German Football League 2

German Football League 2

Current season, competition or edition: 2025 German Football League
Sport	American football
Founded	1982;43 years ago (1982)
Administrator	AFVD
No. of teams	16
Country	Germany
Most recent champion(s)	North: Berlin Adler South: Straubing Spiders
Level on pyramid	Level 2
Related competitions	German Football League Regionalliga
Official website	GFL.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

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

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 2025

Fighting Pirates

Pioneers

Lions

Longhorns

Cougars

Griffins

Ravens

Beavers

Crusaders

Fighting Farmers

Razorbacks

Golden Dragons

Phantoms

Phoenix

Rams

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Location of teams in the German Football League 2 in 2025

GFL2 North

Team	City	State
Elmshorn Fighting Pirates	Elmshorn	Schleswig-Holstein
Hamburg Pioneers	Hamburg	Hamburg
Krefeld Ravens	Krefeld	North Rhine-Westphalia
Langenfeld Longhorns	Langenfeld	North Rhine-Westphalia
Leipzig Lions	Leipzig	Saxony
Lübeck Cougars	Lübeck	Schleswig-Holstein
Rostock Griffins	Rostock	Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

GFL2 South

Team	City	State
Albershausen Crusaders	Albershausen	Baden-Württemberg
Biberach Beavers	Biberach	Baden-Württemberg
Fursty Razorbacks	Fürstenfeldbruck	Bavaria
Gießen Golden Dragons	Gießen	Hesse
Montabaur Fighting Farmers	Montabaur	Rhineland-Palatinate
Nürnberg Rams	Nuremburg	Bavaria
Regensburg Phoenix	Regensburg	Bavaria
Wiesbaden Phantoms	Wiesbaden	Hesse

GFL2 season placings

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

North

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	25
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
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	GFL
Hamburg Pioneers																									3	1
Rostock Griffins														8				3	4	3	*	4	5	3	2	2
Krefeld Ravens																										3
Langenfeld Longhorns		5	3	5	6	3	4	2	3	4	3							4	5	4	*	3	2	4	4	4
Elmshorn Fighting Pirates															8	8			3	1	GFL					5
Leipzig Lions																										6
Lübeck Cougars			4	3	3	6	6	3	5	3	5	3	GFL	5	2	2	4	6	6	2	*	6	4	5	5	7
Oldenburg Knights																								6	6	w
Bielefeld Bulldogs					8									1	4	7	7								7
Cottbus Crayfish													2	7											8
Berlin Adler	3	1	GFL																8		*	1	GFL		w
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
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

GFL2 South	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	25
Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns	2	GFL
Munich Cowboys	GFL				1	GFL		1	GFL
Allgäu Comets		3	3	3	6								1	1	GFL
Ravensburg Razorbacks														4	6		5	2	1	1	GFL
Saarland Hurricanes	1	GFL							5	4	1	GFL							2	2	*	GFL
Straubing Spiders	6	6	8																3	3	*	1	GFL
Pforzheim Wilddogs																								4	1	GFL
Regensburg Phoenix																								3	3	1
Albershausen Crusaders																		6	7						6	2
Gießen Golden Dragons																	6	4	6	7			4	5	4	3
Wiesbaden Phantoms					4	2	2	4	3	2	2	GFL			2	5	3	5	5	5	*	5	7			4
Biberach Beavers																				4	*					5
Nürnberg Rams													4	3	4	4	4	3	4							6
Fursty Razorbacks			2	7														7			*	2	5	2	5	7
Montabaur Fighting Farmers									4	7									8						2	8
Kirchdorf Wildcats 1				1	2	5	5	6	6			5	6	5	1	3	2	1	GFL		*	3	2	1	GFL	w
Ingolstadt Dukes																2	1	GFL					1	GFL	w
Frankfurt Universe													2	2	3	1	GFL							6	w
Marburg Mercenaries	3	1	1	GFL																					w
Bad Homburg Sentinels																						4	3	7
Stuttgart Scorpions	GFL																						6	8
Frankfurt Pirates												6	5	6	8						*	6	8
Darmstadt Diamonds	4	2	6	2	3	1	GFL			3	5	4	8		7	7				6	*
Rhein Neckar Bandits										5	4	2	GFL
Franken Knights	GFL					4	4	2	2	1	3	1	GFL				7
München Rangers																8	8
Holzgerlingen Twister											6	3	7		5	6
Starnberg Argonauts														7
Kaiserslautern Pikes										6	8		3	8
Plattling Black Hawks							3	3	1	GFL
Badener Greifs	7											7
Weinheim Longhorns						3	1	GFL				8
Hanau Hornets	8			5	5	6	6	8			7
Stuttgart Silver Arrows						7			7	8
Königsbrunn Ants						8	7	5	8
Aschaffenburg Stallions	GFL							7
Jena Hanfrieds							8
Franken Timberwolves	5	5	4	6	7
Rhein Main Razorbacks	GFL
Mainz Golden Eagles			5	4
Rottenburg Red Knights		4	7
Landsberg Express	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

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
2025	Hamburg Pioneers	Regensburg Phoenix

References

1. German Football League 2 Archived 2011-07-18 at the Wayback Machine (in German) AFVD website, accessed: 20 January 2011
2. 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

External links

• (in German) German Football League official website
• (in German) German American Football Association website
• (in German) Football History Archived 2017-09-28 at the Wayback Machine Historic American football tables from Germany