The World League of American Football (WLAF) was founded in 1990 with support from the NFL to play semi-professional American Football in North America, Europe and later maybe Asia. This came after the NFL had played popular American Bowls in London's Wembley Stadium and elsewhere since 1986. NFL logo For other uses of the abbreviation NFL, see NFL (disambiguation). ... United States simply as football, is a competitive team sport that is both fast-paced and strategic. ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... See also: Asian and Eurasian World map showing Asia. ... The American Bowl is the name of a series of National Football League pre-season exhibition games that are held at international sites outside the United States. ... The Houses of Parliament and the clock tower containing Big Ben Part of the London skyline viewed from the South Bank London is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom. ... Old Wembley Stadium (1923-2000) Wembley Stadium is a football stadium in Wembley, London, England, which is currently being rebuilt. ...

World League of American Football logo

The WLAF played two seasons with 10 teams in the spring of 1991 and 1992, with the World Bowl as championship games. Rules unique to WLAF included assigning increasing point value to field goals based on distance, and a requirement that at least one player of non-US American nationality participate in at least every other series of downs. World League of American Football logo, claiming fair use This work is copyrighted. ... The World Bowl is the American football Championship game of the NFL Europe, similar to the Super Bowl of the NFL. When the NFL Europe was founded in 1991 as World League of American Football (WLAF), with teams in North America and Europe as well as expansion plans for Asia...

New ideas were successfully tested, like using the 2-point conversion rule also on the professional field before adopting it in the NFL in 1994. Other minor tweaks in gameplay, such as a shorter kickoff tee, were also first used in the WLAF.

Also, on live TV broadcasts by USA Network, helmet cameras provided spectacular pictures. These were discontinued, though, probably due to the sometimes very aggressive content. Also the audio coverage of single players that was picked up with parabolic mirror microphones was quite disturbing at times. The USA Network is a popular cable TV network based in the United States with about 89 million household subscribers as of 2005. ... Pickelhaube of a Swedish Royal Guard soldier For other uses, see Helmet (band) A helmet (a 15th century loan from Middle French, a diminutive of Frankish helm, from Proto-Germanic *khelmaz, PIE *kelmo- a cover) is a form of protective clothing worn on the head and usually made of metal... A camera is a device used to take pictures (usually photographs), either singly or in sequence, with or without sound recording, such as with video cameras. ...

Since 1995, games in Europe were resumed as World League and since 1998 as NFL Europe. World League was the name of NFL Europe until 1998. ... NFL Europe logo Old World League of American Football (WLAF) logo The NFL Europe League is an American football league which operates in Europe. ...

WLAF History

The original WLAF was a spring developmental American football league which had 10 teams playing a 10-game regular season. Teams were aligned in three divisions: United States simply as football, is a competitive team sport that is both fast-paced and strategic. ...

• North American West: Birmingham, Sacramento, San Antonio
• North American East : Montreal, New York-New Jersey, Orlando, Raleigh-Durham (was replaced by Columbus, Ohio in 1992)
• European: (Barcelona, Frankfurt, London)

The playoff format consisted of four teams: the three divisional champions, plus a wild card with the best overall non-division winning record. The two teams emerging from the World League of American Football semifinal playoffs met at the end of the season in the World Bowl. The first two World Bowl games were held at predetermined locations much like the modern Super Bowl. Nickname: The Magic City, Pittsburgh of the South, BHam Motto: Official website: http://www. ... Nickname: City of Trees Motto: Official website: http://www. ... Nickname: Alamo City, Countdown City, River City, Military City, USA, Saytown Motto: Official website: www. ... City motto: Concordia Salus (Latin: Well-being through harmony) Province Quebec Mayor Gérald Tremblay MPs Vivian Barbot, Bernard Bigras, Denis Coderre, Irwin Cotler, Stéphane Dion, Gilles Duceppe, Marlene Jennings, Francine Lalonde, Jean Lapierre, Paul Martin, Réal Ménard, Serge Ménard, Maria Mourani, Massimo Pacetti, Bernard Patry... Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 27th 141,205 km² 455 km 530 km 13. ... Official language(s) None defined, English de facto Capital Trenton Largest city Newark Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 47th 22,608 km² 110 km 240 km 14. ... Nickname: The City Beautiful Motto: Official website: http://www. ... Raleigh-Durham is not a single city, but rather two separate ones in the U.S. state of North Carolina. ... Nickname: The Arch City The Discovery City Motto: Official website: http://www. ... Barcelona is the capital city of Catalonia (Spain). ... River Main and the skyline (help· info) is the largest city in the German Federal State of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany. ... The Houses of Parliament and the clock tower containing Big Ben Part of the London skyline viewed from the South Bank London is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom. ... The World Bowl is the American football Championship game of the NFL Europe, similar to the Super Bowl of the NFL. When the NFL Europe was founded in 1991 as World League of American Football (WLAF), with teams in North America and Europe as well as expansion plans for Asia... The World Bowl is the American football Championship game of the NFL Europe, similar to the Super Bowl of the NFL. When the NFL Europe was founded in 1991 as World League of American Football (WLAF), with teams in North America and Europe as well as expansion plans for Asia... The winning Super Bowl team receives the Vince Lombardi Trophy. ...

The original WLAF was less than popular in the United States. This might also have been caused by the surprising domination of the three Europe-based teams in 1991, which had a combined 24-6 record, while no North American team managed to be better than 5-5. The Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks even lost all 10 games as well as their franchise, which was moved to Ohio for 1992. Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks World League of American Football (WLAF) Location: Raleigh, NC Stadium: Carter-Finley Stadium (45,000) Owner: George Shinn General Manager: Wayne Thompson Head Coach: Roman Gabriel Division: North American East Seasons:1991 1991 Season: The team went 0-10 and folded at the end of the WLAF...

In the 1992 draft, the league made sure that the American teams would not be inferior again. So in 1992, all three European teams had losing records, while five of the seven North American teams had winning records.

Despite the losing teams, the European fans remained loyal, but operations of the WLAF were suspended after the 1992 season as the league lost money, and the involved NFL owners were not willing to invest more. However, the National Football League still liked the idea of a spring developmental league - and they needed another pro Football league to help their cause in the antitrust and free agency lawsuit with the National Football League Players' Association. 1992 (MCMXCII in Roman) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... The National Football League (NFL) is the largest professional American football league, consisting of thirty-two teams from American cities and regions. ... Free agency can be: In Latter-day Saint theology, free agency is the name of the human capacity to make choices for themselves and to choose between right and wrong. ... The National Football League Players Association, or NFLPA, is the labor union of players in footballs National Football League. ...

1991 season

Year Founded 1991 Year Retired 1998 City London, England Team Colors Red, Royal Blue and White Championships 1 (1991) The London Monarchs were a franchise in NFL Europe and its predecessor league, the World League of American Football (WLAF). ... Year Founded 1991 Year Retired 2003 City Barcelona, Spain Team Colors Dark Green, Scarlet Red, Yellow and White Championships 1 (1997) The Barcelona Dragons were a team in the World League of American Football from 1991 and 1992, and in NFL Europe from 1995 to 2003. ... The Frankfurt Galaxy are an American football franchise that plays in NFL Europe. ... New York-New Jersey Knights was a franchise in the World League of American Football for the 1991 and 1992 seasons. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... The Montreal Machine was the sole Canadian team in the 1991 - 1992 World League of American Football, a springtime developmental minor league set up by the National Football League. ... Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks World League of American Football (WLAF) Location: Raleigh, NC Stadium: Carter-Finley Stadium (45,000) Owner: George Shinn General Manager: Wayne Thompson Head Coach: Roman Gabriel Division: North American East Seasons:1991 1991 Season: The team went 0-10 and folded at the end of the WLAF... The Birmingham Fire was a professional American football team that played in the World League of American Football in 1991 and 1992. ... San Antonio Riders were a professional American football team that played in the WLAF in 1991 and 1992. ... Sacramento Surge were a professional American football team that played in the WLAF in 1991 and 1992. ... The World Bowl is the American football Championship game of the NFL Europe, similar to the Super Bowl of the NFL. When the NFL Europe was founded in 1991 as World League of American Football (WLAF), with teams in North America and Europe as well as expansion plans for Asia...

1992 season

The Ohio Glory played one season (1992) in the World League of American Football, which would later become NFL Europe. ... The World Bowl is the American football Championship game of the NFL Europe, similar to the Super Bowl of the NFL. When the NFL Europe was founded in 1991 as World League of American Football (WLAF), with teams in North America and Europe as well as expansion plans for Asia...

1995 Comeback

After revamping itself into an exclusively European circuit, the WLAF re-launched in 1995 with the simpler name of World League, consisting of the three existing European teams from the original format as well as three new teams in Amsterdam, Dusseldorf and Edinburgh (who would compete as Scotland). 1995 (MCMXCV in Roman) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... World League was the name of NFL Europe until 1998. ... Amsterdam Location Flag Country Netherlands Province North Holland Population 742,951(1 January 2005) Coordinates 52°22′N 4°54′E Website www. ... Düsseldorf in Germany The Düsseldorf Coat of Arms Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia. ... Edinburgh (pronounced ), Dùn Èideann () in Scottish Gaelic, is the second-largest city in Scotland and its capital city. ... Royal motto: Nemo me impune lacessit (English: No one provokes me with impunity) Scotlands location within the United Kingdom Languages English, Gaelic, Scots Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow First Minister Jack McConnell Area - Total - % water Ranked 2nd UK 78,782 km² 1. ...

By the end of the 1997 season, the league were growing concerned that their markets outside of Germany were not living up to their potential. Radical changes were made to the two British teams. The London Monarchs would become the England Monarchs, and play their home games in London, Birmingham and Bristol. Also, the Scottish Claymores would divide their schedule between Edinburgh and Glasgow. Then, at a press conference in San Diego during Super Bowl XXXII weekend, the league announced it too would be changing: the league would be rebranded as the NFL Europe League. See also Birmingham, USA, and other places called Birmingham. ... Bristol is a unitary authority with city and ceremonial county status in South West England. ... Glasgow (or Glaschu in Gaelic) is Scotlands largest city and unitary council, situated on the River Clyde in the countrys west central lowlands. ... San Diego County in the Southwest corner of California. ... Date January 25, 1998 Stadium Qualcomm Stadium City San Diego MVP Terrell Davis, Running back Favorite Packers by 11 1/2 National anthem Jewel Coin toss Joe Gibbs, Doug Williams, Eddie Robinson Referee Ed Hochuli Halftime show Boyz II Men, Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, and The Four Tops Attendance 68... NFL Europe logo Old World League of American Football (WLAF) logo The NFL Europe League is an American football league which operates in Europe. ...

See also

• World Bowl
• List of leagues of American football

The World Bowl is the American football Championship game of the NFL Europe, similar to the Super Bowl of the NFL. When the NFL Europe was founded in 1991 as World League of American Football (WLAF), with teams in North America and Europe as well as expansion plans for Asia... This is a list of current and defunct leagues of American football. ...

External link

• NFL Europe website: http://www.nfleurope.com
• Private Page about the original WLAF: http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/1871/
• Fantasy World League: http://www.fwl.org.uk