Triangle Razorbacks (Denmark)
Central Division Schedule
April 14th: Triangle Razorbacks @ Dacia Vienna Vikings, Vienna, Austria
April 27th: Dacia Vienna Vikings @ Badalona Dracs, Badalona, Spain
May 18th: Badalona Dracs @ Triangle Razorbacks, Vejle, Denmark
WEST DIVISION
Milan Seamen (Italy)
Swarco Raiders (Austria)
Thonon Black Panthers (France)
West Division Schedule
April 13: Swarco Raiders Tirol – Thonon Black Panthers
May 11: Milan Seamen – Swarco Raiders Tirol
May 25: Thonon Black Panthers – Milan Seamen
EAST DIVISION
Calanda Broncos (Switzerland)
Istanbul Koc Rams (Turkey)
Kragujevac Wild Boars (Serbia)
Wroclaw Panthers (Poland)
East Division Schedule
April 13:
Wroclaw Panthers – Calanda Broncos
Kragujevac Wild Boars – Istanbul Koç Rams
April 27:
Calanda Broncos – Kragujevac Wild Boars
Istanbul Koç Rams – Wroclaw Panthers
May 11:
Calanda Broncos – Istanbul Koç Rams
Wroclaw Panthers – Kragujevac Wild Boars
Gregor Murth, head of IFAF Europe:
“We expect this to start a whole new chapter in European Club Team Competitions and look forward to a string of exciting games.”
The Dacia Vienna Vikings, who last won a European title in 2013, are participating in an international tournament for the first time in three years. Vikings General Manager Lukas Leitner:
“With the ECTC – European Club Team Competition – after the international association disputes in recent years, there is finally another IFAF officially recognized club competition, and we are extremely pleased that we have been invited to it.”