German Football League 2

German Football League 2
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2024 German Football League
SportAmerican football
Founded1982; 42 years ago (1982)
AdministratorAFVD
No. of teams16
CountryGermany
Most recent
champion(s)
North: Berlin Adler
South: Straubing Spiders
Level on pyramidLevel 2
Related
competitions
German Football League
Regionalliga
Official websiteGFL.info

The German Football League 2 (GFL2) is the second tier of American football in Germany, below the German Football League. Until 2007, the league was known as the 2. Bundesliga.[1]

League structure

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The GFL2, formerly the 2. Bundesliga, which was formed in 1982,[2] is divided into a northern and southern division, with eight teams in each division. Unlike the GFL, there are no inter conference games and no GFL2 champion is determined.

For the 2011 season, both the northern and the southern champions were promoted, while the runners-up of the two divisions played the last placed team in the GFL division above for another spot in the league in 2012.[3] Since then the two division champions play a home-and-away series for a place each in the northern and southern division of the GFL.

Below the GFL2, six Regionalligas, Regional Leagues, are set, North, South, West, Central, East and Southwest. Four teams each are promoted each season from the Regionalliga to the GFL2. However, additional spots may become available if teams resign from either the GFL or the GFL2.[2]

Promotion to the GFL2 is achieved through a promotion round at the end of the Regionalliga season which includes the best Regionalliga teams. For the southern division of the GFL2 the champions of the southern, southwestern and central division and for the northern GFL2 division the champions of the Regionalliga divisions north, west and east play each other once to determine the two promoted teams.

League history

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The league was formed as the 2nd American Football Bundesliga in 1982, consisting of 16 clubs in three regional divisions. League strength varied from season to season after this, but the three division format was retained until 1986, when a fourth regional group was added.[2]

In 1995, the league was reduced to two divisions with seven clubs each. The strength was increased to eight teams per division in 1998 but continued to fluctuate because of teams withdrawing.[2]

Promotion to the GFL2 is achieved through the promotion round of the best Regionalliga clubs whereby the champions from the south plays the runners-up from central division and the champions from central the runners-up from the south. The winners of these two contests earn a place in the southern division of the GFL2 for the following season. In the north the champions Of the Regionalliga divisions North,

GFL2 Teams in 2024

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German Football League 2 is located in Germany
Langenfeld Longhorns
Langenfeld Longhorns
Rostock Griffins
Rostock Griffins
Solingen Paladin
Solingen Paladin
Bad Homburg Sentinels
Bad Homburg Sentinels
Frankfurt Pirates
Frankfurt Pirates
Fursty Razorbacks
Fursty Razorbacks
Gießen Golden Dragons
Gießen Golden Dragons
Location of teams in the German Football League 2 in 2022

GFL2 North

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Team City State
Bielefeld Bulldogs Bielefeld North Rhine-Westphalia
Cottbus Crayfish Cottbus Brandenburg
Düsseldorf Panther Düsseldorf North Rhine-Westphalia
Langenfeld Longhorns Langenfeld North Rhine-Westphalia
Lübeck Cougars Lübeck Schleswig-Holstein
Oldenburg Knights Oldenburg Lower Saxony
Rostock Griffins Rostock Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Solingen Paladins Solingen North Rhine-Westphalia

GFL2 South

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Team City State
Albershausen Crusaders Albershausen Baden-Württemberg
Montabaur Fighting Farmers Montabaur Rhineland-Palatinate
Fursty Razorbacks Fürstenfeldbruck Bavaria
Gießen Golden Dragons Gießen Hesse
Pforzheim Wilddogs Pforzheim Baden-Württemberg
Regensburg Phoenix Regensburg Bavaria

GFL2 season placings

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The placings in the league since 2000:[2][4][5][6]

North

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GFL2 North 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
New Yorker Lions GFL
Dresden Monarchs 4 2 1 GFL
Kiel Baltic Hurricanes GFL 2 1 1 GFL
Berlin Rebels 2 5 5 6 1 GFL 2 GFL
Potsdam Royals 5 3 1 GFL
Berlin Adler 3 1 GFL 8 * 1 GFL
Paderborn Dolphins 3 2 5 7 1 GFL
Hildesheim Invaders 7 8 7 5 1 GFL 3 1 GFL
Düsseldorf Panther GFL 1 GFL 4 4 5 2 GFL 2 1 GFL * 2 GFL 2 1
Rostock Griffins 8 3 4 3 * 4 5 3 2
Hamburg Pioneers 3
Langenfeld Longhorns 5 3 5 6 3 4 2 3 4 3 4 5 4 * 3 2 4 4
Lübeck Cougars 4 3 3 6 6 3 5 3 5 3 GFL 5 2 2 4 6 6 2 * 6 4 5 5
Oldenburg Knights 6 6
Bielefeld Bulldogs 8 1 4 7 7 7
Cottbus Crayfish 2 7 8
Cologne Crocodiles GFL 3 4 1 GFL
Münster Blackhawks 7
Solingen Paladins 2 5 * 5 6 8
Assindia Cardinals 1 GFL 7 7 1 GFL 8 6 8 * 8 7
Hamburg Huskies 1 2 4 6 4 5 4 2 1 2 7 4 3 1 GFL 6 * 7 8
Elmshorn Fighting Pirates 8 8 3 1 GFL
Hannover Spartans 7
Troisdorf Jets 7 3 6 8 4 3 2 7 8
Bonn Gamecocks 7 6 7 6 4 6 6 5 7
Ritterhude Badgers 8
Cologne Falcons 1 GFL 2 6 6 1 GFL
Hamburg Blue Devils GFL 1 GFL
Osnabrück Tigers 5 6
Mönchengladbach Mavericks 1 GFL
Magdeburg Virgin Guards 6 5 4 5
Recklinghausen Chargers 8
Frankfurt Red Cocks 7
Weyhe Vikings 4 7 8
Hannover Musketeers 2 2 GFL 5
Bochum Cadets 6 8
Dortmund Giants 5 3
  • In the 2000, 2001 and 2006 seasons, only seven clubs played in the league.
  • In the 2002 and 2011 seasons, only six clubs played in the league.
  • In the 2003 season, only five clubs played in the league.
  • 1 Played as the Hamburg Wild Huskies until 2003, then as the Hamburg Eagles from 2004 to 2009 before becoming the Hamburg Huskies from 2010.

South

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GFL2 South
Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns
Munich Cowboys
Allgäu Comets
Ravensburg Razorbacks
Saarland Hurricanes
Straubing Spiders
Kirchdorf Wildcats1
Pforzheim Wilddogs
Montabaur Fighting Farmers
Regensburg Phoenix
Gießen Golden Dragons
Fursty Razorbacks
Albershausen Crusaders
Ingolstadt Dukes
Frankfurt Universe
Marburg Mercenaries
Bad Homburg Sentinels
Stuttgart Scorpions
Wiesbaden Phantoms
Frankfurt Pirates
Biberach Beavers
Darmstadt Diamonds
Nürnberg Rams
Rhein Neckar Bandits
Franken Knights
München Rangers
Holzgerlingen Twister
Starnberg Argonauts
Kaiserslautern Pikes
Plattling Black Hawks
Badener Greifs
Weinheim Longhorns
Hanau Hornets
Stuttgart Silver Arrows
Königsbrunn Ants
Aschaffenburg Stallions
Jena Hanfrieds
Franken Timberwolves
Rhein Main Razorbacks
Mainz Golden Eagles
Rottenburg Red Knights
Landsberg Express
00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
2 GFL
GFL 1 GFL 1 GFL
3 3 3 6 1 1 GFL
4 6 5 2 1 1 GFL
1 GFL 5 4 1 GFL 2 2 * GFL
6 6 8 3 3 * 1 GFL
1 2 5 5 6 6 5 6 5 1 3 2 1 GFL * 3 2 1 GFL
4 1
4 7 8 2
3 3
6 4 6 7 4 5 4
2 7 7 * 2 5 2 5
6 7 6
2 1 GFL 1 GFL w
2 2 3 1 GFL 6 w
3 1 1 GFL
4 3 7
GFL 6 8
4 2 2 4 3 2 2 GFL 2 5 3 5 5 5 * 5 7
6 5 6 8 * 6 8
4 *
4 2 6 2 3 1 GFL 3 5 4 8 7 7 6 *
4 3 4 4 4 3 4
5 4 2 GFL
GFL 4 4 2 2 1 3 1 GFL 7
8 8
6 3 7 5 6
7
6 8 3 8
3 3 1 GFL
7 7
3 1 GFL 8
8 5 5 6 6 8 7
7 7 8
8 7 5 8
GFL 7
8
5 5 4 6 7
GFL
5 4
4 7
GFL
  • In the 2003 and 2004 seasons, only seven clubs played in the league.
  • In the 2001 season, only six clubs played in the league.
  • 1 Played as the Simbach Wildcats until 2003.
GFL = Team played in GFL Divisional champion

Divisional champions

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The winners of the regional divisions of the GFL:[2]

Year North Central South
1982 Hamburg Dolphins Red Barons Cologne Noris Rams
1983 Bonn Jets Mannheim Redskins Kempten Comets
1984 Dortmund Giants Mainz Golden Eagles Kempten Comets
1985 Cologne Crocodiles II Stuttgart Scorpions Rothenburg Knights
Year North West Central South
1986 Hildesheim Invaders Recklinghausen Chargers Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns München Rangers
1987 Bremerhaven Seahawks Ratingen Raiders Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns Würzburg Pumas
1988 Bremen Buccaneers Recklinghausen Chargers Rüsselsheim Crusaders Königsbrunn Ants
1989 Hildesheim Invaders Recklinghausen Chargers Darmstadt Diamonds Fürth Buffalos
1990 Hamburg Silver Eagles Cologne Bears Stuttgart Scorpions Regensburg Royals
1991 Berlin Rebels Cologne Bears Stuttgart Scorpions Regensburg Royals
1992 Hamburg Silver Eagles Solingen Hurricanes Hanau Hawks Rothenburg Knights
1993 Braunschweig Lions Cologne Bears Frankfurt Gamblers Erding Bulls
1994 Kiel Baltic Hurricanes Tecklenburg Silverbacks Stuttgart Scorpions Simbach Wildcats
Year North South
1995 Kiel Baltic Hurricanes Rüsselsheim Razorbacks
1996 Berlin Rebels Landsberg Express
1997 Paderborn Dolphins Saarland Hurricanes
1998 Berlin Rebels Aschaffenburg Stallions
1999 Bremen Bravehearts Franken Knights
2000 Assindia Cardinals Saarland Hurricanes
2001 Berlin Adler Marburg Mercenaries
2002 Dresden Monarchs Marburg Mercenaries
2003 Düsseldorf Panther Simbach Wildcats
2004 Cologne Falcons Munich Cowboys
2005 Kiel Baltic Hurricanes Darmstadt Diamonds
2006 Kiel Baltic Hurricanes Weinheim Longhorns
2007 Hamburg Eagles Munich Cowboys
2008 Assindia Cardinals Plattling Black Hawks
2009 Berlin Rebels Franken Knights
2010 Mönchengladbach Mavericks Saarland Hurricanes
2011 Hamburg Blue Devils Franken Knights
2012 Cologne Falcons Allgäu Comets
2013 Bielefeld Bulldogs Allgäu Comets
2014 Hamburg Huskies Kirchdorf Wildcats
2015 Hildesheim Invaders Frankfurt Universe
2016 Cologne Crocodiles Ingolstadt Dukes
2017 Potsdam Royals Kirchdorf Wildcats
2018 Düsseldorf Panther Ravensburg Razorbacks
2019 Elmshorn Fighting Pirates Ravensburg Razorbacks
2021 Berlin Adler Straubing Spiders
2022 Paderborn Dolphins Ingolstadt Dukes
2023 Hildesheim Invaders Kirchdorf Wildcats
2024 Düsseldorf Panther Pforzheim Wilddogs

References

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  1. ^ German Football League 2 Archived 2011-07-18 at the Wayback Machine (in German) AFVD website, accessed: 20 January 2011
  2. ^ a b c d e f Football History Archived 2017-09-28 at the Wayback Machine(in German) Historic American football tables from Germany, accessed: 2 January 2010
  3. ^ Spielplan der GFL für 2011 steht Archived 2011-07-21 at the Wayback Machine (in German) GFL website, published: 8 December 2010, accessed: 29 December 2010
  4. ^ GFL 2008 www.football-aktuell.de, accessed: 2 January 2011
  5. ^ GFL 2009 www.football-aktuell.de, accessed: 2 January 2011
  6. ^ GFL 2010 www.football-aktuell.de, accessed: 2 January 2011
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