Championship name: none. The winner of each division plays a 2 game series -vs- the worst team from the corresponding 1st League Division. If they win the series (once at home, once away) then that team moves up into the GFL and the other team drops into the GFL 2.
Regionalliga (Regional Leagues)
Level: 3rd
Divisions: 3. Each region of Germany has these three divisions, meaning that there are several of them with no less than 7 teams each.
Gruppe Sud
Gruppe Mitte
Gruppe Nord
Number of teams: varies
Minimum age to play in this division: 17
Championship name: none. Playoff system in place to determine which teams get the opportunity to move up into the GFL 2. The best get the chance to move up, the worst move down.
Oberliga (Regional Leagues, smaller regions than Regionalliga)
Level: 4th
Number of teams: varies
Minimum age to play in this division: 17
Championship name: none. Playoff system in place to determine which teams get the opportunity to move up. The best get the chance to move up, the worst move down.
Verbandsliga (Regional Leagues, smaller regions than Oberliga)
Level: 5th
Number of teams: varies
Minimum age to play in this division: 17
Championship name: none. Playoff system in place to determine which teams get the opportunity to move up. The best get the chance to move up, the worst move down.
Landesliga (league for newly built teams)
Level: 6th
Number of teams: varies
Minimum age to play in this division: 17
Championship name: none. Playoff system in place to determine which teams get the opportunity to move up. The best get the chance to move up, the worst move down.
Season start date: March
Import rules:
Import definition: Non German players
Number of imports allowed per team (roster): 8 (A)'s & 4 (E)'s
Number of imports allowed per game (game roster): 6 (A)'s & 2 (E)'s
Number of imports allowed per game (on the field at the same time): 2 (A)'s & 1 (E)'s
(A) => non european player (E) => non German but European player
Both the GFL & GFL 2 follow the import rules mentioned above. The lower tier leagues have stricter import limits. As a rule of thumb, GFL & GFL2 teams import paid players, very few teams below the GFL2 pay any imports. There are exceptions, but these are generally only well funded teams that are looking to climb the league structure quickly.
Campionato Italiano di Football a 9 (9-men football)
Level: 3rd
Number of teams: 26
Minimum age to play in this division: 17
Championship name: Arena Bowl
2009 Winner: Bolzano Giganti
Season start date: Late february/beginning of march
Import rules:
Imports are only allowed in the IFL.
Import definition: non-Italian players.
Italian players are treated as 'import' if they have played in any American, Mexican, Canadian Japanese High School, College or any Pro and semipro League or in any of the Leagues Members of IFAF.
Number of imports allowed per team: 3
Number of imports allowed per game (on the field at the same time): 3
Import definition: players from Canada, USA or Mexico
Number of imports allowed per team: 3
Number of imports allowed per game (on the field at any given time): 3
Dual passport (Import/European passport) players are not considered imports so there is no limit or restriction.
There is also SAAF Association in Serbia, league has divided in 2008. They are not member of EFAF, so cannot have teams in EFAF competitions, or national team.
