Flag football is a variant of gridiron football where, instead of tackling players to the ground, the defensive team must remove a flag or flag belt from the ball carrier ("deflagging") to end a down. In flag football, contact is limited between players. The sport has a strong amateur following with several national and international competitions each year sponsored by various associations but is most popularly played in America where it was invented. The international governing body for the sport is the International Federation of American Football (IFAF). In 2022, flag football was shortlisted as a proposed discretionary event for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, with inclusion being accepted on October 16, 2023.
The Edinburgh Wolves are an American football team based in Edinburgh, Scotland, that competes in the BAFA National Leagues Premier Division North, the highest level of British American Football. The team operate from the Peffermill Playing Fields.
The British American Football League (BAFL) was the United Kingdom's primary American football league from 1998 until 2010. It was formerly known as the British Senior League (BSL) until 2005. BAFL was the trading name for Gridiron Football League Ltd incorporated as a Company limited by guarantee. Registration number: 2353839. The company went into administration on 1 April 2010, and the company ceased to trade as from this date.
Berkshire Renegades are an American Football team currently competing in the BAFANL SFC 2 Central. play their home games at the University of Reading in Reading, Berkshire.
The SGS Bristol Aztecs are an American football team based in Filton, South Gloucestershire, England, who operate in the BAFA National Leagues Premier South, the highest level of British American football. They are the south-west's only Premiership team. They operate from the South Gloucestershire and Stroud College in Filton, and they represent the City of Bristol which is where the team was formed.
The Coventry Jets were an American football team based in Coventry, England.The club ceased to exist in 2018 and dropped out of the BAFA National Leagues with all club assets and teams being moved over to the Etone Jaguars based in Nuneaton, Warwickshire.
Gateshead Senators are a British American football Team based in South Tyneside at Monkton Stadium.
The Leicester Panthers are an American football team based in Leicester, England, that competes in the BAFA National Leagues Premier Division North, the top level of British American football. Their current home ground is at Aylestone Park F.C., having previously played at De Montfort Park and Leicester Forest RFC.
The British Universities American Football League (BUAFL), is an American football league contested by university teams in the United Kingdom as part of the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) organisation. The league was formed by the British American Football Association (BAFA), the national governing body of American football in the UK, in 2007 as the successor to the British Collegiate American Football League, after BAFA withdrew its recognition of the British Student American Football Association which ran that league. The BUAFL has been credited with reviving interest in American football in the UK.
The British Youth American Football Association (BYAFA), was responsible for junior and youth American football within Britain, comprising both fully kitted and flag football. In 2007, the association was incorporated into the British American Football League. However, in Scotland, flag football went under the jurisdiction of the Scottish Flag Football Association, until this was also incorporated into the BAFL.
The Dundee Hurricanes were an American football team based in Dundee, Scotland who played in the BAFA National Leagues.
The Cornwall Monarchs are an American Football team currently competing BAFA National Leagues South West. They played their home games at Newquay Sports Centre, Newquay, Cornwall.
The London Warriors are an American football club based in Thornton Heath, London, England. They compete in the BAFA National League Premier Division South, the highest level of British American football. They operate from Selhurst Sports Arena and were formed in 2007 as the London Cobras, but changed their name to the Warriors a couple of years later.
The BAFANL (BAFA National Leagues) is the primary American football domestic league competition in Great Britain. Originally formed in 1983, the league is run by the British American Football Association to coordinate contact football within England, Scotland and Wales. The top level is the Premier Division and the BritBowl is the annual final championship game. The league was reformed in 2010 following the collapse of the British American Football League, which had run in a number of different guises since the early 1980s. Previous names of the league were the UKAFL (UK American Football League), the Budweiser League and the BNGL (British National Gridiron League). From 1998 until 2005 the league was known as the BSL (British Senior League). Tensions grew throughout 2009 between the directors of BAFL and those of the governing body the British American Football Association, and at the beginning of 2010 the BAFL formally, but unconstitutionally, withdrew from BAFA. This led to uproar from the teams within BAFL, ultimately signalling the end for BAFL as an entity. The league ceased operations on 1 April 2010 and was replaced by the BAFA Community Leagues for the 2010 season, rebranding in 2011 to become the BAFANL. Notable players to have come from the BAFANL who have gone on to play in the NFL are Efe Obada, Aden Durde, Jermaine Allen and Marvin Allen.
The Great Britain national American football team, known as the GB Lions represents the UK in international gridiron. It is controlled by the British American Football Association.
The sport of American football is played in the United Kingdom in domestic and international levels. Domestic games in England. Scotland and Wales are operated by British American Football Association who run the BAFA National Leagues for Adult Contact football and British Universities American Football League for the University contact game. Games in Northern Ireland are structured by American Football Ireland who are based in the Republic of Ireland. The UK has played host to games in association with the Americans' National Football League (NFL), including four regular-season NFL games, as of 2021.
The Manchester Titans are an American football team based in Manchester, England, that competes in the BAFA National Leagues Premier Division North, the highest level of British American Football. The team operate from the National Speedway Stadium in Gorton. The Titans were given British American Football League status in 2003, although they missed the following season in order to be restructured for the 2005 campaign. The team was founded in 2003 by two Ex-Manchester Allstars Youth team players who had been playing their football outside of the city.
The Ouse Valley Eagles are a British American Football team based in Bedford, United Kingdom. They play their home games at the Bedford Athletic Rugby Club. They are a member of the BAFA National Leagues Division 2, playing in the southern football conference.
The Sheffield Giants are an American football team based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, that competes in the BAFA National Leagues NFC 1 South, the second level of British American football. They were formed in 2008 as the Sheffield Predators but re-branded to the Giants in 2016 in a nod to the Steel City Giants who folded in the 1980s. In 2012 they were crowned Division Two Bowl Champions after defeating the Peterborough Saxons at the Don Valley Stadium.
