On the eve of the eagerly anticipated Championship Game 2024 at the VELTINS-Arena in Gelsenkirchen between the Vienna Vikings and defending champions Rhein Fire (Sunday, 3.30 pm), the European League of Football officials had big news to announce. As part of the "ELF Honors", Managing Director Zeljko Karajica and Commissioner Patrick Esume announced the Danish capital Copenhagen as the new home of the continental league: Nordic Storm will be the 18th team to compete in the 2025 season. 

"It was always our wish and a major goal to include a franchise from Scandinavia in the European League of Football. The talks took place over a long period of time and were very cooperative and trusting. It's great that it has now worked out, because entering the Northern European market is an important step in the further development of our league in every respect," says ELF boss Zeljko Karajica.

"Bring together the most talented Nordic players"

The Nordic Storm ownership group has been working hard behind the scenes in recent months to build a powerful organization. Palle Navntoft Christensen, who spent a total of ten years as a board member of the Danish American Football Association (DAFF), the Aarhus Tigers and series champion Copenhagen Towers, has been appointed General Manager. The team will play its home games at Gladsaxe Stadium in the Danish metropolis. 

"Our aim is to bring together the most talented Nordic players currently playing in ELF teams or in national leagues across Europe. We also have experienced European and American players. We want to form the best American football team that has ever existed in the Nordic countries. We want to be a regular playoff contender by 2030. We are not just a new ELF team, this is a new chapter for American football in the Nordic countries," says Michael Planeta, the chairman of Nordic Storm.

"The ownership group has high ambitions"

Nordic Storm was founded by a group of Danish businessmen who share an ardent passion and a personal connection to the sport. Some of them have played actively, others have worked in management positions for teams in the Danish football league. Now they are pooling their experience and expertise to launch the first Scandinavian franchise in the “Champions League” of European football. 

“The Nordic countries are traditionally known for producing strong players. The ownership group has high ambitions and is keen to put together a team that can play a good role in the ELF straight away. I have every confidence in them. Together they have the dream of making football even bigger in Scandinavia and igniting people's enthusiasm for the Nordic Storm,” says league commissioner Patrick Esume.