The World League of American Football (shortened to WLAF or World League), later renamed the NFL Europe League (NFL Europe for short) and then NFL Europa, was a professional American football league that operated between 1991 and 2007. It was backed by the National Football League (NFL), the largest league in the United States. Each season culminated with the World Bowl.
The World League of American Football was founded in 1989 to serve as a type of spring league. Seven of the ten teams were based in North America, and the other three in Europe. This format lasted for only two seasons, and consequently there were no league games in 1993 or 1994.
The WLAF returned in 1995 with six teams, all in Europe, and then in 1998 the league was rebranded as the NFL Europe League or NFL Europe, a name that lasted until 2006. In the league's last season in 2007, the league officially changed its name to NFL Europa.
NFL Europe was an attempt to expand the game of American football to an international market outside the United States. In addition, NFL Europe served as a development league for the NFL. The league's squads were predominantly assigned by NFL teams, who wanted younger, developmental players to get additional game experience and coaching. The NFL assumed the expenses of players and coaches living in Europe. The European six-team format was maintained for 12 seasons, from 1995 to 2007, but by 2007 five teams were based in Germany. On 29 June 2007, the NFL announced the end of NFL Europa after a reported $30 million loss per season, and having multiple teams such as the inaugural league champion London Monarchs having gone defunct over the years.
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