The European League of Football and the Federazione Italiana di American Football (FIDAF), the Italian American Football Association, signed a cooperation agreement. After talks in Milan on April 26, 2022, the cooperation comes into force immediately. This will further expand the cooperation between the largest European American football league and the national federations.

"More than a mutual recognition"

Patrick Esume, Commissioner of the European League of Football, is delighted with the successful talks as well as the cooperation agreement between FIDAF and the league, which was founded in 2020: "Following the Memorandum of Understanding and the meeting in April, both sides have been able to reach a productive agreement. It is our goal to make the sport of American football more popular throughout Europe. The cooperation with FIDAF confirms more than a mutual recognition and creates a cornerstone of further cooperation!"

Promoting American football in Europe

Specific points of the cooperation include mutual recognition of sporting competitions organized by FIDAF and European League of Football, consideration of each other’s competition calendars, joint implementation of projects to promote American football in Europe, and exchange of information on players, refereeing, coaching, administration and match operations. In addition, the cooperation concerns mutual offer of trainings and mutual recognition or creation of a joint code of conduct/ethics.

"We firmly believe that working together will be mutually beneficial"

“It is very exciting to be able to collaborate with a young, rapidly developing organization like the European League of Football to promote American football in Europe,” said Leoluca Orlando, President of the Italian Federation of American Football, “and we firmly believe that working together will be mutually beneficial in terms of visibility and technical growth. Having won the European title last fall and seen the growing number of players successfully join the European League of Football, Italian football is now ready to raise the bar once again. The agreement signed today is a first, important step that ensures the mutual recognition needed to pave the way for us to work evenly more closely together and secure the 360° involvement of everyone who plays a role in our wonderful sport.”

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The European League of Football is entering the final weeks of the 2022 season, with four new sites already confirmed for the upcoming season with the Helvetic Guards, from Switzerland, the Hungarian Enthroners, from Hungary, the Milano Seamen, from Italy, and a franchise from Munich. In addition, the already existing franchises Frankfurt Galaxy, Hamburg Sea Devils, Berlin Thunder, Cologne Centurions, Stuttgart Surge, Leipzig Kings, Rhein Fire, Vienna Vikings, Raiders Tirol, Barcelona Dragons, Panthers Wrocław, and Istanbul Rams.

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