View source for American Football Ireland

{{Short description|American football league in Ireland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=June 2018}}
{{Infobox Sports league
| title = American Football Ireland
| current_season = 
| logo = American Football Ireland.png
| pixels = 300px
| sport = [[American football]]
| founded = {{start date and age|1984}} in [[Dublin]], Ireland
| ceo = 
| fame =
| inaugural = {{start date and age|1986}}
| motto =
| teams = 16
| country = {{ubl | [[Republic of Ireland]] | [[Northern Ireland]] }}
| champion = [[UCD American Football|University College Dublin]] (2024)
| most_champs = [[Dublin Rebels]] (10 titles)
| website = {{URL|http://www.americanfootball.ie}}
}}

'''American Football Ireland''' ('''AFI''') is the national governing body for [[American football]] on the island of [[Ireland]], with teams across both the [[Republic of Ireland]] and [[Northern Ireland]]. Founded in 1984, it is entirely run by volunteers and played by amateurs. The senior men's full-contact league currently consists of a two-division [[promotion and relegation]] system with 8 teams in each division, with the Premier Division playoff champions being awarded the [[Shamrock Bowl]].<ref>{{cite web |title=2025 AFI Season Preview |url=https://gaelicgridiron.com/2025/02/19/2025-afi-season-preview/ |website=Gaelic Gridiron |date=2025-02-19 |access-date=2025-05-12}}</ref> AFI also organizes developmental youth leagues, co-ed and women's [[flag football]] competitions,<ref>{{cite web |title=About Us / Mission Statement |url=https://www.americanfootball.ie/governance/about-us_mission-statement/ |website=American Football Ireland |access-date=2025-05-23}}</ref> as well as overseeing the Irish Wolfhounds national team which competes in [[International Federation of American Football|IFAF]] competitions.<ref>{{cite web |title=American Football Ireland – Member Federation |url=https://www.americanfootball.sport/member-federations/27/631 |website=International Federation of American Football |access-date=2025-05-23}}</ref>

== History ==

=== Background ===
American football was first played on the island of Ireland in the 1940s by United States servicemen stationed in Northern Ireland during [[World War II]],<ref name="EirballPre1984">{{cite web |title=Pre-1984 American Football Ireland |url=https://eirball.ie/pre-1984-american-football-ireland/ |website=Eirball.ie |access-date=2025-05-23}}</ref> with the first game being played in [[Belfast]] at [[Ravenhill Stadium]] in 1942 between teams representing service and artillery units of the [[United States Army]] before an audience of more than 8000, mostly consisting of U.S. servicemen.<ref name="EirballETO1942">{{cite web |title=European Theater of Operations Football Championship Northern Ireland Autumn 1942 |url=https://eirball.ie/european-theater-of-operations-football-championship-northern-ireland-autumn-1942/ |website=Eirball.ie |access-date=2025-05-23}}</ref><ref name="IrishStar1942Game">{{cite web |last=McQuaid |first=Michael |title=American football came to Northern Ireland for first time when soldiers played in Belfast during Second World War |url=https://www.irishstar.com/sport/other-sports/american-football-northern-ireland-belfast-31741170 |website=Irish Star |date=2023-12-26 |access-date=2025-05-24}}</ref><ref name="WartimeNI1942Game">{{cite web |title=American football in Ulster during the Second World War |url=https://wartimeni.com/article/american-football/ |website=WartimeNI |access-date=2025-05-24}}</ref> The first unofficial match of American football featuring local players occurred in [[Banbridge]] in 1983, and the first flag football match featuring local teams took place two years later in [[Omagh]] between teams called the Tyrone Tornadoes and Coleraine Chieftains.<ref name="Eirball1983Games">{{cite web |title=All American Football Games 1983 |url=https://eirball.ie/all-american-football-games-1983/ |website=Eirball.ie |access-date=2025-05-23}}</ref>

=== 1980s and 1990s ===

American Football Ireland (AFI) traces its origins to the 1980s. The league was founded in 1986 as the Irish American Football League (IAFL), initially featuring a five team arrangement including the Dublin Celts, Coleraine Chieftains, Belfast Blitzers, Carrickfergus Cougars and Craigavon Cowboys.<ref name="EirballAFIIreland">{{cite web |title=AFI Ireland |url=https://eirball.ie/afi-ireland/ |website=Eirball.ie |access-date=2025-05-23}}</ref> The first [[Shamrock Bowl]] was played in 1986 between the [[Craigavon Cowboys]] and the Dublin Celts, with the Cowboys winning 6–2 in Dublin.<ref name="afi-journey">{{cite web |title=Journey to Thirty – The Story of American Football Ireland |url=https://www.americanfootball.ie/journey-to-thirty/ |website=AmericanFootball.ie |access-date=12 May 2025}}</ref> As of early 1987 the league featured 8 teams,<ref>{{cite web |title=American Football and the Dublin Celts |url=https://www.rte.ie/archives/2017/0119/846186-american-football-and-the-dublin-celts/ |website=RTÉ Archives |access-date=12 May 2025}}</ref> and the IAFL briefly explored a combined league with teams in England, Scotland, and Wales in 1989 before returning to an Ireland-only league for 1991 as the American Football Association of Ireland.<ref name="EirballAFIIreland"/> The Celts dominated the Irish scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s, winning four national titles, but enthusiasm for the league waned as the decade went on.<ref name="EirballAFIIreland"/>

=== 2000s ===

After a decline in the 1990s leading to a one-year hiatus in 2000, organised American football in Ireland was revived in 2001 with a new four-team league called the Irish American Football Association (IAFA),<ref name="EirballAFIIreland"/> featuring the [[Belfast Knights|Carrickfergus Knights]], [[South Dublin Panthers|Dublin Dragons]], [[Dublin Rebels]], and [[University of Limerick Vikings|UL Vikings]].<ref name="afi-journey" /> The league's reinstatement of the Shamrock Bowl resulted in the Dublin Rebels winning Shamrock Bowl XV, defeating the Knights 28–7 in Carrickfergus, followed by the Knights winning Shamrock Bowl XVI over the UL Vikings. That season also saw international success when the Dublin Rebels won the Charleroi Trophy in Belgium, defeating teams from France and Belgium.<ref name="afi-journey" /> The 2003 season marked further expansion with the addition of the [[Cork Admirals]], Belfast Bulls, and the returning [[Craigavon Cowboys]], bringing the total to seven teams. The league was divided into two divisions to accommodate newer teams. The Rebels defended their Charleroi Trophy title and went on to win Shamrock Bowl XVII, beating the Knights 24–12 at Suttonians RFC in Dublin. The game drew some media attention, with highlights broadcast on TV3 and Sky Sports.<ref name="afi-journey" /> The 2004 and 2005 seasons featured six teams and over 300 registered players, and the 2006 season added the DCU Saints and Dublin Marshals, raising the total to eight teams. The league expanded again in 2007, including the addition of the [[Belfast Trojans]].<ref name="afi-journey" /> In 2008, the league added a developmental league called DV8, featuring 8-on-8 play instead of the more conventional 11-a-side teams seen in the upper tiers.<ref name="afi-journey" /> The latter half of the decade was marked by two dynasties, with the Dublin Rebels winning four consecutive Shamrock Bowls between 2003 and 2006, followed by a three-peat by the UL Vikings between 2007 and 2009.

=== 2010s ===

[[File:Trojans lift the Shamrock Bowl.jpg|thumb|[[Belfast Trojans]] players hoisting the Shamrock Bowl in 2012, marking their first of five titles in the 2010s.]]
The 2010s saw the addition of several new teams, the development of youth programs, and the continued success of the IAFL's top clubs. The [[Dublin Rebels]] continued their dominance in the league, winning back-to-back Shamrock Bowls over the UL Vikings in 2010 and 2011. The 2011 season also saw the introduction of a new championship format with a playoff system that included both semi-finals and finals.<ref>{{cite web |last= |first= |title=Shamrock Bowl XXV – Game Details & Preview |url=https://www.americanfootball.ie/shamrock-bowl-xxv-game-details-preview/ |website=American Football Ireland |date=2011-07-24 |access-date=2025-05-23}}</ref> The 2012 season continued the trend of league expansion, and at that time the top league was divided into North and South conferences, with the top team in each conference facing the winner of a wildcard game between those finishing 2nd and 3rd to advance to the Shamrock Bowl.<ref>{{cite news |title=2012 IAFL Schedule Published – New Format Announced |url=https://www.americanfootball.ie/2012-iafl-schedule-published-new-format-announced/ |work=American Football Ireland |date=2012-01-09 |access-date=2025-05-23}}</ref> In 2014, the DV8 competition was replaced by a full-team [[IAFL-2|Division 2]].<ref name="afi-journey" /> The [[Belfast Trojans]] began a period of dominance in the league, winning four consecutive Shamrock Bowls from 2012-2015.<ref>{{cite news |title=Belfast Trojans win championship Shamrock Bowl for the first time |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-18866351 |work=BBC News |date=2012-07-17 |access-date=2025-05-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=IAFL History |url=https://www.americanfootball.ie/iafl-history/ |website=AmericanFootball.ie |access-date=12 May 2025}}</ref> The back half of the 2010s saw additional league expansion, such as the addition of a full-contact youth league in 2014,<ref>{{cite news |title=IAFA Meetings – Youth Kitted Football to start. Application dates for 2014 season set. |url=https://www.americanfootball.ie/iafa-meetings-youth-kitted-football-to-start-application-dates-for-2014-season-set/ |work=American Football Ireland |date=2013-08-12 |access-date=2025-05-23}}</ref> and at its peak in this era the league consisted of 23 teams over three tiers of senior play.<ref name="EirballAFIIreland"/> On the senior level, the league was marked by back-to-back Shamrock Bowl wins by the Rebels in 2016 and 2017,<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |title=Dublin Rebels win Shamrock Bowl XXXI |url=https://www.americanfootball.ie/dublin-rebels-win-shamrock-bowl-xxxi/ |work=American Football Ireland |date=2017-08-13 |access-date=2025-05-23}}</ref> followed by the [[Cork Admirals]] winning their first title in 2018<ref>{{cite news |title=Ireland: Cork Admirals historic in 1st ever Shamrock Bowl triumph |url=https://www.americanfootballinternational.com/ireland-cork-admirals-historic-in-1st-ever-shamrock-bowl-triumph/ |work=American Football International |date=2018-08-29 |access-date=2025-05-23}}</ref> and the Trojans securing a fifth title in 2019.<ref>{{cite news |last=Gray |first=Andy |title='Pure adrenaline' - Belfast Trojans win Shamrock Bowl |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/american-football/49247620 |work=BBC Sport |date=2019-08-06 |access-date=2025-05-23}}</ref>

=== 2020s ===
[[File:UCD celebrating Shamrock Bowl victory.jpg|thumb|left|[[UCD American Football|UCD]] players celebrating their second Shamrock Bowl victory in 2024.]] The 2020 and 2021 seasons were cancelled due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], halting domestic play and delaying league activities.<ref>{{cite web |title=AFI 2020 Season Update |url=https://www.americanfootball.ie/2020-season-update/ |website=AmericanFootball.ie |access-date=12 May 2025}}</ref> The league was renamed American Football Ireland (AFI) in 2020,<ref name="EirballAFIIreland"/> and in 2022, the league resumed play, returning to a three-tier format consisting of a Premier Division, Division 1, and Division 2.<ref>{{cite news |title=Preview: AFI Gameweek 1 |url=https://www.americanfootball.ie/preview-gameweek-1/ |work=American Football Ireland |date=2022-03-11 |access-date=2025-05-23}}</ref> Between 2022 and 2024, University College Dublin (UCD) and Dublin Rebels  met in three consecutive Shamrock Bowls, with UCD winning in 2022 and 2024,<ref>{{cite web |title=Shamrock Bowl XXXIV Recap |url=https://www.americanfootball.ie/shamrock-bowl-xxxiv-recap/ |website=AmericanFootball.ie |access-date=12 May 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=UCD becomes two-time American football champions with Shamrock Bowl XXXVI victory |url=https://www.ucd.ie/newsandopinion/news/2024/july/30/ucdbecomestwo-timeamericanfootballchampionswithshamrockbowlxxxvivictory/ |website=UCD News |access-date=12 May 2025}}</ref> and the Rebels winning in 2023.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |title=Ty Henry leads Dublin Rebels to Shamrock Bowl victory in 'the best game I have seen in Europe' |url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/ty-henry-leads-dublin-rebels-to-shamrock-bowl-victory-in-the-best-game-i-have-seen-in-europe/a249121885.html |work=Irish Independent |date=2023-08-14 |access-date=2025-05-23}}</ref>

Beginning in 2024, the senior league structure was reformed and simplified to consist of two tiers, an 8-team Premier Division to compete for the Shamrock Bowl, and an 8 team Division 1 where the winners receive the "Harp Bowl" and promotion to the Premier Division. The inaugural Harp Bowl I was subsequently won by the [[Craigavon Cowboys]].<ref>{{cite web |title=2025 AFI Season Preview |url=https://gaelicgridiron.com/2025/02/19/2025-afi-season-preview/ |website=Gaelic Gridiron |date=2025-02-19 |access-date=2025-05-12}}</ref> AFI also launched its first women's flag football league in 2024, initially consisting of three multi-team gamedays to determine seeding followed by a playoff where the winner is awarded the Claddagh Bowl.<ref>{{cite web |title=Announcement: 2024 AFI Women’s Flag Football League |url=https://www.americanfootball.ie/announcement-2024-afi-womens-flag-football-league/ |website=AmericanFootball.ie |access-date=23 May 2025}}</ref>

In 2025, the [[National Football League|NFL]] announced that Dublin's [[Croke Park]] would host its first regular-season game, featuring the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] as the designated home team<ref>{{cite web |title=Historic First Regular Season NFL Game in Ireland to be played in Dublin in 2025 |url=https://operations.nfl.com/updates/the-game/historic-first-regular-season-nfl-game-in-ireland-to-be-played-in-dublin-in-2025/ |website=NFL Operations |access-date=12 May 2025}}</ref> and the [[Minnesota Vikings]] as their opponent.<ref name="BBCVikingsDublin2025">{{cite news |last=Collins |first=Ben |title=Vikings to play in Dublin and London in 2025 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/american-football/articles/crr75r5z2zyo |work=BBC Sport |date=2025-05-13 |access-date=2025-05-23}}</ref> Ireland has also seen multiple players, such as [[Daniel Whelan]],<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |title=Dan Whelan to become first Irishman in 41 years to play in NFL play-offs as Green Bay win |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/american-football/67880888 |work=BBC Sport |date=2024-01-08 |access-date=2025-05-23}}</ref> [[Charlie Smyth]] and [[Jude McAtamney]], break through into the NFL.<ref>{{cite news |last=Halliday |first=Gillian |title=How American football is scoring touchdowns in Northern Ireland: 'We saw it on TV and gave it a go' |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/how-american-football-is-scoring-touchdowns-in-northern-ireland-we-saw-it-on-tv-and-gave-it-a-go/a1962259718.html |work=Belfast Telegraph |date=2025-02-07 |access-date=2025-05-23}}</ref>

== Structure ==
AFI oversee the administration of 3 codes:
* Senior American Football (18 year olds and above)
* Youth American Football (15-18 year olds)
* Flag Football (non-contact, 16 year olds and above)

Within the '''Senior American Football''' code, there are 2 separate divisions:

*'''AFI Premier Division''' – 8 teams, the top four of which qualify to compete for the '''[[Shamrock Bowl]]''' in a two-round playoff. The team with the worst record is relegated to Division 1.<ref name="DerryJournalVipers2024">{{cite news |last=Coyle |first=Dylan |title=Donegal Derry Vipers and American Football Ireland returns! |url=https://www.derryjournal.com/sport/other-sport/donegal-derry-vipers-and-american-football-ireland-returns-4536027 |work=Derry Journal |date=2024-02-28 |access-date=2025-05-24}}</ref>
*'''AFI Division 1''' – top four teams qualify for the playoffs, of which the finalists compete for the '''Harp Bowl'''. Harp Bowl winners are promoted to the Premier Division. The Division 1 title was previously awarded as the '''IAFL Division 1 Bowl''', but was reintroduced as the Harp Bowl using roman numeral nomenclature beginning with Harp Bowl I in 2024. <ref>{{cite web |title=2025 AFI Season Preview |url=https://gaelicgridiron.com/2025/02/19/2025-afi-season-preview/ |website=Gaelic Gridiron |date=2025-02-19 |access-date=2025-05-12}}</ref> The number of teams in Division 1 is flexible under the current format, with 9 teams competing in 2024<ref name="DerryJournalVipers2024"/> and 8 competing in 2025.

The '''Youth American Football''' section consists of a single division of teams playing contact football that is altered into smaller scrimmages of between 7 and 9 players per side and additional rule adjustments intended to maximize player safety and development.<ref name="AFIYouthFootball">{{cite web |title=Youth Football |url=https://www.americanfootball.ie/youthamericanfootball/youthfootball/ |website=American Football Ireland |access-date=2025-05-24}}</ref>

The '''Flag Football''' section consists of a two-tier co-ed league system that incorporates [[promotion and relegation]]<ref name="EirballFlagFootball">{{cite web |title=Irish Flag Football |url=https://eirball.ie/irish-flag-football/ |website=Eirball.ie |access-date=2025-05-24}}</ref><ref name="AFIFlagFootball">{{cite web |title=Flag Football |url=https://www.americanfootball.ie/flagfootball/ |website=American Football Ireland |access-date=2025-05-24}}</ref> and a single-tier women's league.

*'''AFI Flag Premier Division''' – top teams qualify for the playoffs to compete for the '''Emerald Bowl''', with bottom teams relegated to AFI Flag Division 1.<ref name="EirballFlagFootball">{{cite web |title=Irish Flag Football |url=https://eirball.ie/irish-flag-football/ |website=Eirball.ie |access-date=2025-05-24}}</ref> <ref name="AFIFlagFootball"/>
*'''AFI Flag Division 1''' – top six teams qualify for the playoffs of which the finalists compete for the '''Glas Bowl''' and promotion to AFI Flag Premier Division.<ref name="EirballFlagFootball"/><ref name="AFIFlagFootball"/>
*'''AFI Women's Premier League''' - Consisting of three game days to determine seeding, followed by a final tournament to compete for the '''Claddagh Bowl'''. <ref>{{cite web |title=AFI Launches Women's Flag Football League |url=https://www.americanfootball.ie/afi-launches-womens-flag-football-league/ |website=AmericanFootball.ie |access-date=12 May 2025}}</ref><ref name="ITVFlagFootballNI">{{cite news |title=Flag football thriving as excitement builds for Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans |url=https://www.itv.com/news/utv/2025-02-06/alternative-sport-to-american-football-thriving-in-northern-ireland |work=ITV News |date=2025-02-06 |access-date=2025-05-24}}</ref>

== Rules and parameters == 
AFI adheres to the rules and interpretations of gridiron football laid out by the [[International Federation of American Football]], which are designed to retain affinity with [[College_football#Official_rules_and_notable_rule_distinctions|NCAA]] rules.<ref name="IFAF2023Rules">{{cite web |title=IFAF Football Rules and Interpretations – 2023 Edition |url=http://www.myiafoa.org/rules/ifaf2023/ifafrules.pdf |website=International Federation of American Football (via IAFOA) |access-date=2025-05-23}}</ref> AFI fields sometimes deviate from the standard 100-yard gridiron football pitch to accommodate for the typical use of [[Gaelic football]] and [[rugby football]] pitches, with fields spanning 90 yards from one goal line to the other on smaller rugby pitches<ref name="AFIFieldMarkingRugby">{{cite web |title=Field Marking (Rugby) |url=https://www.americanfootball.ie/download/field-marking-rugby/?wpdmdl=10478&masterkey=5a62a06612ce4 |website=American Football Ireland |access-date=2025-05-23}}</ref> and with one set of field goal uprights stationed further behind the endzone on oversized [[Gaelic Athletic Association|GAA]] pitches.<ref name="AFIFieldMarkingGAA">{{cite web |title=Field Marking (GAA) |url=https://www.americanfootball.ie/download/field-marking-gaa/?wpdmdl=10479&masterkey=5a62a086d62e2 |website=American Football Ireland |access-date=2025-05-23}}</ref>

In keeping with IFAF rules, AFI games adhere to a [[mercy rule]] in cases where one team holds a 34-point lead or higher. In such cases, games proceed with a running clock, in which the clock continues to operate on most plays until the other team reduces the deficit below that threshold or the game ends.<ref name="IFAF2023Rules"/>

== Teams ==
As of 2025, the senior league consists of two tiers of football, with the first tier being the Premier Division, also known as the SBC (Shamrock Bowl Conference). The second tier is the Division 1 competition, previously known as IAFL-1.<ref name="AFI2025Preview">{{cite web |last=English |first=Jimmy |title=2025 AFI Season Preview |url=https://gaelicgridiron.com/2025/02/19/2025-afi-season-preview/ |website=Gaelic Gridiron |date=2025-02-19 |access-date=2025-05-12}}</ref> The league previously had a third tier, which began as an 8-on-8 league called DV8 league from 2008 until 2012,<ref>{{cite web |title=IAFL-1 Schedule & Standings |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130516050107/http://www.americanfootball.ie/dv8s-standings/ |website=American Football Ireland |date=2013-05-16 |access-date=2025-05-23}}</ref> followed by an 11-on-11 [[IAFL-2]] beginning in 2014, which was merged into Division 1 to create the current two-tier format beginning with the 2024 season.<ref>{{cite web| first = Jimmy | last = English | title = American Football Ireland 2024 Season Preview | work = Gaelic Gridiron | date = 16 February 2024 | url = https://gaelicgridiron.com/2024/02/16/american-football-ireland-season-preview-2024/}}</ref><ref name="DerryJournalVipers2024"/>

As of 2025, the top four teams in the Premier Division at the end of the regular season advance to compete in a two-round playoff. The winners of the Premier Division playoffs are awarded the [[Shamrock Bowl]], and the winners of Division 1 are awarded the Harp Bowl. Harp Bowl-winning teams are granted promotion to the Premier Division, while the bottom team in the Premier Division is relegated to Division 1.<ref name="AFI2025Preview" />

===Premier Division (SBC)===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%;width:60%; text-align:left"
!'''Team'''
!'''City'''
!'''Stadium / Home Field'''
!'''Founded'''

!'''Head coach'''
|----
|{{diagonal split color box|Black|Yellow|font-size=0.6em}} [[Carrickfergus Knights|Belfast Knights]] || [[Belfast]], [[County Antrim]] || Malone Rugby Club || 1993 ||  Adam Devenney
|----
|{{diagonal split color box|Green|White|font-size=0.6em}} [[Belfast Trojans]] || [[Belfast]], [[County Antrim]] || [[Belfast Harlequins|Deramore Park]] || 2006 ||  James McKelvey
|----
|{{diagonal split color box|Red|Black|font-size=0.6em}} [[Cork Admirals]] || [[Cork (city)|Cork]], [[County Cork]] || [[Musgrave Park, Cork|Musgrave Park]] || 2002 ||  Alan Lomasney
|----
|{{diagonal split color box|Orange|Navy|font-size=0.6em}} [[Craigavon Cowboys]] || [[Craigavon, County Armagh|Craigavon]], [[County Armagh]] || Peoples Park || 1986 ||  Greg Loughran
|----
|{{diagonal split color box|Black|Red|font-size=0.6em}} [[Dublin Rebels]] || [[Killiney]], [[County Dublin]] || De La Salle Palmerstown, [[Kilternan]] || 1995 ||  Ross McCooey
|----
|{{diagonal split color box|Gold|Navy|font-size=0.6em}} [[South Dublin Panthers]] || [[Palmerstown]], [[County Dublin]] || [[The King's Hospital|Kings Hospital]], Palmerstown || 2014 ||  Ben Arulogun
|----
|{{diagonal split color box|Navy|White|font-size=0.6em}} [[UCD American Football|UCD]] || [[Belfield, Dublin|Belfield]], [[County Dublin]] || UCD Sports Ground || 2009 || Dave Murphy
|----
|{{diagonal split color box|Blue|Yellow|font-size=0.6em}} [[UL Vikings]] || [[Limerick]], [[County Limerick]]  || UL Sports Ground || 1999 || Glenn Carr
|}

===Division 1 ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%;width:60%; text-align:left"
!'''Team'''
!'''City'''
!'''Stadium / Home Field'''
!'''Founded'''

!'''Head coach'''
|----
|{{diagonal split color box|darkturquoise|Gold|font-size=0.6em}} Causeway Giants || [[Armoy]], [[County Antrim]] || Limepark Playing Fields || 2018 || 
|----
|{{diagonal split color box|Black|White|font-size=0.6em}} County Antrim Stags || [[Belfast]], [[County Antrim]] || Newforge Sports Complex || 2024 ||  
|----
|{{diagonal split color box|Gold|Black|font-size=0.6em}} Cill Dara Crusaders || [[Newbridge, County Kildare]] || Newbridge College || 2018 ||  
|----
|{{diagonal split color box|Red|Yellow|font-size=0.6em}} Northwest Vipers || [[Donegal (town)|Donegal]], [[County Donegal]] || Vale Centre || 2014 ||  
|----
|{{diagonal split color box|Black|Gold|font-size=0.6em}} [[Louth Mavericks]] || [[Dundalk]], [[County Louth]] || Dundalk Rugby Club || 2012 ||  Ty Henry
|----
|{{diagonal split color box|Black|Purple|font-size=0.6em}} [[Westmeath Minotaurs]]|| [[Mullingar]], [[County Westmeath]]  || Mullingar Rugby Club || 2011 || 
|----
|{{diagonal split color box|Black|Red|font-size=0.6em}} [[West Dublin Rhinos]] || [[Dublin]], [[County Dublin]] || [[Castleknock College]] || 2008 || Chris Cullen
|----
|{{diagonal split color box|Black|Yellow|font-size=0.6em}} Wexford Eagles || [[Wexford]], [[County Wexford]] || Garden City Pitch || 2015 || 
|}

== Championships == 

=== Shamrock Bowl Championships ===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
!Appearances
!Team<ref group=note name=e>'''Bold''' indicate currently active team</ref>
!Winners
!Runner-Up
!Season(s)<ref group=note name=f>'''Bold''' years indicate winning seasons<!--, ''italic'' years indicate games not yet played-->.</ref>
|-
|align="center"|16
|'''[[Dublin Rebels]]'''
|align="center"|10
|align="center"|6
|'''2001''', '''2003''', '''2004''', '''2005''', '''2006''', 2008, 2009, '''2010''', '''2011''', 2013, '''2016''', '''2017''', 2018, 2022, '''2023''', 2024
|-
|align="center"|10
|'''[[Carrickfergus Knights]]'''
|align="center"|3
|align="center"|7
|1994, 1995, '''1997''', '''1998''', 1999, 2001, '''2002''', 2003, 2004, 2017
|-
|align="center"|8
|'''[[UL Vikings]]'''
|align="center"|3
|align="center"|5
|2002, 2006, '''2007''', '''2008''', '''2009''', 2010, 2011, 2012
|-
|align="center"|7
|Dublin Celts
|align="center"|4
|align="center"|3
|1986, '''1987''', '''1988''', '''1989''', 1990, '''1991''', 1993
|-
| align="center" |6
|'''[[Belfast Trojans]]'''
| align="center" |5
|align="center"|1
|'''2012''', '''2013''', '''2014''', '''2015''', 2016, '''2019'''
|-
|align="center"|4
|Dublin Tornadoes
|align="center"|3
|align="center"|1
|'''1993''', '''1994''', '''1995''', 1996
|-
|align="center"|4
|'''[[Craigavon Cowboys]]'''
|align="center"|3
|align="center"|1
|'''1986''', 1987, '''1990''', '''1992'''
|-
|align="center"|3
|'''[[UCD American Football|University College Dublin]]'''
|align="center"|2
|align="center"|1
|'''2022''', 2023, '''2024'''
|-
|align="center"|3
|Antrim Bulldogs
|align="center"|0
|align="center"|3
|1989, 1991, 1992
|-
|align="center"|2
|'''[[Cork Admirals]]'''
|align="center"|1
|align="center"|1
|2007, '''2018'''
|-
|align="center"|2
|Dublin Tigers
|align="center"|1
|align="center"|1
|1998, '''1999'''
|-
|align="center"|2
|[[Trinity College Dublin American Football|Trinity College]]
|align="center"|0
|align="center"|2
|2014, 2015
|-
|align="center"|1
|Dublin Lightning
|align="center"|1
|align="center"|0
|'''1996'''
|-
|align="center"|1
|Belfast Blitzers
|align="center"|0
|align="center"|1
|1988
|-
|align="center"|1
|Dublin Bulls
|align="center"|0
|align="center"|1
|1997
|-
|align="center"|1
|Belfast Bulls
|align="center"|0
|align="center"|1
|2005
|-
|align="center"|1
|'''[[South Dublin Panthers]]'''
|align="center"|0
|align="center"|1
|2019
|}

<ref name="LuckyShowShamrockBowl">{{cite web |title=Shamrock Bowl – Irish American Football |url=https://www.luckyshow.org/football/Shamrock%20Bowl.htm |website=LuckyShow.org |access-date=2025-05-24}}</ref><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls">{{cite web |title=American Football Ireland Shamrock Bowls 1986–Present |url=https://eirball.ie/american-football-ireland-shamrock-bowls-1986-present/ |website=Eirball.ie |access-date=2025-05-24}}</ref>

=== IAFL1 Bowl / Harp Bowl Championships ===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
!Appearances
!Team<ref group=note name=e>'''Bold''' indicate currently active team</ref>
!Winners
!Runner-Up
!Season(s)<ref group=note name=f>'''Bold''' years indicate winning seasons<!--, ''italic'' years indicate games not yet played-->.</ref>
|-
|align="center"|4
|'''[[Craigavon Cowboys]]'''
|align="center"|2
|align="center"|2
|2017, 2018, '''2019''', '''2024'''
|-
|align="center"|3
|'''[[Cork Admirals]]'''
|align="center"|1
|align="center"|2
|2014, 2015, '''2016'''
|-
|align="center"|2
|'''[[UL Vikings]]'''
|align="center"|1
|align="center"|1
|2022, '''2023'''  
|-
|align="center"|2
|'''[[Westmeath Minotaurs]]'''
|align="center"|1
|align="center"|1
|2019, '''2022'''
|-
|align="center"|2
|'''[[Louth Mavericks]]'''
|align="center"|1
|align="center"|1
|'''2017''', 2023
|-
|align="center"|2
|'''[[West Dublin Rhinos]]'''
|align="center"|1
|align="center"|1
|'''2018''', 2024
|-
|align="center"|1
|'''[[UCD American Football|University College Dublin]]'''
|align="center"|1
|align="center"|0
|'''2014'''
|-
|align="center"|1
|Waterford Wolves
|align="center"|1
|align="center"|0
|'''2015'''
|-
|align="center"|1
|'''[[Belfast Trojans]] 2nds'''
|align="center"|0
|align="center"|1
|2016
|}

<ref name="EirballAFI1Bowls">{{cite web |title=American Football Ireland 1 Bowls 2014–Present |url=https://eirball.ie/american-football-ireland-1-bowls-2014-present/ |website=Eirball.ie |access-date=2025-05-24}}</ref><ref name="EirballIrishAmericanFootball">{{cite web |title=Irish American Football |url=https://eirball.ie/irish-american-football/ |website=Eirball.ie |access-date=2025-05-24}}</ref><ref name="GaelicGridiron2024Championships">{{cite web |last=English |first=Jimmy |title=Cowboys & UCD Claim National Championship Titles |url=https://gaelicgridiron.com/2024/07/28/cowboys-ucd-claim-national-championship-titles/ |website=Gaelic Gridiron |date=2024-07-28 |access-date=2025-05-24}}</ref><ref name="GaelicGridiron2024SeasonPreview">{{cite web |last=English |first=Jimmy |title=American Football Ireland 2024 Season Preview |url=https://gaelicgridiron.com/2024/02/16/american-football-ireland-season-preview-2024/ |website=Gaelic Gridiron |date=2024-02-16 |access-date=2025-05-24}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.americanfootball.ie}}

{{IAFL}}
{{European Football Leagues}}

[[Category:Irish American Football League|*]]
[[Category:Sports leagues established in 1984]]
[[Category:1984 establishments in Ireland]]