Those responsible for the European League of Football want to strengthen the European national
teams as well as the competitions under the umbrella of the International Federation of American
Football (IFAF) and will take international match breaks into account in their game plan as early as the
2022 season following consultation with the world governing body.

"It is very important for us to build a trusting relationship with IFAF and the national associations, as
we pursue a common goal - namely to strengthen our sport and present it in the best possible way,"
says Patrick Esume, who emphasizes, "With five continental associations with 64 national associations,
IFAF is a very important organization that we will support with our league. For every athlete it is an
honor to represent their country. We'll make sure that the players in our franchises don't have to
choose between league and international play."

It remains to be seen how many teams will compete in the second edition of the European League of
Football next year. In the premiere season, the Hamburg Sea Devils, Berlin Thunder, Frankfurt Galaxy,
Cologne Centurions, Stuttgart Surge, Leipzig Kings from Germany as well as the Panthers Wroclaw from
Poland and the Barcelona Dragons from Spain are currently fighting for a playoff spot.

"We expect two to four new franchises from additional nations to join from 2022. There will be
coordination with the International Federation of American Football before we create our schedule to
prevent scheduling conflicts. As a league, we are very interested in ensuring that the players from our
franchises can play for their federations," assures Zeljko Karajica, Managing Director of the European
League of Football.

Dr. Gregor Murth, European Director of IFAF and at the same time board member of the American
Football Bund Österreich (AFBÖ), is looking forward to the cooperation with the officials of the new
continental league. "The talks with Commissioner Patrick Esume were absolutely positive and
characterized by mutual understanding. Of course, there are different needs, but we agree to reconcile
them and to want to achieve the best for our sport together. The fact that players from the European
League of Football will be seconded for international matches and tournaments is an important first
step."

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