Europe is discovering American Football

American football in Europe is experiencing dynamic growth and is increasingly establishing itself as an attractive sports product. The European League of Football (ELF), founded in 2020, aims to unite the best teams from across the continent and create a professional competition capable of competing with established European sports. And it is succeeding on all fronts.

Since its inception, ELF has been continuously expanding, and by 2025, it includes 16 teams from 10 countries. This rapid growth is supported by a massive increase in media reach, which grew by 687% between 2022 and 2024 alone. Live broadcasts of games, whose viewership increases every year, offer over 500 hours of live content, and the league's total reach has hit 1.23 billion. American football in Europe is thus solidifying its position as an increasingly popular sports and media product.

The league attracts major partners and sponsors who see enormous marketing potential in it. A significant factor is also the diverse composition of its players, coming from 45 different countries. This contributes to the league's international appeal and opens up new markets. At the same time, ELF successfully targets not only traditional American football fans but also new audience segments—38% of its audience are women, an unusually high number in the context of other contact sports.

Major European cities hosting ELF teams are becoming hubs of professional American football on the continent. Modern stadiums, game-day entertainment, and professional production attract not only fans but also investors and sponsors. This commercial success creates room for further expansion and opens doors to new markets and additional clubs eager to join this growing phenomenon.

ELF is not only bringing American football to a professional level in Europe but also proving that this sport has the potential to become an economically successful project with a broad fan base. Thanks to strategic marketing, expansion, and increasing interest from media and partners, American football in Europe is now in its best shape ever.