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German Football League 2
SportAmerican football
Founded1982
No. of teams16 (15 in 2019 season)
Country Germany
Most recentchampion(s)North: Düsseldorf Panther
South: Ravensburg Razorbacks
Official websitegfl.info

The German Football League 2 (GFL) is the second tier of American football in Germany, below the German Football League. Until 2007, the league was known as the 2. Bundesliga.[1]

League structure[edit]

The GFL 2, formerly the 2. Bundesliga, which was formed in 1982,[2] is divided into a northern and southern division, which eight teams in each division. Unlike the GFL, there are no inter conference games and no GFL 2 champion is determined.

For the 2011 season, both the northern and the southern champions were promoted, while the runners-up of the two divisions played the last placed team in the GFL division above for another spot in the league in 2012.[3] Since then the two division champions play a home-and-away series for a place each in the northern and southern division of the GFL.

Below the GFL 2, six Regionalligas, Regional Leagues, are set, North, South, West, Central and East. Four teams each are promoted each season from the Regionalliga to the GFL 2. However, additional spots may become available if teams resign from either the GFL or the GFL 2.[2]

Promotion to the GFL 2 is achieved through a promotion round at the end of the Regionalliga season which includes the best Regionalliga teams. For the southern division of the GFL 2 the champions of the southern and central division of the Regionalliga play the runners-up from the other division with the winners of each contest being promoted. For the northern GFL 2 division the champions of the Regionalliga divisions north, west and east play each other once to determine the two promoted teams.

League history[edit]

The league was formed as the 2nd American Football Bundesliga in 1982, consisting of 16 clubs in three regional divisions. League strength varied from season to season after this, but the three division format was retained until 1986, when a fourth regional group was added.[2]

In 1995, the league was reduced to two divisions with seven clubs each. The strength was increased to eight teams per division in 1998 but continued to fluctuate because of teams withdrawing.[2]

Promotion to the GFL 2 is achieved through the promotion round of the best Regionalliga clubs whereby the champions from the south plays the runners-up from central division and the champions from central the runners-up from the south. The winners of these two contests earn a place in the southern division of the GFL 2 for the following season. In the north the champions Of the Regionalliga divisions North,

GFL 2 Teams in 2021[edit]

Location of teams in the German Football League 2 in 2021

GFL 2 North[edit]

TeamCityState
Assindia CardinalsEssenNorth Rhine-Westphalia
Berlin AdlerBerlinBerlin
Düsseldorf PantherDüsseldorfNorth Rhine-Westphalia
Hamburg HuskiesHamburgHamburg
Langenfeld LonghornsLangenfeldNorth Rhine-Westphalia
Lübeck CougarsLübeckSchleswig-Holstein
Rostock GriffinsRostockMecklenburg-Vorpommern
Solingen PaladinsSolingenNorth Rhine-Westphalia

GFL 2 South[edit]

TeamCityState
Bad Homburg SentinelsBad Homburg vor der HöheHesse
Biberach BeaversBiberachBaden-Württemberg
Frankfurt PiratesFrankfurtHesse
Fursty RazorbacksFürstenfeldbruckBavaria
Kirchdorf WildcatsKirchdorf am InnBavaria
Straubing SpidersStraubingBavaria
Wiesbaden PhantomsWiesbadenHesse

GFL 2 season placings[edit]

The placings in the league since 2000:[2][4][5][6]

North[edit]

GFL 2 North00010203040506070809101112131415161718192021
New Yorker LionsGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFL
Dresden Monarchs421GFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFL
Kiel Baltic HurricanesGFLGFLGFL211GFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFL
Berlin Rebels25561GFL2GFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFL
Cologne CrocodilesGFLGFLGFLGFL341GFLGFLGFLGFLGFL
Potsdam Royals531GFLGFLGFLGFL
Düsseldorf PantherGFLGFLGFL1GFLGFLGFL4452GFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFL21GFL**
Lübeck Cougars4336635353GFL5224662**
Rostock Griffins8343**
Langenfeld Longhorns5356342343454**
Solingen Paladins25**
Hamburg Huskies 12464542127431GFLGFLGFLGFL6**
Berlin Adler31GFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFL8**
Assindia Cardinals1GFLGFLGFL771GFLGFLGFL868**
Hildesheim Invaders78751GFLGFLGFLGFLGFL
Elmshorn Fighting Pirates8831GFL
Hannover Spartans7
Troisdorf Jets736843278
Paderborn Dolphins3257
Bonn Gamecocks767646657
Bielefeld Bulldogs81477
Ritterhude Badgers8
Cologne Falcons1GFLGFLGFLGFL2661GFLGFL
Hamburg Blue DevilsGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFL1GFLGFL
Osnabrück Tigers56
Cottbus Crayfish27
Mönchengladbach Mavericks1GFL
Magdeburg Virgin Guards6545
Recklinghausen Chargers8
Frankfurt Red Cocks7
Weyhe Vikings478
Hannover Musketeers22GFL5
Bochum Cadets68
Dortmund Giants53
  • In the 2000, 2001 and 2006 seasons, only seven clubs played in the league.
  • In the 2002 and 2011 seasons, only six clubs played in the league.
  • In the 2003 season, only five clubs played in the league.
  • 1 Played as the Hamburg Wild Huskies until 2003, then as the Hamburg Eagles from 2004 to 2009 before becoming the Hamburg Huskies from 2010.

South[edit]

GFL 2 South00010203040506070809101112131415161718192021
Stuttgart ScorpionsGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFL
Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns2GFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFL
Marburg Mercenaries311GFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFL
Munich CowboysGFLGFLGFL1GFLGFL1GFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFL
Allgäu Comets333611GFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFL
Frankfurt Universe2231GFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFL
Ravensburg Razorbacks465211GFLGFL
Saarland Hurricanes1GFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFL541GFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFLGFL22*GFL
Kirchdorf Wildcats 11255665651321GFLGFL**
Straubing Spiders66833**
Biberach Beavers4**
Wiesbaden Phantoms4224322GFLGFLGFL253555**
Fursty Razorbacks277**
Frankfurt Pirates6568**
Bad Homburg Sentinels*
Ingolstadt Dukes21GFLGFLGFLGFL
Darmstadt Diamonds426231GFLGFLGFL3548776*
Gießen Golden Dragons6467
Nürnberg Rams4344434
Albershausen Crusaders67
Montabaur Fighting Farmers478
Rhein Neckar Bandits542GFLGFLGFLGFLGFL
Franken KnightsGFLGFLGFLGFLGFL4422131GFLGFLGFLGFL7
München Rangers88
Holzgerlingen Twister63756
Starnberg Argonauts7
Kaiserslautern Pikes6838
Plattling Black Hawks331GFLGFLGFL
Badener Greifs77
Weinheim Longhorns31GFLGFLGFLGFL8
Hanau Hornets8556687
Stuttgart Silver Arrows778
Königsbrunn Ants8758
Aschaffenburg StallionsGFL7
Jena Hanfrieds8
Franken Timberwolves55467
Rhein Main RazorbacksGFLGFLGFLGFL
Mainz Golden Eagles54
Rottenburg Red Knights47
Landsberg ExpressGFL
  • In the 2003 and 2004 seasons, only seven clubs played in the league.
  • In the 2001 season, only six clubs played in the league.
  • 1 Played as the Simbach Wildcats until 2003.
GFL = Team played in GFLDivisional champion

Divisional champions[edit]

The winners of the regional divisions of the GFL:[2]

YearNorthCentralSouth
1982Hamburg DolphinsRed Barons CologneNoris Rams
1983Bonn JetsMannheim RedskinsKempten Comets
1984Dortmund GiantsMainz Golden EaglesKempten Comets
1985Cologne Crocodiles IIStuttgart ScorpionsRothenburg Knights
YearNorthWestCentralSouth
1986Hildesheim InvadersRecklinghausen ChargersSchwäbisch Hall UnicornsMünchen Rangers
1987Bremerhaven SeahawksRatingen RaidersSchwäbisch Hall UnicornsWürzburg Pumas
1988Bremen BuccaneersRecklinghausen ChargersRüsselsheim CrusadersKönigsbrunn Ants
1989Hildesheim InvadersRecklinghausen ChargersDarmstadt DiamondsFürth Buffalos
1990Hamburg Silver EaglesCologne BearsStuttgart ScorpionsRegensburg Royals
1991Berlin RebelsCologne BearsStuttgart ScorpionsRegensburg Royals
1992Hamburg Silver EaglesSolingen HurricanesHanau HawksRothenburg Knights
1993Braunschweig LionsCologne BearsFrankfurt GamblersErding Bulls
1994Kiel Baltic HurricanesTecklenburg SilverbacksStuttgart ScorpionsSimbach Wildcats
YearNorthSouth
1995Kiel Baltic HurricanesRüsselsheim Razorbacks
1996Berlin RebelsLandsberg Express
1997Paderborn DolphinsSaarland Hurricanes
1998Berlin RebelsAschaffenburg Stallions
1999Bremen BraveheartsFranken Knights
2000Assindia CardinalsSaarland Hurricanes
2001Berlin AdlerMarburg Mercenaries
2002Dresden MonarchsMarburg Mercenaries
2003Düsseldorf PantherSimbach Wildcats
2004Cologne FalconsMunich Cowboys
2005Kiel Baltic HurricanesDarmstadt Diamonds
2006Kiel Baltic HurricanesWeinheim Longhorns
2007Hamburg EaglesMunich Cowboys
2008Assindia CardinalsPlattling Black Hawks
2009Berlin RebelsFranken Knights
2010Mönchengladbach MavericksSaarland Hurricanes
2011Hamburg Blue DevilsFranken Knights
2012Cologne FalconsAllgäu Comets
2013Bielefeld BulldogsAllgäu Comets
2014Hamburg HuskiesKirchdorf Wildcats
2015Hildesheim InvadersFrankfurt Universe
2016Cologne CrocodilesIngolstadt Dukes
2017Potsdam RoyalsKirchdorf Wildcats
2018Düsseldorf PantherRavensburg Razorbacks
2019Elmshorn Fighting PiratesRavensburg Razorbacks

References[edit]

  1. ^ German Football League 2 Archived 2011-07-18 at the Wayback Machine (in German) AFVD website, accessed: 20 January 2011
  2. ^ a b c d e f Football History(in German) Historic American football tables from Germany, accessed: 2 January 2010
  3. ^ Spielplan der GFL für 2011 steht (in German) GFL website, published: 8 December 2010, accessed: 29 December 2010
  4. ^ GFL 2008 www.football-aktuell.de, accessed: 2 January 2011
  5. ^ GFL 2009 www.football-aktuell.de, accessed: 2 January 2011
  6. ^ GFL 2010 www.football-aktuell.de, accessed: 2 January 2011

External links[edit]

  • (in German) German Football League official website
  • (in German) German American Football Association website
  • (in German) Football History Historic American football tables from Germany