List of American and Canadian football leagues

This is a list of current and defunct leagues of American football and Canadian football.

Leagues in North America

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Current professional leagues in North America

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Professional outdoor leagues

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Major:

Originally American Professional Football Association (1920–1921)
Merged with the All-America Football Conference (1946-1949) and with the American Football League (1960–69)
Formed from Interprovincial Rugby Football Union (1909) and Western Interprovincial Football Union (1936).
Grey Cup Canadian Football Championships since 1909

Minor:

Formed from merger of XFL (2020) and United States Football League (2022)

Professional arena/indoor leagues

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Formed from Intense Football League (2004) and United Indoor Football (2005)
Originally Great Lakes Arena Alliance (2023)
Originally United Indoor Football League (2023)

Current Developmental leagues

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Current semi-pro/amateur leagues

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Current Flag football leagues

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Pro

Other

Current Collegiate or Junior leagues

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Current women's leagues

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See also: Women's American football § Leagues

Outdoor leagues

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Women's Indoor/Arena leagues

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Operated as the Lingerie Football League from 2009 to 2012 and then as the Legends Football League from 2013 to 2019.

Planned leagues in North America

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Historical leagues in North America

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Major outdoor leagues

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The following leagues partly or fully merged with NFL:

Other notable major outdoor leagues:

Minor outdoor leagues

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Became Interstate Football League in 1933
Originally the New Jersey Football Circuit (1934)
Low-level fall league that was fully organized in September 1959 with five independent teams who played the other teams sporadically. The original teams were Duquesne Ironmen (Pennsylvania), Melvindale Redskins (Michigan), Toledo Tornadoes, Dayton Triangles (Ohio) and Newark Rams (New Jersey). Players were from both pro and college teams.[28] Teams also end up play in Sarnia, Zaneville (Ohio Colts), Port Huron and Detroit,[29] while Toledo Tornadoes leave for the larger United Football League (1961–1964).[30]
Renamed North Atlantic Football League in 1967

Indoor leagues

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Collegiate and amateur leagues

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Women's leagues

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Leagues outside North America

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Current professional leagues outside North America

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Current minor professional, semi professional and amateur leagues outside North America

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Central and South America:

Europe:

Asia:

Oceania:

Defunct minor leagues around the world

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Collegiate and amateur leagues

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See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ The league was in hiatus and re-branded as the NFL Europe League in 1995.

References

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  1. ^ Wallace, Scott (January 23, 2018). "Bulldawgs Join Gridiron Developmental Football League". The Tennessee Tribune. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c Earlywine, Aaron (February 9, 2017). "A closer look at football developmental leagues". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
  3. ^ Shea, Bill (March 23, 2014). "Spring football ... in Detroit? 2 groups think so". Crain's Detroit Business. Crain Communications, Inc. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  4. ^ George M., Thomas (February 27, 2014). "Former Zip looks to bring pro football to University of Akron". Akron Beacon Journal. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  5. ^ Davis, Jason Carmel (April 17, 2014). "Rivals football league provides athletes with chance to fulfill dream". Journal. C & G Publishing. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  6. ^ "Acfafootball". Archived from the original on 2016-12-20. Retrieved 2016-12-14.
  7. ^ Jones, Elane; Eagle, Daily Mountain. "P-Town Wreckaz switch leagues, tapped to host Kick-off Classic". Daily Mountain Eagle. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
  8. ^ "Learn the History of A7FL :: No Pads Spring Tackle Football League". A7FL. 14 April 2024.
  9. ^ http://www.nationalfootballconfederacy.weebly.com [bare URL]
  10. ^ "Anuncian liga de futbol americano entre México y Estados Unidos". espn.com.ar (in Spanish). 15 May 2023.
  11. ^ "Announcement of new Footbal League with teams from the United States and Mexico". Marca.com. 15 May 2023.
  12. ^ "MLF – Major League Football".
  13. ^ Davis, Josh (18 September 2021). "Semi-Pro Major League Football Team Looking to Launch in 2022". xflnewshub.com.
  14. ^ "New professional football league launching this fall, includes team from Sacramento". 4 August 2022.
  15. ^ "New pro football league includes Sacramento among list of debut cities for fall games".
  16. ^ "Sacramento's new pro football team delayed as league pushes back its debut". CBS News. 3 October 2022.
  17. ^ Three teams merged into the NFL
  18. ^ Founded with the aim, to force merger with NFL, which was agreed in 1966, the merger was completed in 1970.
  19. ^ Informal association of teams
  20. ^ Informal association of teams
  21. ^ Merged to form the CFL in 1958
  22. ^ Informal association of teams
  23. ^ "Seasons in the Sun The California winter league of 1927 and '28" (PDF).
  24. ^ Merged to form the CFL in 1958
  25. ^ American Association suspended operations for duration of U.S. involvement in World War II; in 1946 the AA was renamed American Football League
  26. ^ Known as the American Professional Football Association in 1938; renamed American Football League in 1939; dissolution after 1939 season caused by formation of 1940–1941 AFL major league
  27. ^ Merged with PCPFL in 1945
  28. ^ "Ironmen Join Grid Conference". The Pittsburgh Press. September 9, 1959. p. 50. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  29. ^ "Sarnia Stays of Top with 8 Straight Wins". Hamilton Daily News Journal. Hamilton, Ohio. AP. October 30, 1961. p. 18. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  30. ^ a b Autullo, Ryan (April 3, 2014). "New league not coming to Toledo". The Blade. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  31. ^ "The strike is history, but for Pete Rozelle the headaches – 09.01.83 – SI Vault". Archived from the original on 2012-10-26. Retrieved 2010-03-18.
  32. ^ "New pro football league forming".
  33. ^ "So you want to start a pro football league? (side bar)". Sports Business Journal. January 29, 2018. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
  34. ^ Shea, Bill (March 23, 2014). "Passes at pro football league alternatives". Crain's Detroit Business. Crain Communications, Inc. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  35. ^ "TPSFL Official Site". Archived from the original on 2018-01-05.
  36. ^ Reformatted as the International Football Alliance in 2024
  37. ^ Merged with the USFL to form the UFL in 2024
  38. ^ Merged to with the XFL form the UFL in 2024
  39. ^ "Women's Football League Association – About". Women's Football League Association. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  40. ^ Gaydos, Ryan. "Fitness guru Santia Deck makes history signing multimillion-dollar deal with football team". Fox News. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  41. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-12-18. Retrieved 2011-05-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link), Origins of the WLAF.
  42. ^ "International League Delays Debut : Football: ILAF cancels season that was to open next month in Europe, blaming lack of preparation time". Los Angeles Times. 1990-03-01. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
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