BAFA National Leagues

{{short description|British American football league}} {{Use British English|date=May 2026}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox sports league | title = BAFA National Leagues | Formerly = British American Football League (1985–2010) | logo = BAFA National Leagues logo.png | pixels = 200 | sport = American football | founded = (1983) reformed in 2010 | commissioner = Joe Walker | headquarters = Kidderminster, Worcestershire, England<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://britishamericanfootball.org/Contacts#.X48A89BKiUk |title=Contacts | British American Football Association |access-date=2020-10-20 |archive-date=2020-10-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201021145339/https://britishamericanfootball.org/Contacts#.X48A89BKiUk |url-status=live }}</ref> | inaugural = reformed 2010 | teams = 60 | country = {{ENG}} (52 teams) {{SCO}} (7 teams) {{WAL}} (1 team) | champion = '''Britbowl''': Bristol Aztecs '''Premier North''': Manchester Titans '''Premier South''': London Warriors '''NFC 1 Scotland''': Glasgow Tigers '''NFC 1 North''': Yorkshire Rams '''NFC 1 Midlands''': Sandwell Steelers '''SFC 1 East''': East Kent Mavericks '''SFC 1 West''': Solent Thrashers '''NFC 2 North''': Humber Warhawks '''NFC 2 Midlands''': Leicester Panthers '''SFC 2 East''': Oxford Saints '''SFC 2 West''': Hereford Stampede | most_champs = London Warriors (7 titles) | related_comps = Britbowl | website = }}

The '''BAFA National Leagues''' ('''BAFANL''') is the primary American football domestic league competition in Great Britain. Originally formed in 1983, the league is run by the British American Football Association to coordinate contact football within England, Scotland and Wales. The top level is the Premier Division and the BritBowl is the annual final championship game. The league was reformed in 2010 following the collapse of the '''British American Football League''', which had run in a number of different guises since the early 1980s. Previous names of the league were the '''UKAFL (UK American Football League)''', the '''Budweiser League''' and the '''BNGL (British National Gridiron League)'''. From 1998 until 2005 the league was known as the '''BSL (British Senior League)'''. Tensions grew throughout 2009 between the directors of BAFL and those of the governing body the British American Football Association, and at the beginning of 2010 the BAFL formally, but unconstitutionally, withdrew from BAFA. This led to uproar from the teams within BAFL, ultimately signalling the end for BAFL as an entity. The league ceased operations on 1 April 2010 and was replaced by the '''BAFA Community Leagues''' for the 2010 season, rebranding in 2011 to become the BAFANL. Notable players to have come from the BAFANL who have gone on to play in the NFL are Efe Obada, Aden Durde, Jermaine Allen and Marvin Allen.

Pete Ackerley currently heads the day-to-day operations of the BAFANL. The league operates a summer season and begins in April and plays through until August, with play-off games running into September. There are currently 60 teams who compete in 12 regional divisions across three levels of football. The 12 teams who contest both the two BAFA Premier Divisions compete to reach the annual Britbowl final, whereas teams in the second and third level aim to earn promotion to the Division above, attempting to reach one of the Divisional bowl finals. The current champions are the Manchester Titans who won the 2023 Britbowl as well as the Premier Division North, after defeating the London Warriors for the second successive time in the 2023 Britbowl final.

==History== ===Origins=== American football was introduced to the United Kingdom during the early part of the 20th century by American servicemen stationed in the country. The first recorded match took place on 23 November 1910 at Crystal Palace, London, where a team made up of the crew from USS ''Idaho'' defeated their counterparts from USS ''Vermont'' 19–0.<ref>{{cite web|title=Britball Firsts|url=http://www.britballnow.co.uk/History/Records/Firsts.html|publisher=Britball Now|access-date=22 October 2010|archive-date=3 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120303072305/http://www.britballnow.co.uk/History/Records/Firsts.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://bmsi.ru/issueview/f5181027-203b-434d-b68d-ca925616d291/files/binder1.pdf|title=Britbowl XXV Details Announced|publisher=Inside American Football|issue=6|page=14|date=July 2011|access-date=27 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304114831/http://bmsi.ru/issueview/f5181027-203b-434d-b68d-ca925616d291/files/binder1.pdf|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> During the Second World War, matches were played by American and Canadian servicemen stationed in the UK at venues throughout the country. This included the 'Tea Bowl' game played at the White City Stadium in 1944,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theobserver.ca/2010/04/27/two-sarnia-war-heroes-to-be-honoured|title=Two Sarnia war heroes to be honoured|publisher=Sarnia Observer|first=Cathy|last=Dobson|date=27 April 2010|access-date=27 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171003225357/http://www.theobserver.ca/2010/04/27/two-sarnia-war-heroes-to-be-honoured|archive-date=2017-10-03|url-status=dead}}</ref> and this was followed by the creation of the United States Armed Forces Europe (USAFE) league in 1946. This league consisted of teams from American military bases throughout Europe, with one of the league's three conferences made up of teams based in the UK – teams from this conference won the league championship thirteen times until the competition ceased in 1993.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://usafgermany.com/news/usafe_football.html|title=2009 USAFE Football Reunion Approaching Fast|publisher=USAF Germany|location=Andrews Air Force Base|first=Andrew|last=Polvino|access-date=3 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171003230827/http://usafgermany.com/news/usafe_football.html|archive-date=3 October 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.britballnow.co.uk/History/Military%20football.htm | title=Military Football in the UK | publisher=Britball Now | access-date=25 May 2010 | archive-date=6 February 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090206015804/http://britballnow.co.uk/History/Military%20football.htm | url-status=live }}</ref>

===Early history=== The first teams open to British players were established in 1983, and competition began the following year in the form of a series of one-off games. The match results were compiled into a 'Merit Table', with teams playing more than three games eligible for the championship—the first champions were the London Ravens, who won all ten of their matches.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.londonblitz.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&catid=90&id=309 |title=1984 Table of Merit |publisher=London Blitz |access-date=27 January 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303211957/http://www.londonblitz.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&catid=90&id=309 |archive-date= 3 March 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.britballnow.co.uk/History/Tables/1984TABLES.xls | title=All Time British American Football Tables – 1984 | publisher=Britball Now | access-date=13 May 2009 | archive-date=13 January 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120113054504/http://www.britballnow.co.uk/History/Tables/1984TABLES.xls | url-status=live }}</ref> Previous names of the league were the UKAFL (UK American Football League), the Budweiser League and the BNGL (British National Gridiron League). From 1998 until 2005 the league was known as the BSL (British Senior League).

===Split from the BAFL=== thumb|left|300px|The London Blitz prior to their 2011 EFAF Cup match in Spain Tensions grew throughout 2009 between the directors of the British American Football League and those of the governing body the British American Football Association, and at the beginning of 2010 the BAFL formally, but unconstitutionally, withdrew from BAFA. This led to uproar from the teams within BAFL, ultimately signalling the end for BAFL as an entity. The league ceased operations on 1 April 2010. The league was replaced by the BAFA Community Leagues for the 2010 season. This organisation, run under the umbrella of the governing body, rebranded in 2011 to become the BAFA National Leagues. Hundreds of clubs have since been formed, playing both full contact football and flag football at senior, university and youth level. Many of these clubs have since folded, renamed or merged with other local teams, but a few of the older clubs survive today.

=== Recent developments === In 2023, the British American Football Association (BAFA) announced it would bring the Flag Football National Leagues under its direct governance beginning with the 2025 season. The move aimed to unify oversight of both contact and non-contact disciplines, streamline regulations, and provide more development opportunities for youth and female athletes.<ref>{{cite web |title=Flag Football National Leagues move under BAFA direct management for 2025 |url=https://www.britishamericanfootball.org/2024/11/flag-football-national-leagues-move-under-bafa-direct-management-for-2025/ |publisher=British American Football Association |date=November 2024 |access-date=4 July 2025}}</ref>

===NFL Partnership=== That same year, BAFA entered into a strategic partnership with the NFL to grow grassroots participation in the UK. The agreement included investment in infrastructure, access to coaching resources, and branding support, particularly in schools and underserved regions. It also aligned with the International Federation of American Football’s (IFAF) Olympic development goals, especially in advance of flag football’s inclusion in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.<ref>{{cite web |title=NFL and BAFA announce strategic partnership |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-british-american-football-association-announce-strategic-partnership |work=NFL.com |date=September 2023 |access-date=4 July 2025}}</ref>

==Season format== ===Regions=== right|thumb|280px|British counties with BAFANL teams in 2023 {{color box|Yellow}} NFC (Northern Football Conference) {{color box|turquoise}} SFC (Southern Football Conference) The BAFANL is contested by teams from England, Scotland, and Wales. Teams from Northern Ireland compete under competition from American Football Ireland and therefore do not compete with teams from the rest of the United Kingdom. The regular season format consists of two Conferences, the Northern Football Conference (NFC) and Southern Football Conference (SFC), within each Conference there are three levels of competition starting at Premier Division and filtering down to Divisions One and Two. Teams can be switched between the NFC and SFC depending on the geographic location of each team at the beginning of the season. In the past when Division One has been loaded with teams from the middle of England there has been a designated Midlands Football Conference (MFC), although this is currently defunct. ===Game Day=== The current format consists of a ten-game season for Premier Division teams and Division One teams, with Division Two now playing eight games. The league is a summer sport in the UK and runs opposite to the NFL, with teams beginning pre-season training in January to compete in the regular season that takes place between April and August. The play-off games usually running into September, with the finals taking place towards the middle of the month. Following the climax of the regular season, the eventual winners and runners-up from both Premier Divisions make up the semi-final round in which they will compete to win a place in the Britbowl. Since 2014, the Britbowl winners will automatically qualify to play in the IFAF Europe Champions League for the following season. European games run aside the clubs domestic season, prior to 2014 qualification was for the EFAF Cup.

In 2024, BAFA confirmed that the BritBowl champions would become eligible once again to participate in the IFAF Europe Champions League, reintroducing international competition for British clubs for the first time since the mid-2010s.<ref>{{cite web |title=BritBowl winners to compete in IFAF Europe |url=https://www.britishamericanfootball.org/2024/04/britbowl-winners-to-compete-in-ifaf-europe/ |publisher=British American Football Association |date=April 2024 |access-date=4 July 2025}}</ref>

For the 2025 season, BAFA introduced a formal promotion and relegation play-off structure between Division One and Division Two. This replaced the previous application-based promotion process with on-field competition, giving second-place Division Two teams the opportunity to earn promotion through head-to-head fixtures against lower-ranked Division One teams. Financial and logistical support was also introduced for clubs hosting these matches.<ref>{{cite web |title=New playoff structure for Mixed Adult Contact football |url=https://www.britishamericanfootball.org/2025/02/new-playoff-structure-for-mixed-adult-contact-football/ |publisher=British American Football Association |date=February 2025 |access-date=4 July 2025}}</ref>

Unlike American football competitions in North America such as the NFL, NCAA and CFL, American football in the UK runs a similar promotion and relegation format to that of association football (soccer) in the United Kingdom. Teams from the Division One and Division Two aim to win promotion to the Division above by attempting to reach their respective play-off final. The team that finishes bottom of their division (excluding Division Two) are relegated to their relevant regional division in the level below. Although there is no active on-the-field promotion process to Division Two, there are a number of non-league sides who operate in the "associate process". Instead of playing to win promotion to the league these teams must gain entry by application to the British American Football Association and must meet a number of different criteria from playing a number of assessed exhibition games, sustainability, facilities and good coaching practice. BAFA have the ability to relegate any BAFANL team back to associate status if that club are failing to make the standard expected of them. If a team withdraws from the season but indicate their wish to continue operating then they will spend the following season at associate level.<ref name="BAFA contact">{{cite web|url=http://www.bafanl.co.uk/standings/2012/adult |publisher=BAFA National Leagues |title=BAFANL Adult Contact Standings |access-date=9 July 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120628120300/http://bafanl.co.uk/standings/2012/adult |archive-date=28 June 2012 }}</ref> The game itself is run following the latest NCAA rules,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bafra.info/rules/ncaa/index.htm |title=NCAA rules |access-date=2020-11-09 |archive-date=2018-11-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181103004131/http://www.bafra.info/rules/ncaa/index.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> this has been in practice since the 2005 season.

==Players and staff== ===Rosters=== [[File: Efe Obada 2022 - 2.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Efe Obada started his career in the BAFANL.]] There is currently no limit on roster size, unlike the NFL's 53 man setup. Unlike the majority of top European leagues, British American football is currently amateur as opposed to pro or semi-professional.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://recruit.thepodyum.com/articles/633-ranking-the-best-football-leagues-in-europe|title=Podyum Recruit | The Pro Football Recruiting Platform|website=recruit.thepodyum.com|access-date=2020-11-09|archive-date=2020-11-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109112217/https://recruit.thepodyum.com/articles/633-ranking-the-best-football-leagues-in-europe|url-status=live}}</ref> Clubs largely operate and turnover financially through sponsorship and player subscriptions. Whereas it is not currently illegal for a team to pay a wage to coaches, they are forbidden from paying a wage to players. Players currently have to pay a yearly fee to BAFA as well as contributing to the club they play for, regardless of stature or whether the player has been a professional elsewhere. The transfer window for players being allowed to move teams usually opens in October and closes midway through the season in July. Transfers are all handled through an online portal registration system in which the player requests the move and has to wait for both teams to accept the deal before finalisation is sent to BAFA.

Players in the BAFANL are largely made up of British nationals who due to the league's current status have to pay a subscription fee to both the league and their respective clubs. British league teams in earlier years were allowed to pay players and most teams had paid US import professionals. Clubs are currently not permitted to pay a wage to any player, but coaches and other staff members are able to receive a wage. There are currently no limits on roster size unlike the NFL's 53 man roster. The minimum age of BAFANL contact player is 18 years old, however players are allowed to play to youth football until the age of 19. Female players are currently permitted to participate in the league as well as the BAFA ran Women's National Football League.{{clarify|date=January 2024}} Premier League and some Division One sides tend to operate a try-out basis to recruit potential players over several training sessions, where as other sides tend to operate an inclusive grassroots approach with any player wishing to compete taken on board as long as they are fit enough to do so. A lot of football recruitment tends to come from other sports largely former rugby union players.

In 2019 BAFA announced all non-British players who play within the league have to have a permanent residence address in the UK and had to have been residing in the country for six months and suspended all players who did not meet these criteria,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gridironhub.com/article/bafa-suspended-a-number-of-foreign-nationals-with-potential-bans-and-clubs-fines-to-follow/|title=BAFA suspend a number of foreign nationals with potential bans and club fines to follow|date=April 11, 2019}}</ref> this was largely brought in due to Leicester Falcons partnership with US College side Baker Wildcats who in turned signed a significant number of U.S. athletes to their side following promotion to the BAFA Premier North.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.leicesterfalcons.co.uk/leicester-falcons-announce-top-us-college-partnership/|title=Leicester Falcons announce top US College partnership – Leicester Falcons American Football Club}}</ref> Tamworth Phoenix flagged an incident with BAFA in which a Baker player had attempted to broker a deal to play with them, with the player reported Leicester had offered to pay a wage of £1,000 per month and a free master's degree.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gridironhub.com/article/tamworth-phoenix-accuse-leicester-falcons-of-potentially-paying-players/|title=Tamworth Phoenix accuse Leicester Falcons of potentially paying players|date=March 27, 2019}}</ref> Leicester were forced to cut ties with the Baker athletes prior to the first game of the 2019 season; they were eventually relegated back to Division 1 with a 2–8 record.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.leicesterfalcons.co.uk/falcons-relegated/|title=Falcons Relegated – Leicester Falcons American Football Club|access-date=2021-03-30|archive-date=2020-02-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200223133906/http://www.leicesterfalcons.co.uk/falcons-relegated/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Notable players=== Famous players to have played in the BAFANL include Efe Obada, who played for the London Warriors in 2014 and later played in the NFL.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/american-football/2018/09/08/astonishing-journey-efe-obada-refugee-abandoned-london-child/|title=The astonishing journey of Efe Obada - the refugee abandoned in London as a child now playing in the NFL|first=Ben|last=Coles|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=September 8, 2018|via=www.telegraph.co.uk|access-date=March 30, 2021|archive-date=October 9, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181009013335/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/american-football/2018/09/08/astonishing-journey-efe-obada-refugee-abandoned-london-child/|url-status=live}}</ref> Aden Durde and Jermaine Allen of the London Olympians played in both the NFL Europe and the NFL, with Durde later staying in the NFL as a positional coach. Marvin Allen of the London Warriors also later moved to play in the NFL. Players to have come from the NFL to the BAFANL include Denver Broncos quarterback Bradlee Van Pelt and San Diego Chargers linebacker Jason Brisbane.

England's Rugby Union World Cup winning captain Martin Johnson and GB Olympics sprinter Dwain Chambers also played the sport briefly, as well as television presenters Dermot O'Leary and Vernon Kay and actors Ricky Whittle and Chris Fountain.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.manchestertitans.co.uk/club/history/|title=History | The Club|access-date=2021-03-30|archive-date=2020-10-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025071325/https://www.manchestertitans.co.uk/club/history/|url-status=live}}</ref>

''The following is a list of notable players and coaches who have featured either in the BAFA National Leagues or any of its predecessor leagues that have at any time represented the domestic game of American football in the United Kingdom.'' {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%" !'''Player''' !'''Team''' !'''Notes''' |---- |{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} Phil Alexander || Farnham Knights || Kicker for the London Monarchs, former professional association football player for Norwich City and chief executive of Crystal Palace<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.britballnow.co.uk/History/Where.html | title=British American Football Where are they now }}</ref> |----- |{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} Jermaine Allen || London Olympians, London Warriors || Played in the NFL for Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.standard.co.uk/hp/front/nfl-star-broke-london-clubber-s-cheekbone-6547931.html | title=NFL star broke London clubber's cheekbone | date=12 April 2012 }}</ref> |---- |{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} Marvin Allen || London Olympians (2001-2004), London Warriors (2008–2011) || Played in the NFL for Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami Dolphins<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/football/nfl/player/11203/marvin-allen | title=Marvin Allen - Pittsburgh Steelers - news and analysis, statistics, game logs, depth charts, contracts, injuries }}</ref> |---- |{{flagicon|Canada}} Marcel Bellefeuille || Crawley Raiders || OC at CFL sides including Montreal Alouettes, Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.britballnow.co.uk/History/Where.html|title=British American Football Where are they now|website=www.britballnow.co.uk|access-date=2020-11-05|archive-date=2018-10-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181008175524/http://www.britballnow.co.uk/History/Where.html|url-status=live}}</ref> |---- |{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} Roderick Bradley || London Blitz || Played "Spartan" on ITV game show Gladiators<ref>{{Cite web | last1=Matters | first1=Grantham | url=https://www.granthammatters.co.uk/bradley-roderick-grantham-lad-became-a-gladiator/ | title=Bradley, Roderick – Grantham lad became a Gladiator | work=Grantham Matters | date=9 April 2018 }}</ref> |---- |{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} Jason Brisbane || London Blitz || Played in the NFL for San Diego Chargers<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2008/oct/24/nfl-ussport | title=The ups and downs of the Brits who try to crack the NFL | website=TheGuardian.com |first=Nicky |last=Bandini | date=24 October 2008 }}</ref> |---- |{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} Dwain Chambers || Farnham Knights || British Olympic Athletics track sprinter and former NFL Europe player with Hamburg Sea Devils<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/sport/other-sport/gridiron-dwain-eyes-knight-shift-4847276 | title=Gridiron: Dwain eyes Knight shift | date=11 February 2005 }}</ref> |---- |{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} Charles Dagnall || Leicester Falcons || Former professional cricketer and BBC Radio presenter<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.firstartistmission.com/charles-dagnall/ | title=Charles Dagnall | First Artist Mission }}</ref> |---- |{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} Aden Durde|| London Warriors || Defensive coordinator in the NFL with Seattle Seahawks and played for Kansas City Chiefs<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.skysports.com/nfl/news/12118/12508905/aden-durdes-clobbering-cowboys-the-nfls-first-full-time-british-coach-is-making-noise-as-more-than-a-flag-bearer | title=Aden Durde's clobbering Cowboys: The NFL's first full-time British coach is making noise as more than a flag-bearer | work=Sky Sports }}</ref> |---- |{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} Victor Ebubedike|| London Ravens, London Olympians || NFL Europe player with the London Monarchs<ref name="auto1"/> |---- |{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} Chris Fountain|| Manchester Titans || Actor who had regular roles in ''Hollyoaks'' and ''Coronation Street'' |---- |{{flagicon|United States}} Mike Grossner|| Nottingham Caesars, Leicester Falcons || Former NCAA coach with Western Colorado Mountaineers |---- |{{flagicon|United States}} Sean Payton || Leicester Panthers (1988) || Super Bowl winning head coach. |---- |{{flagicon|United States}} Christian Holmes || Tamworth Phoenix (2016) || Played in NCAA Division I for Mississippi State from 2011 to 2014 |---- |{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} Stephen Hutchinson || London Blitz || Played in NFL Europe for London Monarchs and Hamburg Blue Devils |---- |{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} David Izinyon || London Warriors || Plays in the CFL for the Hamilton Tiger Cats |---- |{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} Martin Johnson || Leicester Panthers || Professional rugby union player and Rugby World Cup winning captain of the England team<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.planetrugby.com/the-greatest-number-four-lock|title=The Greatest: Number four lock|date=October 29, 2009}}</ref> |---- |{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} Vernon Kay || London Warriors (2011–2014) || Television presenter, formerly of Channel 4's NFL show |---- |{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} Lorn Mayers || London Blitz (2004–2005) || Worked out for the Oakland Raiders before playing in NFL Europe for Berlin Thunder |---- |{{flagicon|Nigeria}} Efe Obada || London Warriors (2014) || Plays in the NFL with the Washington Commanders, previously with Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers and Buffalo Bills |---- |{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} Bamidele Olaseni || London Blitz || Plays in the NFL for the Las Vegas Raiders |---- |{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} Ayo Oyelola || London Olympians || Plays in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers, previously with the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the CFL |---- |{{flagicon|Sierra Leone}} Tigie Sankoh || London Warriors, Kent Exiles || Played in the NFL for the Cleveland Browns, now with the Toronto Argonauts in the CFL |---- |{{flagicon|United States}} Phoebe Schecter || Staffordshire Surge, GB Lions Women || Intern coach in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills |---- | {{flagicon|United States}} Bradlee Van Pelt || Leicester Falcons (2010) || Quarterback in the NFL for Denver Broncos and Houston Texans, graduate of Colorado State |---- |{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} Ricky Whittle || Manchester Titans || Actor who notably had lengthy roles in ''Hollyoaks'' and ''Dream Team'' | |---- |{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} {{flagicon|Zambia}}Mapalo Mwansa || Nottingham Caesars || Plays in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers |}

==Media coverage== The Britbowl as well as the divisional play-off finals have been on YouTube via DblCoverage.com and Onside Productions. The programmes feature in-game commentary and interviews. Onside began operating by streaming Nottingham Caesars games coined as "Caesars TV" in 2016 before being brought on by DblCoverage.com to broadcast the national finals as well as Great Britain national American football team games.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://dblcoverage.com/event/britbowl-xxxi/ |title=BRITBOWL XXXI – National Championship – Double Coverage |access-date=2018-04-08 |archive-date=2018-04-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180409044322/http://dblcoverage.com/event/britbowl-xxxi/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Double Coverage (DblCoverage.com) was the largest British American football-focused media outlet and community hub, it featured news, league results and standings for all formats of the contact game, as well as opinion articles and editorials, their social media pages represented the largest online community of British American Football players and fans.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Double Coverage - Britball. We've got it covered. |url=https://www.facebook.com/Dblcoverage/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112034920/https://www.facebook.com/Dblcoverage/ |archive-date=2020-11-12 |access-date=2021-06-03 |website=Facebook}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://dblcoverage.com/ |title=Double Coverage |access-date=2016-01-10 |archive-date=2016-01-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160110230251/http://dblcoverage.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref> However the site was taken down at the end of the 2019 season and the social media platform is now dormant.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://sportank.com/media/post/double-coverage-laid-to-rest | title=Double Coverage Laid to Rest | date=17 September 2021 }}</ref> Sportank (previously Gridiron Hub) is now the UK's main American football outlet and covers all of the topics that were previously featured on Double Coverage. Sportank also offers weekly livestreams of British American Football games, making them the first media outlet to do such.

As of mid-2025, DepthChartSports was created and have livestreamed multiple Britball games, with the forming a livestreaming partnership with the Coventry Phoenix in the Northern Premiership with DepthChartSports planning to livestream all of the Coventry Phoenix's home games in the 2026 season.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://sportank.com/media/post/gridiron-hub-parts-ways-with-gridiron-memes | title=Sportank parts ways with Gridiron Memes | date=13 January 2020 }}</ref>

In 2019, Onside provided the livestream of the U19 Junior National Championship and BritBowl XXXIII for BBC Sport.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.britishamericanfootball.org/news/britbowl-xxxiii-games-to-be-live-streamed-by-bbc-sport#.XXMrLyhKjtQ | title=Britbowl XXXIII games to be live streamed by BBC Sport | publisher=British American Football Association | access-date=6 September 2019 | archive-date=30 August 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190830210528/https://www.britishamericanfootball.org/news/britbowl-xxxiii-games-to-be-live-streamed-by-bbc-sport#.XXMrLyhKjtQ | url-status=live }}</ref>

Other popular media platforms include the podcast Exs and O's and Britballin, the latter have also begun streaming games.<ref>https://www.facebook.com/BritBallin {{User-generated source|certain=yes|date=August 2022}}</ref>

==Stadiums== The use of Stadiums in the BAFANL is sporadic due to most clubs running on a budget that relies heavily on sponsorship and subscriptions. Most BAFANL clubs operate from Rugby Union clubs, University or High Schools sports fields or local athletics parks, however some teams do play inside larger sports stadiums which have seating capacities for spectators. The Britbowl itself has recently been played at Allianz Park in London and the Sixways Stadium in Worcester, while Division 1 and 2 finals are often hosted at the South Leeds Stadium. At present the Halton Spartans ground share of the Select Security Stadium with rugby league team Widnes Vikings constitutes as the highest capacity stadium within the BAFANL with 13,350 seats. Other prominent stadiums that are currently in use in Britball include Manchester Titans home field at the National Speedway Stadium. Notable stadiums that have been used in the past includes Doncaster Mustangs use of the Keepmoat Stadium, London Olympians former home at the Crystal Palace Athletics Stadium, the AJ Bell Stadium by the Manchester Titans and De Montfort Park by Leicester Falcons.

{{multiple image | perrow = 5 | align = center | total_width = 920 | image_gap = 20 | image1 = Stobart Stadium.jpg | alt1 = | caption1 = DCBL Stadium, Widnes, Cheshire

|image2 = Sixways SlickSystems East Stand.jpg |alt2 = |caption2 = Sixways Stadium, Worcester

|image3 = Hinckley United Mainstand.jpg |alt3 = |caption3 = De Montfort Park, Hinckley

| image4 = Allianz3.jpg | alt4 = | caption4 = Allianz Park, London

| image5 = Southleedsstadium.jpg | alt5 = | caption5 = South Leeds Stadium, Leeds

| image6 = Finsbury Park Stadium, London.jpg | alt6 = | caption6 = Finsbury Park, London

| image7 = Crystal Palace athletics stadium.jpg | alt7 = | caption7 = Crystal Palace, London

| image8 = Keepmoat Stadium Doncaster.jpg | alt8 = | caption8 = Keepmoat Stadium, Doncaster

| image9 = Salford City Stadium - geograph.org.uk - 2865260.jpg | alt9 = | caption9 = AJ Bell Stadium, Salford }}

==Teams== {{Main|List of American football teams in the United Kingdom}} There are currently 60 teams in the BAFANL who have full membership status. Over the years many teams have formed and folded with only a small handful of original teams from the early 1980s remaining. A lot of teams trace their heritage back through predecessor teams and a large number of BAFA sides have changed their identity on one or sometimes two occasions. Colchester Gladiators (formed in 1983) of Division Two are the oldest team to be operating in their original identity. Other original sides include the Birmingham Bulls, Chester Romans, Nottingham Caesars, East Kilbride Pirates, Ipswich Cardinals and the Crewe Railroaders. Although the London Olympians are the most successful British side, the London Warriors hold the title following on from the BAFANL's official formation in 2010.

Having missed the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, BAFA announced that for the 2021 season the BAFANL would be not using the three tier league system and operating from localised Divisions to minimize travel. This means that clubs will not return to their respective divisions until the 2022 season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishamericanfootball.org/2021/04/adult-contact-league-alignments-2021/|title=Adult Contact league alignments 2021 – British American Football|access-date=2021-04-30|archive-date=2021-04-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210430124741/https://www.britishamericanfootball.org/2021/04/adult-contact-league-alignments-2021/|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Premiership ===

{| style="float:right; margin:0 0 1em 1em; width:500px;" |- | {{location map+ |United Kingdom |width=500 |caption=2025 BAFA Premiership club locations |places= {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=53.4808 |long=-2.2426 |label=Titans |label_size=80 |position=right}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=53.5500 |long=-2.7833 |label=Nighthawks |label_size=80 |position=bottom}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=55.7643 |long=-4.1771 |label=Pirates |label_size=80 |position=right}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=52.4068 |long=-1.5197 |label=Phoenix |label_size=80 |position=bottom}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=52.9548 |long=-1.1581 |label=Caesars |label_size=80 |position=top}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=51.4545 |long=-2.5879 |label=Aztecs |label_size=80 |position=left}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=52.2053 |long=0.1218 |label=Cats |label_size=80 |position=left}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=51.2840 |long=-0.7667 |label=Knights |label_size=80 |position=bottom}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=51.5646 |long=-0.1058 |label=Blitz |label_size=80 |position=right}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=51.3971 |long=-0.1029 |label=Warriors |label_size=80 |position=left}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=51.5533 |long=-0.2966 |label=Stallions |label_size=80 |position=left}} }} |}

'''The BAFA National League Premiership''' is the highest level of American football competition in the United Kingdom. The 2025 season includes 11 teams from across England and Scotland, featuring some of the longest-standing and most competitive clubs in the UK gridiron scene.

The '''BAFANL Premiership''' for the 2024 season comprises twelve teams, split into the North and South Divisions. The '''BAFA Premiership North''' and the '''BAFA Premiership South'''. Within each division each team plays each other twice. There will be two rounds of playoff football with the top ranked team in the North hosting the second ranked team in the South, whilst the top ranked team in the South will host the second ranked team in the North. The winners will then compete for the BritBowl. The teams who finish bottom of each division are relegated to Division 1 for the following season and are replaced by both of the Division 1 winners. Teams can be swapped between the North and South Divisions for a following season depending on the geographical location of teams that may be promoted to the division.

====Premiership North==== {| 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|Orange|Black|font-size=0.6em}} Coventry Phoenix || {{flagicon|England}} Coventry, Warwickshire || Nick Newbold Stadium || 2004 || Neale McMaster |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Black|Red|font-size=0.6em}} East Kilbride Pirates || {{flagicon|Scotland}} Giffnock, East Renfrewshire || Braidholm || 1985 || Matthew Davies |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Blue|Gold|font-size=0.6em}} Manchester Titans || {{flagicon|England}} Gorton, Manchester || National Speedway Stadium || 2003 || George Foster |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Red|Black|font-size=0.6em}} Merseyside Nighthawks || {{flagicon|England}} Skelmersdale, Lancashire || JMO Sports Park || 1984 || Craig Pennington |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Maroon|Gold|font-size=0.6em}} Nottingham Caesars || {{flagicon|England}} Nottingham, Nottinghamshire || David Ross Sports Village, University of Nottingham || 1984 || Vanden Warner |---- |}

====Premiership South==== {| 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|Navy|White|font-size=0.6em}} Bristol Aztecs || {{flagicon|England}} Filton, Gloucestershire || Stoke Gifford Stadium || 1990 || Pete Jones |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Red|Black|font-size=0.6em}} Cambridgeshire Cats|| {{flagicon|England}} Cambridge, Cambridgeshire || Coldhams Common || 1984 || Russ Begbie |---- |{{diagonal split color box|White|Navy|font-size=0.6em}} London Blitz || {{flagicon|England}} Finsbury Park, London || Finsbury Park Stadium || 1995 || Heath Thomas |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Grey|Red|font-size=0.6em}} Rushmoor Knights || {{flagicon|England}} Farnborough, Hampshire || Cove School || 1985 || Peter Fields |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Red|White|font-size=0.6em}} Wembley Stallions || {{flagicon|England}} Harrow, London || LPOSSA Club || 2013 || Warren Smart |---- |}

===Division One===

{| style="float:right; margin:0 0 1em 1em; width:500px;" |- | {{location map+ |United Kingdom |width=500 |caption=2025 BAFA Division One club locations |places=

{{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=57.1497 |long=-2.0943 |label=Roughnecks |label_size=80 |position=right}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=55.7740 |long=-3.9190 |label=Blackhawks |label_size=80 |position=bottom}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=55.8609 |long=-4.2514 |label=Tigers |label_size=80 |position=right}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=55.9486 |long=-4.7614 |label=Goliaths |label_size=80 |position=top}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=54.9784 |long=-1.6174 |label=Vikings |label_size=80 |position=left}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=53.1910 |long=-2.8919 |label=Romans |label_size=80 |position=left}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=53.3811 |long=-1.4701 |label=Giants |label_size=80 |position=right}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=53.8008 |long=-1.5491 |label=Rams |label_size=80 |position=top}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=52.3024 |long=-0.6932 |label=Knights |label_size=80 |position=right}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=52.5862 |long=-1.9829 |label=Steelers |label_size=80 |position=right}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=52.6766 |long=-2.4457 |label=Revolution |label_size=80 |position=top}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=53.0027 |long=-2.1794 |label=Surge |label_size=80 |position=top}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=50.7192 |long=-1.8808 |label=Bobcats |label_size=80 |position=left}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=51.4545 |long=-2.5879 |label=Apache |label_size=80 |position=bottom}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=50.9097 |long=-1.4043 |label=Thrashers|label_size=80 |position=top}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=51.5382 |long=-3.4425 |label=Warriors (Wales) |label_size=80 |position=left}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=51.8892 |long=0.9042 |label=Gladiators |label_size=80 |position=right}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=51.5800 |long=0.6000 |label=Tridents |label_size=80 |position=right}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=51.2802 |long=1.0789 |label=Mavericks |label_size=80 |position=bottom}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=50.8225 |long=-0.1372 |label=Thunder |label_size=80 |position=right}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=50.8058 |long=-1.0872 |label=Dreadnoughts |label_size=80 |position=bottom}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=51.7520 |long=-1.2577 |label=Saints |label_size=80 |position=right}}

{{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=51.5646 |long=-0.1058 |label=Blitz B |label_size=80 |position=top}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=51.6565 |long=-0.3903 |label=Cheetahs |label_size=80 |position=left}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=51.3762 |long=-0.0982 |label=Olympians |label_size=80 |position=right}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=51.4089 |long=0.0215 |label=Exiles |label_size=80 |position=bottom}}

}} |}

The '''BAFANL Division One''' is the second tier of British American football, for the 2024 season it holds 30 teams, now divided into 6 divisions, up from 5. The Division has a Northern Football Conference (NFC) and a Southern Football Conference (SFC). The current individual names of the divisions are the '''NFC 1 Scotland''', the '''NFC 1 North''', the '''NFC 1 Midlands''', the '''SFC 1 West''', the '''SFC 1 East''' and the '''SFC 1 Central'''. The Scottish division was introduced in 2023, in part due to East Kilbride's promotion to the Premier Division in 2022, coupled with Highland Stags' promotion to Division One. Initially this would have led to Highland and Glasgow's alignment with English teams as far south as the Midlands. To counteract this, BAFA automatically promoted the four remaining Scottish Division Two teams in order to make a complete Division One level. Each team plays the others in their division twice during the regular season as well as all teams playing two opponents on three occasions. There are no inter-division games until the play-offs with the top two teams in each division entering into what is potentially a three-game play-off campaign with the initial games being played regionally. The winner of both the northern and southern playoffs will win promotion to the Premier League and then face each other for the Division One bowl game in order to take home the trophy.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=http://dblcoverage.com/bafanl-league-restructure-update/|publisher=Double Coverage|title=BAFANL League Expansion – Update|access-date=10 January 2016|archive-date=30 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160130181129/http://dblcoverage.com/bafanl-league-restructure-update/|url-status=live}}</ref> The team who finishes bottom of each division is relegated to Division Two.

====NFC 1 Scotland==== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%;width:60%; text-align:left" !'''Team''' !'''City''' !'''Stadium or home field''' !'''Founded''' !'''Head coach''' |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Red|White|font-size=0.6em}} Aberdeen Roughnecks|| {{flagicon|Scotland}} Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire|| Woodside Sports Complex || 2012 || Connor Gray |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Gold|Black|font-size=0.6em}} Clyde Valley Blackhawks|| {{flagicon|Scotland}} Wishaw, North Lanarkshire || Beltane Park || 2007 || David Yates |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Orange|Black|font-size=0.6em}} Glasgow Tigers|| {{flagicon|Scotland}} Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire || Clydebank Sports Club || 1986 || Ryan McCluskey |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Navy|Blue|font-size=0.6em}} Inverclyde Goliaths|| {{flagicon|Scotland}} Greenock, Inverclyde || Ravenscraig Stadium || 2016 || Martin McClintock |---- |}

====NFC 1 North==== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%;width:60%; text-align:left" !'''Team''' !'''City''' !'''Stadium or home field''' !'''Founded''' !'''Head coach''' |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Red|White|font-size=0.6em}} Chester Romans|| {{flagicon|England}} Chester, Cheshire || Cheshire County Sports Club || 1986 || Levi Edwards |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Black|White|font-size=0.6em}} Newcastle Vikings|| {{flagicon|England}} Newcastle upon Tyne || Druid Park || 2014 || Kevin O'Reagan |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Aqua|Black|font-size=0.6em}} Sheffield Giants || {{flagicon|England}} Sheffield, South Yorkshire || Sheffield Olympic Legacy Stadium || 2008 || Toby Chesters |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Black|Purple|font-size=0.6em}} Yorkshire Rams || {{flagicon|England}} Leeds, West Yorkshire || South Leeds Stadium || 1986 || Jason Shaw |---- |}

====NFC 1 Midlands==== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%;width:60%; text-align:left" !'''Team''' !'''City''' !'''Stadium or home field''' !'''Founded''' !'''Head coach''' |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Black|Yellow|font-size=0.6em}} Black Country Steelers || {{flagicon|England}} Walsall, West Midlands || Willenhall RFC || 2013 || Ben Malbon |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Black|Gold|font-size=0.6em}} Leicester Panthers || {{flagicon|England}} Leicester, Leicestershire || Leicester Forest East Rugby Club || 2006 || Stuart Franklin |---- |{{diagonal split color box|White|Maroon|font-size=0.6em}} Northants Knights|| {{flagicon|England}} Wellingborough, Northamptonshire || Wellingborough OG's Rugby Club || 2016 || Wayne Gumbs |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Purple|White|font-size=0.6em}} Shropshire Revolution || {{flagicon|England}} Telford, Shropshire || Telford Athletics Stadium || 2006 || John Angell |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Navy|Yellow|font-size=0.6em}} Staffordshire Surge || {{flagicon|England}} Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire || Trentham Fields || 2008 || Anthony Charles |}

====SFC 1 West==== '''''~''' Denotes B/reserve team affiliated to another BAFANL team'' {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%;width:60%; text-align:left" !'''Team''' !'''City''' !'''Stadium or home field''' !'''Founded''' !'''Head coach''' |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Red|Black|font-size=0.6em}} Bournemouth Bobcats|| {{flagicon|England}} Bournemouth, Dorset || BU Chapel Gate || 1985 || Steve Rains |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Navy|White|font-size=0.6em}} ~ Bristol Apache|| {{flagicon|England}} Filton, South Gloucestershire || SGS Sports Field || 1990 || Pete Jones |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Purple|Black|font-size=0.6em}} Hereford Stampede|| {{flagicon|England}} Ledbury, Herefordshire || Ledbury RFC || 2016 || Paul Kent |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Black|Gold|font-size=0.6em}} Solent Thrashers|| {{flagicon|England}} Southampton, Hampshire || Solent University Test Park Sports Ground || 2003 || Dave Gibbs |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Green|Black|font-size=0.6em}} South Wales Warriors || {{flagicon|Wales}} Llanharan, Wales || The Dairy Field || 2001 || Dean Jackson |---- |}

====SFC 1 East==== '''''~''' Denotes B/reserve team affiliated to another BAFANL team'' {| 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|Navy|White|font-size=0.6em}} Colchester Gladiators|| {{flagicon|England}} Colchester, Essex || Corporal Budd VC Gymnasium || 1983 || Scott Taylor |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Red|Black|font-size=0.6em}} East Kent Mavericks || {{flagicon|England}} Canterbury, Kent || Simon Langton Grammar School || 2002 || John Moore |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Orange|White|font-size=0.6em}} Essex Tridents || {{flagicon|England}} Rayleigh, Essex || Deanes School || 2024 || Grant Sammers |---- |{{diagonal split color box|White|Black|font-size=0.6em}} Kent Exiles|| {{flagicon|England}} Bromley, London || Westcombe Park RFC || 2004 || Junior Hayden |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Maroon|White|font-size=0.6em}} London Olympians|| {{flagicon|England}} Greenwich, London ||Well Hall Stadium || 1984 || Riq Ayub |---- |}

====SFC 1 Central==== {| 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|Gold|font-size=0.6em}} Hertfordshire Cheetahs|| {{flagicon|England}} Watford, Hertfordshire || Sun Sports Watford F.C. || 1986 || Rich Moult |---- |{{diagonal split color box|White|Navy|font-size=0.6em}} ~ London Blitz B || {{flagicon|England}}Finsbury Park, London || Finsbury Park Stadium || 2015 || Jack Colleran |---- |{{diagonal split color box|White|Navy|font-size=0.6em}} Oxford Saints || {{flagicon|England}} Abingdon, Oxfordshire || Tilsley Park || 1983 || Greg Kennedy |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Navy|Grey|font-size=0.6em}} Portsmouth Dreadnoughts || {{flagicon|England}} Portsmouth, Hampshire || Norway Road, Portsmouth Rugby Football Club || 2012 || Luke Head-Rapson |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Red|Blue|font-size=0.6em}} Sussex Thunder || {{flagicon|England}} Brighton, East Sussex || Sussex University Sports Complex || 1997 || Billy Walker |---- |}

===Division Two===

{| style="float:right; margin:0 0 1em 1em; width:500px;" |- | {{location map+ |United Kingdom |width=500 |caption=2025 BAFA Division Two club locations |places=

{{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=53.6535 |long=-2.6326 |label=Buccaneers |label_size=80 |position=left}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=53.4977 |long=-2.5196 |label=Miners |label_size=80 |position=bottom}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=52.6369 |long=-1.1398 |label=Panthers |label_size=80 |position=right}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=53.2344 |long=-0.5386 |label=Bombers |label_size=80 |position=left}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=53.7007 |long=-2.2843 |label=Bucks |label_size=80 |position=top}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=52.4862 |long=-1.8904 |label=Bulls |label_size=80 |position=bottom}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=53.6927 |long=-1.3123 |label=Raiders |label_size=80 |position=left}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=53.5228 |long=-1.1287 |label=Mustangs |label_size=80 |position=right}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=53.7676 |long=-0.3274 |label=Warhawks |label_size=80 |position=top}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=54.9802 |long=-1.4875 |label=Senators |label_size=80 |position=left}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=54.5243 |long=-1.5500 |label=Steam |label_size=80 |position=bottom}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=52.0567 |long=-2.7148 |label=Stampede |label_size=80 |position=top}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=50.2331 |long=-5.2601 |label=Monarchs |label_size=80 |position=top}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=50.3755 |long=-4.1427 |label=Vanguard |label_size=80 |position=right}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=51.5558 |long=-1.7797 |label=Storm |label_size=80 |position=left}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=52.0567 |long=1.1482 |label=Cardinals |label_size=80 |position=bottom}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=52.6309 |long=1.2974 |label=Devils |label_size=80 |position=right}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=52.1359 |long=-0.4667 |label=Eagles |label_size=80 |position=bottom}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=51.4562 |long=-0.9711 |label=Renegades |label_size=80 |position=bottom}} {{location map~ |United Kingdom |lat=51.0153 |long=-3.1040 |label=Wyverns |label_size=80 |position=left}}

}} |}

The '''BAFA Division Two''' is the third tier of British American football with 2024 holding 18 teams across 4 divisions. The Division has a Northern Football Conference (NFC) and a Southern Football Conference (SFC). The current individual names of the divisions are the '''NFC 2 Midlands''', the '''NFC 2 North''', the '''SFC 2 West''' and the '''SFC 2 East'''. Each team plays the others in their division twice during the regular season as well as all teams playing two opponents on three occasions. Previously teams in Central and East divisions played designated inter-divisional games, with these being the only cross-division games until the playoffs. The top two teams in each division enter into what is potentially a three-game play-off campaign with the initial games being played regionally. The winner of both the northern and southern play-offs will win promotion to Division One and then face each other for the Division Two bowl game in order to take home the trophy.<ref name="auto"/>

====NFC 2 Midlands==== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%;width:60%; text-align:left" !'''Team''' !'''City''' !'''Stadium or home field''' !'''Founded''' !'''Head coach''' |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Black|White|font-size=0.6em}} Birmingham Bulls|| {{flagicon|England}} Birmingham, West Midlands|| Spring Lane Playing Fields || 1983 || Matthew Sheldon |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Gold|Green|font-size=0.6em}} Doncaster Mustangs|| {{flagicon|England}} Doncaster, South Yorkshire || Wheatley Hills Rugby Club || 2002 || Paul Coley |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Black|Gold|font-size=0.6em}} Leigh Miners || {{flagicon|England}} Tyldesley, Greater Manchester || St George's Park || 2020 || James Higham |--- |{{diagonal split color box|Black|Red|font-size=0.6em}} Rossendale Bucks || {{flagicon|England}} Rossendale, Lancashire || Rossendale Rugby Club, Marl Pits || 2021 || Robert Whewell |---- |{{diagonal split color box|White|Black|font-size=0.6em}} Wakefield District Raiders || {{flagicon|England}} Pontefract, West Yorkshire || Pontefract RUFC || 2014 || Zak Constance |---- |}

====NFC 2 North==== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%;width:60%; text-align:left" !'''Team''' !'''City''' !'''Stadium or home field''' !'''Founded''' !'''Head coach''' |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Black|White|font-size=0.6em}} Darlington Steam || {{flagicon|England}} Darlington, County Durham || Maiden Castle || 2013 || Sean Carr |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Black|Red|font-size=0.6em}} Humber Warhawks || {{flagicon|England}} Hull, East Yorkshire || Costello Playing Fields || 2014 || Alex Moore |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Green|Orange|font-size=0.6em}} Gateshead Senators|| {{flagicon|England}} Jarrow, South Tyneside || Monkton Stadium || 1985 || Gary Marshall |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Black|Green|font-size=0.6em}} Lancashire Buccaneers || {{flagicon|England}} Chorley, Lancashire || Chorley Panthers RUFC || 1987 || Ian Nicolson |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Red|Black|font-size=0.6em}} Lincolnshire Bombers|| {{flagicon|England}} North Hykeham, Lincolnshire || North Hykeham Rugby Club || 2005 || Michael Etheridge |---- |}

====SFC 2 West==== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%;width:60%; text-align:left" !'''Team''' !'''City''' !'''Stadium or home field''' !'''Founded''' !'''Head coach''' |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Blue|Gold|font-size=0.6em}} Cornwall Monarchs|| {{flagicon|England}} Pool, Cornwall || Pool Academy || 2005 || Richard Atkinson |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Green|Black|font-size=0.6em}} Plymouth Vanguard || {{flagicon|England}} Plymouth, Devon || Sir John Hunt Community Sports Centre || 2024 || |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Maroon|Gold|font-size=0.6em}} Somerset Wyverns || {{flagicon|England}} Taunton, Somerset || Victoria Park || 2017 ||Lydon Ward-Best |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Navy|Gold|font-size=0.6em}} Swindon Storm || {{flagicon|England}} Swindon, Wiltshire || Southbrook Playing Fields || 2012 || Richard Westley |---- |}

====SFC 2 East==== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%;width:60%; text-align:left" !'''Team''' !'''City''' !'''Stadium or home field''' !'''Founded''' !'''Head coach''' |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Red|Black|font-size=0.6em}} Berkshire Renegades|| {{flagicon|England}} Reading, Berkshire || Woodford Park Leisure Centre || 1985 || Paul Gordon |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Maroon|Gold|font-size=0.6em}} Ipswich Cardinals || {{flagicon|England}} Ipswich, Suffolk || Northgate Sports Centre || 1986 || Ian Girling |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Navy|Yellow|font-size=0.6em}} Norwich Devils || {{flagicon|England}} Norwich, Norfolk || Thorpe High School || 1984 || |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Purple|White|font-size=0.6em}} Ouse Valley Eagles || {{flagicon|England}} Bedford, Bedfordshire || Bedford International Athletics Stadium || 2013 || Nick Benning |---- |}

===Associate teams=== New teams must undergo an indefinite associate period before they are granted full member status of the national leagues. A number of criteria must be met, involving successfully completing a number of games, recruiting a number of new players, proof of required finances and the creation of a club committee. Associate teams spend their seasons playing each other and League teams in what are essentially friendly fixtures. Some of the current Associate teams are also previous League teams that have dropped out of the BAFANL at some stage.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishamericanfootball.org/establishing-a-club/|title=Establishing a Club – British American Football|access-date=2021-06-03|archive-date=2021-06-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210603211517/https://www.britishamericanfootball.org/establishing-a-club/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://dblcoverage.com/bafa-announces-new-2017-league-alignments/ |title=BAFA Announces New 2017 League Alignments |access-date=2017-04-13 |archive-date=2017-05-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170510102241/http://dblcoverage.com/bafa-announces-new-2017-league-alignments/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

'''~''' Denotes B/reserve team affiliated to another BAFANL team '''*''' Denotes team that took voluntary demotion from the league back to the associate process '''**''' Denotes team demoted from the league back to associate status by BAFA

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%;width:60%; text-align:left" !'''Team''' !'''City''' !'''Stadium or home field''' !'''Founded''' !'''Head coach''' |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Red|Grey|font-size=0.6em}} *Edinburgh Wolves || {{flagicon|Scotland}} Edinburgh || Peffermill Fields, University of Edinburgh || 2002 || Victor Peredo |---- |}

===Defunct teams=== Former teams who competed in the BAFANL and have now ceased operating or have merged with other sides to form a current operating side within the present league structure. {| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%;width:85%; text-align:left" !'''Team''' !'''City''' !'''Founded''' !'''Folded''' !'''Highest division''' !'''Notes''' |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Black|White|font-size=0.6em}} London Warriors || {{flagicon|England}} Thornton Heath, London || 2007 || 2026 || Premiership || Left BAFA in 2026 to pursue European Professional Affiliation |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Aqua|Yellow|font-size=0.6em}} Bedfordshire Blue Raiders|| {{flagicon|England}} Bedford, Bedfordshire || 2006 || 2013 || Division 1 || Merged with the Milton Keynes Pathfinders to form the Ouse Valley Eagles |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Maroon|Blue|font-size=0.6em}} Burnley Tornados || {{flagicon|England}} Burnley, Lancashire || 2016 || 2019 || Associate || Failed to gain entry from associate process, club continues at youth level |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Gold|Green|font-size=0.6em}} Bury Saints || {{flagicon|England}} Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk || 2013 || 2020 || Premier League || Was promoted through the divisions but folded in 2020 |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Maroon|White|font-size=0.6em}} Carlisle Border Reivers|| {{flagicon|England}} Carlisle, Cumbria || 2009 || 2013 || Division 2 || Following their demise, former members formed the Carlisle Sentinels (renamed Kestrels) in 2014. |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Green|Black|font-size=0.6em}} Carlisle Kestrels || {{flagicon|England}} Carlisle, Cumbria || 2014 || 2022 || Division 2 || Dropped out of the league before the start of the 2022 season. |---- |{{diagonal split color box|White|Navy|font-size=0.6em}} Coventry Jets|| {{flagicon|England}} Coventry, Warwickshire || 2004 || 2018 || Premier League || All Jets teams transferred to the Etone Jaguars Youth Academy. The former Jets adult team folded in 2019. |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Blue|Black|font-size=0.6em}} Crewe Railroaders || {{flagicon|England}} Crewe, Cheshire || 1984 || 2024 || Division 1 || Resigned from the League in 2024. |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Blue|Red|font-size=0.6em}} DC Presidents || {{flagicon|England}} Chester-le-Street, County Durham || 1985 || 2023 || Division 2 || Team was not entered in to the 2024 schedule. |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Green|Black|font-size=0.6em}} Dumfries Hunters|| {{flagicon|Scotland}} Dumfries, Dumfries and Galloway || 2014 || 2022 || Division 2 || Folded due to low player retention numbers |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Blue|White|font-size=0.6em}} Dundee Hurricanes|| {{flagicon|Scotland}} Dundee, Tayside || 2002 || 2019 || Division 1 || Resigned league status in 2018, dropped into associate process before folding. |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Purple|Gold|font-size=0.6em}} Dunfermline Kings|| {{flagicon|Scotland}} Dunfermline, Fife || 2016 || 2023 || Division 1 || Resigned from League several games into 2023 season. |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Orange|White|font-size=0.6em}} East Essex Sabres || {{flagicon|England}} Rayleigh, Essex || 2016 || 2023 || Division 2 || Merged with the Essex Spartans to form the Essex Tridents |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Black|Gold|font-size=0.6em}} Essex Spartans|| {{flagicon|England}} South Ockendon, Essex || 1998 || 2023 || Division 1 || Merged with the East Essex Sabres to form the Essex Tridents |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Aqua|Navy|font-size=0.6em}} Etone Jaguars || {{flagicon|England}} Nuneaton, Warwickshire || 2018 || 2019 || Associate || Absorbed the Jets team but folded mid-2019. Club renamed to Nuneaton and youth football continues. |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Green|Gold|font-size=0.6em}} Furness Phantoms || {{flagicon|England}} Ulverston, Cumbria || 2011 || 2020 || Division 2 || Resigned from the league prior to the 2020 season. In 2021 they announced they had merged with Morecambe Bay Storm. |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Purple|Black|font-size=0.6em}} Gloucester Centurions|| {{flagicon|England}} Gloucester, Gloucestershire || 2007 || 2015 || Division 1 || Adult side folding in 2015 with the rest of the programme wound up in 2016. |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Red|Black|font-size=0.6em}} Grimsby Scorpions|| {{flagicon|England}} Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire || 2013 || 2014 || Associate || Merged with fellow associate side Kingston Warhawks to form the Humber Warhawks. |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Black|Green|font-size=0.6em}} Halton Spartans || {{flagicon|England}} Widnes, Cheshire || 2014 || 2023 || Division 1 || Took voluntary demotion to Associate process then folded. |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Green|Black|font-size=0.6em}} Highland Stags || {{flagicon|Scotland}} Invergordon, Ross and Cromarty || 2016 || 2025 || Division 1 || Resigned from the League in 2025. |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Black|Aqua|font-size=0.6em}} Hastings Conquerors || {{flagicon|England}} Hastings, East Sussex || 2013 || 2022 || Division 2 || Dropped out of the league before the start of the 2022 season. |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Yellow|Black|font-size=0.6em}} Hull Hornets|| {{flagicon|England}} Hull, East Yorkshire || 2005 || 2010 || Division 2 || Former members later formed the Kingston Warhawks. |---- |{{diagonal split color box|White|Green|font-size=0.6em}} Jurassic Coast Raptors|| {{flagicon|England}} Dorchester, Dorset || 2016 || 2021 || Division 2 || Folded at the end of the 2021 season due to numbers |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Navy|Gold|font-size=0.6em}} King's Lynn Patriots || {{flagicon|England}} King's Lynn, Norfolk || 2016 || 2020 || Associate || Failed to win a place in the league and folded in 2020 |---- |{{diagonal split color box|White|Gold|font-size=0.6em}} Leeds Bobcats || {{flagicon|England}} Leeds, West Yorkshire || 2014 || 2021 || Division 1 || Adult team formed in 2014, announced merger with Yorkshire Rams to become their development team in 2021 |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Black|Yellow|font-size=0.6em}} London Hornets || {{flagicon|England}} Camden Town, London || 2011 || 2025 || Division 1 || Resigned from the League |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Black|Orange|font-size=0.6em}} Maidstone Pumas|| {{flagicon|England}} Maidstone, Kent || 1997 || 2020 || Division 2 || Assets handed to the Kent Phoenix Youth side who in turn formed the South East Squadron |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Blue|Gold|font-size=0.6em}} Manchester Bees|| {{flagicon|England}} Gorton, Manchester || 2019 || 2021 || Associate || Manchester Titans reserve team, never played a competitive game |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Black|White|font-size=0.6em}} Milton Keynes Pathfinders || {{flagicon|England}} Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire || 2006 || 2013 || Division 2 || Merged with the Bedfordshire Blue Raiders to form the Ouse Valley Eagles |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Black|Blue|font-size=0.6em}} Morecambe Bay Storm || {{flagicon|England}} Morecambe, Lancashire || 2016 || 2022 || Division 2 || Folded before the 2022 season due to numbers. |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Red|Yellow|font-size=0.6em}} Northumberland Lightning || {{flagicon|England}} Ashington, Northumberland || 2012 || 2017 || Division 2 || Merged with fellow BAFANL side Newcastle Vikings to form the Northumberland Vikings |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Blue|White|font-size=0.6em}} Peterborough Saxons|| {{flagicon|England}} Peterborough, Cambridgeshire || 2001 || 2016 || Premier Division || Some former members went on to form the South Lincs Lightning in 2020. |---- |{{diagonal split color box|White|Navy|font-size=0.6em}} Scunthorpe Alphas || {{flagicon|England}} Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire || 2018 || 2026 || Premier Division || Promoted to the Premier Division, folded to join forces with Humber Warhawks. |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Black|Red|font-size=0.6em}} South East Squadron || {{flagicon|England}} Maidstone, Kent || 2020 || 2024 || Division Two || Took voluntary demotion to Associate Process then folded. |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Black|Yellow|font-size=0.6em}} South Lincolnshire Lightning || {{flagicon|England}} Bourne, Lincolnshire || 2020 || 2023 || Division 2 || Formed during the COVID-19 season, were demoted by BAFA back to the associate process in 2023 before folding |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Red|Blue|font-size=0.6em}} Sussex Thunderbolts || {{flagicon|England}} Brighton, East Sussex || 2020 || 2022 || Division 2 || B team for the Sussex Thunder, folded due to player numbers prior to 2022 season. |---- |{{diagonal split color box|White|Black|font-size=0.6em}} Torbay Trojans || {{flagicon|England}} Torquay, Devon || 1983 || 2023 || Division 2 || Dropped to Associate status then folded |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Red|Yellow|font-size=0.6em}} Welwyn Hatfield Mosquitos || {{flagicon|England}} Hatfield, Hertfordshire || 2016 || 2019 || Associate || Failed to gain entry into the league and folded as a result |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Red|Blue|font-size=0.6em}} West Coast Trojans|| {{flagicon|Scotland}} Irvine, North Ayrshire ||2004 || 2018 || Division 1 || Full programme wound up in 2018. Several former players and coaches formed Inverclyde Goliaths. |---- |{{diagonal split color box|Black|Green|font-size=0.6em}} Worcestershire Black Knights || {{flagicon|England}} Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire || 2016 || 2022 || Division 2 || Removed by BAFA in 2022. |}

==Winners==

===BritBowl=== {{Main|BritBowl}} ''Winners of the Britbowl since the BAFA National Leagues 2010 formation'' {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%;width:50%; text-align:left" !'''Team''' !'''Season''' |---- |Bristol Aztecs || 2025 |---- |London Warriors || 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2024 |---- |London Blitz||2010, 2011, 2012 |---- |Manchester Titans || 2022, 2023 |---- |Tamworth Phoenix || 2017 |}

===Division One Bowl=== ''For some seasons there has been a separate North and South Bowl final.'' {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%;width:50%; text-align:left" !'''Team''' !'''Season''' |---- |Bury Saints || 2016 |---- |Colchester Gladiators || 2013 |---- |East Kilbride Pirates || 2011, 2022 |---- |Farnham Knights || 2015 |---- |Hertfordshire Cheetahs || 2023 |---- |Leicester Falcons || 2018 |---- |Manchester Titans || 2017 |---- |Merseyside Nighthawks || 2014, 2015 |---- |Nottingham Caesars || 2024 |---- |Solent Thrashers || 2019 |---- |Sussex Thunder || 2012 |---- |Tamworth Phoenix || 2010 |---- |}

===Division Two Bowl=== ''For some seasons there has been a separate North and South Bowl final.'' {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%;width:50%; text-align:left" !'''Team''' !'''Season''' |---- |Aberdeen Roughnecks || 2018 |---- |Berkshire Renegades || 2017 |---- |Bristol Apache || 2022 |---- |Bury Saints || 2015 |---- |Colchester Gladiators || 2024 |---- |East Kent Mavericks || 2023 |---- |Hertfordshire Cheetahs || 2018 |---- |Leicester Falcons || 2016 |---- |Oxford Saints || 2016 |---- |Sandwell Steelers || 2015 |---- |Shropshire Revolution || 2017 |---- |South Wales Warriors || 2011, 2019 |}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{official website|http://www.britishamericanfootball.org}}

Category:BAFA National Leagues Category:American football leagues in the United Kingdom Category:American football leagues in Europe Category:2010 establishments in the United Kingdom Category:Sports leagues established in 2010 Category:Professional sports leagues in the United Kingdom