BAFA National Leagues
The BAFA National Leagues (BAFANL) was formed in 2010 by the BAFA in response to the British American Football League's decision to split from the governing body.
The senior league's membership comprises 50 teams based in towns ranging from Newquay in the south of England to Dundee in Scotland. These teams are spread across two tiers with promotion and relegation between each level. Each tier is further divided into regional conferences. The top-ranking teams in each division compete in playoffs culminating in divisional finals—the championship game contested by the top Premier Division teams is known as the BritBowl. The 2012 champions are the London Blitz, who defeated the London Warriors 37–21 in the final held at the Don Valley Stadium in Sheffield.
In addition to senior level football, the BAFA runs youth and junior contact football, and also flag football across all age ranges. A number of the teams within the league operate teams across two or more of these competitions. The British American Football Association defines the age ranges used within the league as follows:
Designation | Ages (contact) | Ages (flag) |
---|---|---|
Adult | 18 and above | 16 and above |
Junior | 16 to 19 | — |
Youth | 14 to 16 | 14 to 16 |
Cadet | — | 10 to 13 |
- Key
* | Team competing in the BAFANL's senior contact league (2013 season) |
Team | Location | Years in senior league | 2013 BAFA Senior division | 2012 BAFA Adult flag division | 2013 BAFA Junior division | 2012 BAFA Youth division | Other teams |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aberdeen Oilcats | Aberdeen | — | — | Scotland | — | — | — |
Aberdeen Roughnecks | Aberdeen | — | Associate | — | — | — | — |
Aylesbury Vale Spartans | Aylesbury | — | — | London | — | — | — |
Basingstoke Zombie Horde | Basingstoke | — | — | South | — | — | — |
Bedfordshire Blue Raiders* | Bedford | 2008– | National East | — | — | — | — |
Berkshire Renegades* | Reading | 1985–87, 1989, 2006– | Premier South | — | — | Southern London North | — |
Birmingham Bulls* | Birmingham | 1984– | Premier North | — | Central | Northern Central | — |
Bournemouth Bobcats* | Bournemouth | 1986–1991, 2011– | National South | — | — | — | — |
Bristol Apache* | Bristol | 2011– | National South | — | — | — | — |
Bristol Aztecs* | Bristol | 1991– | Premier South | — | — | — | — |
Burnley Tornadoes | Burnley | — | — | — | — | Northern North West | — |
Cambridgeshire Cats* | Cambridge | 1985–90, 1993–98, 2002– | Premier South | — | South | — | — |
Carlisle Border Reivers* | Carlisle | 2011–12 | Associate | — | — | — | — |
Carluke Cobras | Carluke | — | — | Scotland | — | — | — |
Chester Romans* | Chester | 1987– | National Central | — | — | Northern North West | — |
Chichester Sharks | Chichester | — | — | South | — | — | — |
Chorley Buccaneers | Chorley | — | — | — | — | Northern North West | Youth flag, Cadet flag |
Clyde Valley Blackhawks* | Wishaw | 2009– | National North | — | — | Scotland | — |
Colchester Gladiators* | Wivenhoe | 1985–95, 2005– | National East | — | South | Southern London South | — |
Cornish Sharks* | Newquay | 2007– | National South | — | — | Southern South West | — |
Coventry Cougars | Coventry | — | — | — | — | — | Youth flag |
Coventry Jets* | Coventry | 1991–93, 2004– | Premier North | North | Central | Northern Central | Youth flag, Cadet flag |
Crewe Railroaders | Crewe | 1985–90, 2012– | National Central | — | — | — | — |
DC Presidents* | Durham | 1985–97, 2012– | National North | — | — | Northern North East | — |
Doncaster Mustangs* | Doncaster | 2003– | Premier North | — | — | Northern North East | — |
Dundee Hurricanes* | Dundee | 2003– | National North | — | — | — | — |
East Kent Mavericks* | Aylesham | 2006– | Premier South | — | South | — | — |
East Kilbride Pirates* | Hamilton | 1986– | Premier North | — | — | Scotland | — |
Edinburgh Wolves* | Edinburgh | 2003– | National North | — | — | Scotland | — |
Essex Spartans* | Billericay | 1999– | National East | — | — | — | — |
Farnham Knights * | Farnborough | 1986– | National South | — | — | Southern South West | — |
Gateshead Senators* | Gateshead | 1986– | National North | — | North | — | — |
Glasgow Hornets | Glasgow | — | — | Scotland | — | — | — |
Glasgow Tigers* | Glasgow | 1986– | National North | — | — | — | — |
Gloucester Centurions* | Gloucester | 2009– | National South | — | — | — | — |
Grangemouth Broncos | Grangemouth | — | — | Scotland | — | — | — |
Highland Wildcats | Inverness | 2009–2011 | Associate | — | North | Scotland | — |
Inverclyde Phoenix | Greenock | — | — | — | — | Scotland | — |
Ipswich Cardinals* | Ipswich | 1987– | Premier South | — | — | — | — |
Kent Exiles* | Sidcup | 1991– | National East | — | South | Southern London South | — |
Kirkcaldy Bulls | Kirkcaldy | — | — | Scotland | — | — | — |
Lancashire Wolverines* | Blackburn | 1988–2004, 2007– | Premier North | — | North | — | — |
Lanarkshire Longhorns | Wishaw | — | — | — | North | — | — |
Leeds Varsity Bobcats | Leeds | — | — | — | North | — | — |
Leicester Eagles | Leicester | — | — | North | — | — | — |
Leicester Falcons* | Leicester | 2008– | National Central | — | Central | Northern Central | — |
Lincolnshire Bombers* | Sleaford | 2007– | National Central | — | — | — | — |
London Blitz* | Finsbury Park | 1984– | Premier South | — | South | Southern London North | Youth flag, Cadet flag |
London Olympians* | Crystal Palace | 1984–2007, 2009– | Premier South | — | — | Southern London South | — |
London Rebels | Kennington Park | — | — | London | — | — | — |
London Warriors* | Boston Manor | 2008– | Premier South | — | South | Southern London South | — |
Maidstone Pumas* | Maidstone | 1998– | National East | — | — | — | — |
Manchester Titans* | Manchester | 2003, 2005– | National Central | — | North | — | — |
Marlow Wolves | Marlow | — | — | — | South | Southern London North | Youth flag, Cadet flag |
Merseyside Nighthawks* | Birkenhead | 1986– | National Central | — | — | — | — |
Milton Keynes Pathfinders* | Bletchley | 2008– | National East | — | — | — | — |
Norwich Devils | Norwich | 1986–2011 | Associate | — | — | — | — |
Nottingham Caesars* | Nottingham | 1995– | Premier North | — | Central | — | — |
Oxford Saints* | Abingdon | 1984– | National South | — | — | — | — |
Peterborough Saxons* | Peterborough | 2002– | Premier South | — | — | — | — |
Plymouth Extreme | Plymouth | — | Associate | South | — | — | — |
Sandwell Steelers | Sandwell | — | — | — | Central | — | — |
Sheffield Predators* | Sheffield | 2010– | Premier North | — | — | — | — |
Sheffield Tomahawks | Sheffield | — | — | — | — | Northern North East | — |
Shropshire Revolution* | Telford | 2007– | National Central | — | — | — | — |
Solent Thrashers* | Southampton | 2005– | National South | — | South | Southern South West | — |
South London Renegades | Southwark | — | — | — | South | — | — |
South Wales Warriors* | Llanharan | 1996–99, 2001– | Premier South | South | — | — | — |
Staffordshire Surge* | Stoke-on-Trent | 1994– | National Central | — | — | — | — |
Standish Raiders | Standish | — | — | — | — | Northern North West | — |
Steel City Knights | Sheffield | — | — | North | — | — | — |
Stirling Wolverines | Stirling | — | — | Scotland | — | — | — |
Studley Bearcats | Studley | — | — | — | — | — | Youth flag, Cadet flag |
Sussex Thunder* | Horsham | 1997– | Premier South | — | — | Southern South West | — |
Swindon Storm* | Swindon | 2013– | National South | — | — | — | — |
Tamworth Phoenix* | Tamworth | 2008– | Premier North | — | Central | Northern Central | — |
Tayside Raptors | Perth | — | — | Scotland | — | — | — |
Walney Terriers | Walney, Cumbria | — | Associate | — | — | — | — |
Watford Cheetahs* | Watford | 1987– | National East | — | South | Southern London North | — |
West Coast Trojans* | Renfrew | 2005– | Premier North | — | — | — | — |
West Essex Showboats | Epping | — | — | London | — | — | — |
Woodham Warriors | Woodham, County Durham | — | — | North | — | Northern North East | — |
Yorkshire Rams* | Leeds | 1987– | Premier North | — | — | — | — |
Read more about this topic: List Of American Football Teams In The United Kingdom
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