List of American and Canadian football leagues
(Redirected from List of leagues of American football)
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This is a list of current and defunct leagues of American football and Canadian football.
Leagues in North America
Current professional leagues in North America
Professional outdoor leagues
Major:
- Template:Flagicon National Football League (NFL), 1920–
- Originally American Professional Football Association (1920–1921)
- Merged with the All-America Football Conference (1946-1949) and with the American Football League (1960–69)
- Template:Flagicon Canadian Football League (CFL), 1958–
- Formed from Interprovincial Rugby Football Union (1909) and Western Interprovincial Football Union (1936).
- Grey Cup Canadian Football Championships since 1909
Minor:
- Template:Flagicon Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional (LFA), 2016–2020; 2022–
- Template:Flagicon United Football League (UFL), 2024–
- Formed from merger of XFL (2020) and United States Football League (2022)
Professional arena/indoor leagues
- Template:Flagicon Indoor Football League (IFL), 2009–
- Formed from Intense Football League (2004) and United Indoor Football (2005)
- Template:Flagicon American Indoor Football (AIF), 2011-2016, 2024
- Template:Flagicon National Arena League (NAL), 2017–
- Template:Flagicon American Arena League (AAL), 2018-
- Template:Flagicon Great Lakes Arena Football (GLAF), 2023–
- Originally Great Lakes Arena Alliance (2023)
- Template:Flagicon United Indoor Football Association (UIFA), 2023–
- Originally United Indoor Football League (2023)
- Template:Flagicon The Arena League (The AL or TAL), 2024-
- Template:Flagicon Arena Football One (2025) (AF1), 2025-
- Template:Flagicon Template:Flagicon Template:Flagicon Template:Flagicon Template:Flagicon Template:Flagicon The International Arena League (IAL), 2026-
Current developmental leagues
- Template:Flagicon Gridiron Developmental Football League,[1][2] 2010–
- Template:Flagicon Rivals Professional Football League,[3][2][4][5] 2015–
Current semi-pro/amateur leagues
- Template:Flagicon Chicagoland Football League, 1917–1934, 2005–
- Template:Flagicon Northern Football Conference, 1954–
- Template:Flagicon Eastern Football League, 1961–
- Template:Flagicon Empire Football League, 1969–
- Template:Flagicon Mason-Dixon Football League, 1978–
- Template:Flagicon Alberta Football League, 1984–
- Template:Flagicon The Minor Football League, 1993–
- Template:Flagicon New England Football League, 1994–
- Template:Flagicon National Public Safety Football League, 1997–
- Template:Flagicon Rocky Mountain Football League, 1997–
- Template:Flagicon MidStates Football League, 1999–
- Template:Flagicon Maritime Football League, 2001–
- Template:Flagicon The Pacific Coast Football League, 2006–
- Template:Flagicon Florida Football Alliance, 2007–
- Template:Flagicon East Coast Football Association, 2007–
- Template:Flagicon Northern Elite Football League, 2008–
- Template:Flagicon Atlantic Coast Football Alliance,[6] 2009–
- Template:Flagicon Texas United Football Association, 2010–
- Template:Flagicon Amateur to Professional Developmental Football League,[2][7] 2012–
- Template:Flagicon Central Midwest Football League,[8] 2014–
- Template:Flagicon American 7s Football League,[9] 2014–
- Template:Flagicon Puerto Rico American Football League, 2014–
- Template:Flagicon Atlantic Football Association, 2014–
- Template:Flagicon Florida Champion Football League, 2017–
- Template:Flagicon Cactus Football League, 2018–
- Template:Flagicon North Louisiana Football Alliance, 2019–
- Template:Flagicon Southern Elite Football League, 2021–
- Template:Flagicon Mid-West United Football league, 2021–
- Template:Flagicon Heartland Football Association, 2022–
Current flag football leagues
Pro
Other
- Template:Flagicon National Gay Flag Football League, 2002–
- Template:Flagicon DC Gay Flag Football League, 2009–
Current collegiate or junior leagues
- Template:Flagicon National Collegiate Athletic Association, 1906–
- Template:Flagicon National Federation of State High School Associations, 1920–
- Template:Flagicon California Community College Athletic Association, 1929–
- Template:Flagicon Collegiate Sprint Football League, 1934–
- Template:Flagicon National Junior College Athletic Association, 1938–
- Template:Flagicon National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, 1940–
- Template:Flagicon U Sports, 1961–
- Template:Flagicon Quebec Junior Football League, 1970–
- Template:Flagicon Canadian Junior Football League, 1974–
- Template:Flagicon Organización Nacional Estudiantil de Fútbol Americano, 1978–
- Template:Flagicon Atlantic Football League, 2009–
- Template:Flagicon Intercollegiate Club Football Federation, 2010–
- Template:Flagicon National Club Football Association, 2010–
- Template:Flagicon Hohokam Junior College Athletic Conference, 2019–
- Template:Flagicon Great Plains Athletic Conference, 1969-
Current women's leagues
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Outdoor leagues
- Template:FlagiconTemplate:Flagicon Women's Football Alliance, 2009–
- Template:Flagicon United States Women's Football League, 2010–
- Template:Flagicon Western Women's Canadian Football League, 2011–
- Template:Flagicon Utah Girls Tackle Football League, 2015–
- Template:Flagicon Women's National Football Conference, 2019–
- Template:Flagicon Central Canadian Women's Football League, 2022–
Women's Indoor/Arena leagues
- Operated as the Lingerie Football League from 2009 to 2012 and then as the Legends Football League from 2013 to 2019.
Planned leagues in North America
- Template:Flagicon Continental Football League (CoFL), propose to begin in 2026
- Template:Flagicon Professional Independent Football League (PIFL),[11] 2026
- Template:Flagicon Zenith Gridiron Football League (ZGFL),[12] 2028
- Template:Flagicon Major League Football (MLF), TBD (proposed to begin in September 2025)[13][14][15][16][17][18]
- Template:Flagicon Major League Football (MLFB), TBD (cancelled seasons in 2016 and 2022)
Historical leagues in North America
Major outdoor leagues
The following leagues partly or fully merged with NFL:
- Template:Flagicon All-America Football Conference, 1946–1949[19]
- Template:Flagicon American Football League, 1960–1969[20]
Other major outdoor leagues:
- Template:Flagicon Western Pennsylvania Professional Football Circuit, 1892–1905[21]
- Template:Flagicon National Football League, 1902
- Template:Flagicon Ohio Independent Championship (Ohio League), 1903–1919[22]
- Template:Flagicon Interprovincial Rugby Football Union, 1907–1959[23]
- Template:Flagicon New York Pro Football League, c. 1913–1920[24]
- Template:Flagicon American Football League, 1926, 1936–1937, and 1940–1941 (all unrelated, three separate leagues)
- Template:Flagicon California Winter League,[25] 1927–1928
- Template:Flagicon Western Interprovincial Football Union, 1936–1960[26]
- Template:Flagicon United States Football League, 1945 (Never played)
- Template:Flagicon Trans-America Football League, 1945 (Never played)
- Template:FlagiconTemplate:FlagiconTemplate:Flagicon Universal Football League, 1974 (Never played)
- Template:Flagicon World Football League, 1974–1975
- Template:Flagicon United States Football League, 1983–1985
Minor outdoor leagues
- Template:Flagicon Wilmington Football League (1922–1925, 1929–1935, 1940–1941, 1946–1955)
- Template:Flagicon Anthracite League (1924)
- Template:Flagicon Ohio Valley League, 1925–1929
- Template:Flagicon Eastern League of Professional Football (1926)
- Template:Flagicon Pacific Coast League, 1926
- Template:Flagicon Eastern League of Professional Football, 1926–1927
- Template:Flagicon Anthracite League, 1928–1929
- Template:Flagicon Eastern Football League, 1932–1933
- Became Interstate Football League in 1933
- Template:Flagicon Greater New York League, 1934–1935
- Originally the New Jersey Football Circuit (1934)
- Template:Flagicon American Football League, 1934
- Template:Flagicon American Legion League, 1934–1935
- Template:Flagicon Northwest Football League, 1935–1938
- Template:Flagicon Midwest Football League, 1935–1937, became American Professional Football Association in 1938, American Football League in 1939
- Template:Flagicon Dixie League, 1936–1947 – originally South Atlantic Football Association
- Template:Flagicon American Association 1936–1941/American Football League 1946–1950[27]
- Template:Flagicon New England Football League, 1936
- Template:Flagicon Virginia-Carolina Football League, 1937
- Template:Flagicon California Football League, 1938
- Template:Flagicon Eastern Pennsylvania Football League, 1938
- Template:Flagicon American Football League, 1938–1939[28]
- Template:Flagicon Pacific Coast Professional Football League, 1940–1948
- Template:Flagicon Northeast Football League, 1940–1942
- Template:Flagicon Northwest War Industries Football League, 1942
- Template:Flagicon Eastern Football League, 1944
- Template:Flagicon American Football League, 1944[29]
- Template:Flagicon Virginia Negro League, 1946
- Template:Flagicon Central States Football League, 1948–1953
- Template:Flagicon Pacific Football Conference, 1957–1958
- Template:FlagiconTemplate:Flagicon American Football Conference, 1959–1961
- Low-level fall league that was fully organized in September 1959 with five independent teams who played the other teams sporadically. The original teams were Duquesne Ironmen (Pennsylvania), Melvindale Redskins (Michigan), Toledo Tornadoes, Dayton Triangles (Ohio) and Newark Rams (New Jersey). Players were from both pro and college teams.[30] Teams also end up play in Sarnia, Zaneville (Ohio Colts), Port Huron and Detroit,[31] while Toledo Tornadoes leave for the larger United Football League (1961–1964).[32]
- Template:FlagiconTemplate:Flagicon United Football League, 1961–1964
- Template:Flagicon Central States Football League, 1962–1975
- Template:Flagicon Atlantic Coast Football League, 1962–1971, 1973
- Template:Flagicon Midwest Football League, 1962–1978
- Template:Flagicon Southern Football League, 1963–1965
- Template:FlagiconTemplate:Flagicon North Pacific Football League, 1963–1966
- Template:Flagicon New England Football League, 1964–1967
- Renamed North Atlantic Football League in 1967
- Template:FlagiconTemplate:FlagiconTemplate:Flagicon Continental Football League, 1965–1969
- Template:Flagicon North American Football League, 1965–1966
- Template:Flagicon Professional Football League of America, 1965–1967
- Template:Flagicon Texas Football League 1966–1968
- Template:Flagicon United American Football League, 1967
- Template:Flagicon South Carolina Football League, 1967
- Template:Flagicon Trans-American Football League, 1970–1971
- Template:Flagicon Midwest Professional Football League, 1970–1972
- Template:Flagicon Seaboard Football League, 1971–1974
- Template:Flagicon Southwestern Football League, 1972–1973
- Template:Flagicon California Football League, 1974–1982
- Template:Flagicon American Football Association, 1978–1983
- Template:Flagicon International Football League, 1984 (never played)[33]
- Template:FlagiconTemplate:FlagiconTemplate:Flagicon World League of American Football 1991–1992Template:Efn/NFL Europe 1995–2007
- Template:Flagicon Professional Spring Football League, 1992
- Template:Flagicon Fan Ownership League,[34] 1996 (never played)
- Template:Flagicon Regional Football League, 1999[35][32]
- Template:Flagicon International Football Federation, 2000 (never played)
- Template:Flagicon Spring Football League, 2000[36]
- Template:Flagicon XFL, 2001
- Template:Flagicon World Football League, 2008–2010
- Template:Flagicon United Football League, 2009–2012
- Template:Flagicon Hawaii Professional Football League, 2011 (never played)
- Template:Flagicon Stars Football League, 2011–2013
- Template:Flagicon North American Football League, 2014 (never played)
- Template:Flagicon Fall Experimental Football League, 2014–2015
- Template:Flagicon The Spring League, 2017–2021
- Template:Flagicon Trinity Professional Spring Football League,[37] 2018 (never played)
- Template:Flagicon Your Call Football, 2018–2019
- Template:Flagicon Freedom Football League (FFL), 2019 (never played)
- Template:Flagicon Alliance of American Football (AAF), 2019
- Template:Flagicon Fútbol Americano de México (FAM), 2019–2022[38]
- Template:Flagicon XFL, 2020; 2023[39]
- Template:Flagicon United States Football League (USFL), 2022–2023[40]
Indoor leagues
- Template:Flagicon World Series of Football, 1902–03
- Template:Flagicon Arena Football League, 1987–2008, 2010–2019
- Template:Flagicon Professional Indoor Football League, 1998–2000 (Bought out by Af2 in 2001)
- Template:Flagicon Indoor Football League, 1999–2000 (Bought out by Af2 in 2001;not related to the Indoor Football League that began play in 2009)
- Template:Flagicon Indoor Professional Football League, 1999–2001
- Template:Flagicon Arenafootball2 (af2), 2000–2009 (assets acquired in the same transaction as that noted above for Arena Football League)
- Template:Flagicon National Indoor Football League, 2001–2007
- Template:Flagicon American Professional Football League, 2003–2013
- Template:Flagicon Intense Football League, 2004–2008 (merged into current incarnation of the Indoor Football League)
- Template:Flagicon United Indoor Football, 2005–2008 (merged into current incarnation of the Indoor Football League)
- Template:Flagicon Continental Indoor Football League, 2006–2014
- Template:Flagicon World Indoor Football League, 2007
- Template:Flagicon Southern Indoor Football League, 2008–2011 (teams divided into either the Lone Star Football League, the Professional Indoor Football League, or American Indoor Football)
- Template:Flagicon Ultimate Indoor Football League, 2011–2014
- Template:Flagicon Lone Star Football League, 2012–2014
- Template:Flagicon Professional Indoor Football League, 2012–2015
- Template:Flagicon Champions Professional Indoor Football League, 2013–2014
- Template:Flagicon X-League Indoor Football, 2014–2015
- Template:Flagicon Champions Indoor Football, 2015-2023
- Template:Flagicon American West Football Conference, 2019–2023
- Template:Flagicon National Gridiron League/United Football League, 2019-2023 (never played)
- Template:Flagicon Arena Football Association, 2021-2022
- Template:Flagicon Fan Controlled Football, 2021-2022
- Template:Flagicon American Indoor Football Alliance, 2022–2023
- Template:Flagicon Arena Football League (AFL), 2024
Collegiate and amateur leagues
- Template:Flagicon Quebec Rugby Football Union, 1883–1944
- Template:Flagicon Ontario Rugby Football Union, 1883–1960
- Template:Flagicon American Football Union, 1886–1895
- Template:Flagicon Texas Sixman Football League, 1999–2012
Women's leagues
- Template:Flagicon Women's Professional Football League, 1965–1973
- Template:Flagicon National Women's Football League, 1974–1982
- Template:Flagicon Women's Professional Football League, 1999–2007
- Template:Flagicon National Women's Football Association, 2000–2008
- Template:Flagicon Women's American Football League, formed 2001, became the AFWL in 2002
- Template:Flagicon American Football Women's League (AFWL), 2002
- Template:Flagicon Women's Football Association, 2002–2003
- Template:Flagicon Women's Football League, 2002–2007
- Template:Flagicon Women's Football League Association,[41][42] 2021 (never played)
Leagues outside North America
Current professional leagues outside North America
- Template:Flagicon Europe – European League of Football (ELF), began play in June 2021
- Template:Flagicon Japan – X-League, began play in 1971.
Current minor professional, semi professional and amateur leagues outside North America
- Script error: No such module "flag". – CBFA Brasil Futebol Americano
- Script error: No such module "flag". – FECOFA Federación Colombiana de Football Americano
- Script error: No such module "flag". – LUFA Liga Uruguaya de Football Americano
- Script error: No such module "flag". – LIGFA Liga Guatemalteca de Football Americano
- Script error: No such module "flag". – AFL Austrian Football League
- Script error: No such module "flag". – BFL Belgian Football League
- Script error: No such module "flag". – HFL Hrvatska Football Liga
- Script error: No such module "flag". – CLAF Česká Liga Amerického Fotbalu
- Script error: No such module "flag". – NL National Ligaen
- Script error: No such module "flag". – VL Vaahteraliiga
- Script error: No such module "flag". – LEFA Ligue Élite de Football Américain
- Script error: No such module "flag". – GFL German Football League
- Script error: No such module "flag". – HFL Hungarian Football League
- Script error: No such module "flag". – AFI American Football Ireland
- Script error: No such module "flag". – FIDAF Prima Divisione FIDAF
- Script error: No such module "flag". – AFBN AFBN Division One
- Script error: No such module "flag". – PFL Polish Football League
- Script error: No such module "flag". – LPFA Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Americano
- Script error: No such module "flag". – CNFA Campionatul Naţional de Fotbal American
- Script error: No such module "flag". – UAFR Russian American Football Championship
- Script error: No such module "flag". – SLAF Slovenská futbalová liga
- Script error: No such module "flag". – SNFL Slovenian Football League
- Script error: No such module "flag". – NLS Nacionalna Liga Srbije
- Script error: No such module "flag". – LNFA Liga Nacional de Fútbol Americano
- Script error: No such module "flag". – Superserien
- Script error: No such module "flag". – NLA Nationalliga A
- Script error: No such module "flag". – NSFL Non Professional Swiss Romande American Football League
- Script error: No such module "flag". – TKFL Türkiye Korumalı Futbol Ligi
- Script error: No such module "flag". – ULAF Super League
- Script error: No such module "flag". – BAFANL BAFA National Leagues
- Template:Flagicon/Template:Flagicon/Template:Flagicon/Template:Flagicon/Template:Flagicon/Template:Flagicon/Template:Flagicon/Template:Flagicon/Template:Flagicon/Template:Flagicon – CEFL Central European Football League
- Template:Flagicon/Template:Flagicon/Template:Flagicon/Template:Flagicon – EEAFC Eastern European American Football Cup
- Template:Flagicon/Template:Flagicon – EESL Eastern European Super League
Asia:
- Script error: No such module "flag". – IFL Israel Football League
- Script error: No such module "flag". – Korea American Football Association
- Script error: No such module "flag". – ATFFP Philippine–American Football League
- Script error: No such module "flag". – CNFL Chinese National Football League
- Script error: No such module "flag". – EFLI Elite Football League of India
- Script error: No such module "flag". - JLAF Jordanian American Football League
- Script error: No such module "flag". – Gridiron Australia
- Script error: No such module "flag". – Australian Gridiron League
- Script error: No such module "flag". – Ladies Gridiron League
- Script error: No such module "flag". – New Zealand American Football Association
- Script error: No such module "flag". – EFAF Egyptian Federation of American Football
Defunct minor leagues around the world
- Template:Flagicon - EFL European Football League 1986-2018
- Template:Flagicon – Australian American Football League 1984–1998
- Template:Flagicon – Torneio Touchdown 2009–2015
- Template:Flagicon/Template:Flagicon/Template:Flagicon – Continental Football League, 1965–1969
- Template:Flagicon/Template:Flagicon/Template:Flagicon/Template:Flagicon/Template:Flagicon Intercontinental Football League – Intended to begin play in 1975, folded before first game[43]
- Template:Flagicon – BCAFL British Collegiate American Football League, 1985–2007
- Template:Flagicon – BAFL British American Football League, 1987–2010
- Template:Flagicon – ISAF Icelandic Society for American Football, 1988–1991
- Template:Flagicon/Template:Flagicon/Template:Flagicon/Template:Flagicon/Template:Flagicon/Template:Flagicon International League of American Football – Intended to begin play in 1990, folded before first game[44]
- Template:Flagicon/Template:Flagicon/Template:Flagicon/Template:Flagicon/Template:Flagicon/Template:Flagicon World League of American Football/NFL Europe/NFL Europa, 1991–1992, 1995–2007
- Template:Flagicon/Template:Flagicon/Template:Flagicon/Template:Flagicon/Template:Flagicon/Template:Flagicon Football League of Europe, 1994–1995
- Template:Flagicon – National Gridiron League of Australia 1991–1995
- Script error: No such module "flag". – BIG6 BIG6 European Football League
- Script error: No such module "flag". – CL IFAF Europe Champions League
- Template:Flagicon – Philippine Tackle Football League
Collegiate and amateur leagues
- Template:Flagicon – List of Japanese collegiate American football programs
- Template:Flagicon – British Universities American Football League
See also
- International Federation of American Football (IFAF), international governing body for American football
- European Federation of American Football (EFAF)
- Women's football in the United States
- British American Football Association (BAFA)
- Association of Professional Football Leagues – compact of NFL and three minor leagues, 1946–1948
- Football leagues in North America
- List of female American football teams
Notes
References
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- ↑ Three teams merged into the NFL
- ↑ Founded with the aim, to force merger with NFL, which was agreed in 1966, the merger was completed in 1970.
- ↑ Informal association of teams
- ↑ Informal association of teams
- ↑ Merged to form the CFL in 1958
- ↑ Informal association of teams
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- ↑ Merged to form the CFL in 1958
- ↑ American Association suspended operations for duration of U.S. involvement in World War II; in 1946 the AA was renamed American Football League
- ↑ Known as the American Professional Football Association in 1938; renamed American Football League in 1939; dissolution after 1939 season caused by formation of 1940–1941 AFL major league
- ↑ Merged with PCPFL in 1945
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- ↑ Reformatted as the International Football Alliance in 2024
- ↑ Merged with the USFL to form the UFL in 2024
- ↑ Merged to with the XFL form the UFL in 2024
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External links
- Template:Url, Developmental Football USA news site
- Template:Url
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