# German Football League 2

The German Football League 2 (GFL2) is the second tier of American football in Germany, below the German Football League. Until 2007, the league was known as the 2. Bundesliga.

## League structure

The GFL2, formerly the 2. Bundesliga, which was formed in 1982, is divided into a northern and southern division, with eight teams in each division. Unlike the GFL, there are no inter conference games and no GFL2 champion is determined.
For the 2011 season, both the northern and the southern champions were promoted, while the runners-up of the two divisions played the last placed team in the GFL division above for another spot in the league in 2012. Since then the two division champions play a home-and-away series for a place each in the northern and southern division of the GFL.
Below the GFL2, six Regionalligas, Regional Leagues, are set, North, South, West, Central, East and Southwest. Four teams each are promoted each season from the Regionalliga to the GFL2. However, additional spots may become available if teams resign from either the GFL or the GFL2.
Promotion to the GFL2 is achieved through a promotion round at the end of the Regionalliga season which includes the best Regionalliga teams. For the southern division of the GFL2 the champions of the southern, southwestern and central division and for the northern GFL2 division the champions of the Regionalliga divisions north, west and east play each other once to determine the two promoted teams.

## League history

The league was formed as the 2nd American Football Bundesliga in 1982, consisting of 16 clubs in three regional divisions. League strength varied from season to season after this, but the three division format was retained until 1986, when a fourth regional group was added.
In 1995, the league was reduced to two divisions with seven clubs each. The strength was increased to eight teams per division in 1998 but continued to fluctuate because of teams withdrawing.
Promotion to the GFL2 is achieved through the promotion round of the best Regionalliga clubs whereby the champions from the south plays the runners-up from central division and the champions from central the runners-up from the south. The winners of these two contests earn a place in the southern division of the GFL2 for the following season. In the north the champions Of the Regionalliga divisions North,

## GFL2 Teams in 2024
### GFL2 North

| Team | City | State |
| Bielefeld Bulldogs | Bielefeld | North Rhine-Westphalia |
| Cottbus Crayfish | Cottbus | Brandenburg |
| Düsseldorf Panther | Düsseldorf | North Rhine-Westphalia |
| Langenfeld Longhorns | Langenfeld | North Rhine-Westphalia |
| Lübeck Cougars | Lübeck | Schleswig-Holstein |
| Oldenburg Knights | Oldenburg | Lower Saxony |
| Rostock Griffins | Rostock | Mecklenburg-Vorpommern |
| Solingen Paladins | Solingen | North Rhine-Westphalia |

### GFL2 South

| Team | City | State |
| Albershausen Crusaders | Albershausen | Baden-Württemberg |
| Montabaur Fighting Farmers | Montabaur | Rhineland-Palatinate |
| Fursty Razorbacks | Fürstenfeldbruck | Bavaria |
| Gießen Golden Dragons | Gießen | Hesse |
| Pforzheim Wilddogs | Pforzheim | Baden-Württemberg |
| Regensburg Phoenix | Regensburg | Bavaria |

## GFL2 season placings

The placings in the league since 2000:

### North

| GFL2 North | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
| New Yorker Lions | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL |
| Dresden Monarchs | 4 | 2 | 1 | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL |
| Kiel Baltic Hurricanes | GFL | GFL | GFL | | 2 | 1 | 1 | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL |
| Berlin Rebels | | | | | | 2 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 1 | GFL | 2 | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL |
| Potsdam Royals | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | 3 | 1 | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL |
| Berlin Adler | 3 | 1 | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | 8 | | * | 1 | GFL | GFL | GFL |
| Paderborn Dolphins | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | 2 | 5 | 7 | | | | 1 | GFL | GFL |
| Hildesheim Invaders | 7 | | | | | | | | | 8 | | | 7 | | 5 | 1 | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | | 3 | 1 | GFL |
| Düsseldorf Panther | GFL | GFL | GFL | 1 | GFL | GFL | GFL | 4 | 4 | 5 | 2 | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | 2 | 1 | GFL | * | 2 | GFL | 2 | 1 |
| Rostock Griffins | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 8 | | | | 3 | 4 | 3 | * | 4 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Hamburg Pioneers | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 |
| Langenfeld Longhorns | | 5 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | | | | | | | 4 | 5 | 4 | * | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| Lübeck Cougars | | | 4 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3 | GFL | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 2 | * | 6 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| Oldenburg Knights | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | 6 |
| Bielefeld Bulldogs | | | | | 8 | | | | | | | | | 1 | 4 | 7 | 7 | | | | | | | | 7 |
| Cottbus Crayfish | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | 8 |
| Cologne Crocodiles | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | 4 | 1 | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | |
| Münster Blackhawks | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | |
| Solingen Paladins | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | 5 | * | 5 | 6 | 8 | |
| Assindia Cardinals | 1 | GFL | GFL | GFL | 7 | | 7 | | 1 | GFL | GFL | GFL | 8 | | | | 6 | 8 | | | * | 8 | 7 | | |
| Hamburg Huskies $^1$ | 2 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 7 | | | 4 | 3 | 1 | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | 6 | * | 7 | 8 | | |
| Elmshorn Fighting Pirates | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 8 | 8 | | | 3 | 1 | GFL | | | | |
| Hannover Spartans | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | | | | | |
| Troisdorf Jets | | 7 | | | | | 3 | 6 | 8 | | | 4 | 3 | 2 | 7 | | | | | 8 | | | | | |
| Bonn Gamecocks | | | | | | | | | 7 | 6 | 7 | | 6 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 7 | | | | | | | |
| Ritterhude Badgers | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 8 | | | | | | | | |
| Cologne Falcons | | | | | 1 | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | 2 | 6 | 6 | 1 | GFL | GFL | | | | | | | | | | |
| Hamburg Blue Devils | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | | | 1 | GFL | GFL | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Osnabrück Tigers | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Mönchengladbach Mavericks | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | GFL | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Magdeburg Virgin Guards | | 6 | 5 | | | | | | | | 4 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Recklinghausen Chargers | | | | | | | | | | | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Frankfurt Red Cocks | | | | | | | | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Weyhe Vikings | | | | | 4 | 7 | | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Hannover Musketeers | | | 2 | 2 | GFL | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Bochum Cadets | 6 | | | | | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Dortmund Giants | 5 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
* In the 2000, 2001 and 2006 seasons, only seven clubs played in the league.
* In the 2002 and 2011 seasons, only six clubs played in the league.
* In the 2003 season, only five clubs played in the league.
* $^1$ Played as the Hamburg Wild Huskies until 2003, then as the Hamburg Eagles from 2004 to 2009 before becoming the Hamburg Huskies from 2010.

### South

| GFL2 South | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
| Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns | 2 | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL |
| Munich Cowboys | GFL | GFL | GFL | | 1 | GFL | GFL | 1 | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL |
| Allgäu Comets | | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | | 1 | 1 | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL |
| Ravensburg Razorbacks | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | 6 | | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL |
| Saarland Hurricanes | 1 | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | 5 | 4 | 1 | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | 2 | 2 | * | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL |
| Straubing Spiders | 6 | 6 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | 3 | * | 1 | GFL | GFL | GFL |
| Kirchdorf Wildcats$^1$ | | | | 1 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | | | 5 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | GFL | GFL | * | 3 | 2 | 1 | GFL |
| Pforzheim Wilddogs | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | 1 |
| Montabaur Fighting Farmers | | | | | | | | | 4 | 7 | | | | | | | | | 8 | | | | | | 2 |
| Regensburg Phoenix | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | 3 |
| Gießen Golden Dragons | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | 4 | 6 | 7 | | | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| Fursty Razorbacks | | | 2 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | | | * | 2 | 5 | 2 | 5 |
| Albershausen Crusaders | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | 7 | | | | | | 6 |
| Ingolstadt Dukes | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | 1 | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | | 1 | GFL | w |
| Frankfurt Universe | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | 6 | w |
| Marburg Mercenaries | 3 | 1 | 1 | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | |
| Bad Homburg Sentinels | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | 3 | 7 | |
| Stuttgart Scorpions | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | 6 | 8 | |
| Wiesbaden Phantoms | | | | | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | GFL | GFL | GFL | 2 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | * | 5 | 7 | | |
| Frankfurt Pirates | | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | 5 | 6 | 8 | | | | | | * | 6 | 8 | | |
| Biberach Beavers | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | * | | | | |
| Darmstadt Diamonds | 4 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | GFL | GFL | GFL | 3 | 5 | 4 | 8 | | 7 | 7 | | | | 6 | * | | | | |
| Nürnberg Rams | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | | | | | | |
| Rhein Neckar Bandits | | | | | | | | | | 5 | 4 | 2 | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | | | | | | | | |
| Franken Knights | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | 7 | | | | | | | | |
| München Rangers | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 8 | 8 | | | | | | | | |
| Holzgerlingen Twister | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | 3 | 7 | | 5 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| Starnberg Argonauts | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Kaiserslautern Pikes | | | | | | | | | | 6 | 8 | | 3 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Plattling Black Hawks | | | | | | | 3 | 3 | 1 | GFL | GFL | GFL | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Badener Greifs | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Weinheim Longhorns | | | | | | 3 | 1 | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Hanau Hornets | 8 | | | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 8 | | | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Stuttgart Silver Arrows | | | | | | 7 | | | 7 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Königsbrunn Ants | | | | | | 8 | 7 | 5 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Aschaffenburg Stallions | GFL | | | | | | | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Jena Hanfrieds | | | | | | | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Franken Timberwolves | 5 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Rhein Main Razorbacks | GFL | GFL | GFL | GFL | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Mainz Golden Eagles | | | 5 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Rottenburg Red Knights | | 4 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Landsberg Express | GFL | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
* In the 2003 and 2004 seasons, only seven clubs played in the league.
* In the 2001 season, only six clubs played in the league.
* $^1$ Played as the Simbach Wildcats until 2003.
| GFL = Team played in GFL | Divisional champion |

## Divisional champions

The winners of the regional divisions of the GFL:
| Year | North | Central | South |
| 1982 | Hamburg Dolphins | Red Barons Cologne | Noris Rams |
| 1983 | Bonn Jets | Mannheim Redskins | Kempten Comets |
| 1984 | Dortmund Giants | Mainz Golden Eagles | Kempten Comets |
| 1985 | Cologne Crocodiles II | Stuttgart Scorpions | Rothenburg Knights |
| Year | North | West | Central | South |
| 1986 | Hildesheim Invaders | Recklinghausen Chargers | Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns | München Rangers |
| 1987 | Bremerhaven Seahawks | Ratingen Raiders | Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns | Würzburg Pumas |
| 1988 | Bremen Buccaneers | Recklinghausen Chargers | Rüsselsheim Crusaders | Königsbrunn Ants |
| 1989 | Hildesheim Invaders | Recklinghausen Chargers | Darmstadt Diamonds | Fürth Buffalos |
| 1990 | Hamburg Silver Eagles | Cologne Bears | Stuttgart Scorpions | Regensburg Royals |
| 1991 | Berlin Rebels | Cologne Bears | Stuttgart Scorpions | Regensburg Royals |
| 1992 | Hamburg Silver Eagles | Solingen Hurricanes | Hanau Hawks | Rothenburg Knights |
| 1993 | Braunschweig Lions | Cologne Bears | Frankfurt Gamblers | Erding Bulls |
| 1994 | Kiel Baltic Hurricanes | Tecklenburg Silverbacks | Stuttgart Scorpions | Simbach Wildcats |
| Year | North | South |
| 1995 | Kiel Baltic Hurricanes | Rüsselsheim Razorbacks |
| 1996 | Berlin Rebels | Landsberg Express |
| 1997 | Paderborn Dolphins | Saarland Hurricanes |
| 1998 | Berlin Rebels | Aschaffenburg Stallions |
| 1999 | Bremen Bravehearts | Franken Knights |
| 2000 | Assindia Cardinals | Saarland Hurricanes |
| 2001 | Berlin Adler | Marburg Mercenaries |
| 2002 | Dresden Monarchs | Marburg Mercenaries |
| 2003 | Düsseldorf Panther | Simbach Wildcats |
| 2004 | Cologne Falcons | Munich Cowboys |
| 2005 | Kiel Baltic Hurricanes | Darmstadt Diamonds |
| 2006 | Kiel Baltic Hurricanes | Weinheim Longhorns |
| 2007 | Hamburg Eagles | Munich Cowboys |
| 2008 | Assindia Cardinals | Plattling Black Hawks |
| 2009 | Berlin Rebels | Franken Knights |
| 2010 | Mönchengladbach Mavericks | Saarland Hurricanes |
| 2011 | Hamburg Blue Devils | Franken Knights |
| 2012 | Cologne Falcons | Allgäu Comets |
| 2013 | Bielefeld Bulldogs | Allgäu Comets |
| 2014 | Hamburg Huskies | Kirchdorf Wildcats |
| 2015 | Hildesheim Invaders | Frankfurt Universe |
| 2016 | Cologne Crocodiles | Ingolstadt Dukes |
| 2017 | Potsdam Royals | Kirchdorf Wildcats |
| 2018 | Düsseldorf Panther | Ravensburg Razorbacks |
| 2019 | Elmshorn Fighting Pirates | Ravensburg Razorbacks |
| 2021 | Berlin Adler | Straubing Spiders |
| 2022 | Paderborn Dolphins | Ingolstadt Dukes |
| 2023 | Hildesheim Invaders | Kirchdorf Wildcats |
| 2024 | Düsseldorf Panther | Pforzheim Wilddogs |