Established in 2007, the British Universities American Football League is the largest university competition for American football in Europe.
42 teams were founder members with players drawn from over 60 institutions competing for the inaugural BUAFL National Championship. A further 3 teams successfully completed their Associate year meaning that for the kick-off of the 2008/09 season there will be 45 teams with their sights trained on reaching the Championship Game and emulating the reigning champions – the Southampton Stags.
Whilst the BUAFL is relatively young, football in British universities dates back beyond 2007 with many of the BUAFL’s teams having histories which stretch back to the 1980s when the sport first became popular in the UK.
Key facts:
- The BUAFL had 2390 registered members in 2007/08
- The biggest roster was the Sheffield Sabres with 89
- The Southampton Stags claimed the inaugural BUAFL National Championship by defeating the Staffordshire Stallions 54-20
- The annual xpLosION game at Birmingham University attracts the biggest regular season attendance of any domestic game of American football and any British university sport.
The BUAFL currently has the following teams as Full Members:
- Anglia Ruskin Phantoms
- Bath Killer Bees
- Birmingham Lions
- BNU Buccaneers
- Brighton Tsunami
- Bristol Barracuda
- Cardiff Cobras
- Derby Braves
- Durham Saints
- Essex Blades
- GCU Roughriders
- Glasgow Tigers
- Greenwich Mariners
- Hertfordshire Hurricanes
- Huddersfield Hawks
- Kent Falcons
- Lancaster Bombers
- Leeds Celtics
- Leicester Longhorns
- Lincoln Colonials
- Liverpool Fury
- Loughborough Aces
- Napier Mavericks
- Newcastle Raiders
- Northumbria Mustangs
- Nottingham Outlaws
- Oxford Cavaliers
- Plymouth Blitz
- Portsmouth Destroyers
- Reading Knights
- Royal Holloway Bears
- Sheffield Hallam Warriors
- Sheffield Sabres
- Southampton Stags
- Staffordshire Stallions
- Stirling Clansmen
- Sunderland Spartans
- Surrey Stingers
- Tarannau Aberystwyth
- UCH Sharks
- UEA Pirates
- UT Cougars
- UWE Bullets
- UWS Pyros
- Warwick Wolves
The following are current Associate and Foundation Members:
- Bangor Muddogs
- Edinburgh Predators
- Exeter Demons
- Goldsmiths
- Imperial Immortals
- Manchester Tyrants
- Swansea Titans
- Worcester Royals
- York Centurians
The following are universities where the BUAFL is in discussion about team establishment:
- Canterbury Christ Church
- Kings College Regents
- Roehampton Vipers
