Frequently Asked Questions

Game schedules are developed using a combination of competitive balance considerations, venue availability, travel considerations, and broadcast requirements.

Official assignments are made by our officiating department based on experience, performance ratings, geographical considerations, and to ensure no conflicts of interest. Playoff games receive our highest-rated officials.

Playoff tiebreakers follow a specific hierarchy starting with winning percentage, head-to-head record, followed by conference record, strength of victory, and strength of schedule. For detailed information, see our Tiebreaker Rules section.

An eligible player in the AFLE must be properly licensed and assigned to one of four roster categories: Homegrown, A-Import, I-Import, or E-Import. A-Import players are athletes who started their organized football careers in the United States, while I-Import players began their careers in the college systems of Canada, Mexico or Japan. Homegrown players are those who started their careers within a team's designated homegrown market, and E-Import players include all other international athletes. 'Starting a career' is defined as completing at least two seasons of organized tackle football activity.

Each AFLE team has a designated homegrown recruitment area. Rhein Fire and Berlin Thunder cover Germany; Vienna Vikings cover Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, and Serbia; Alpine Rams cover Switzerland and French border regions; Paris Lights cover France; and Wroclaw Panthers cover Poland, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.

The AFLE introduced the Spanish player solidarity rule as a temporary measure for the 2026 season to support players most affected by the current situation. Under this rule, each franchise may sign up to three players from Spain as homegrown players. The purpose is to give those athletes a fair opportunity to continue competing in European football this season, while also protecting competitive balance by limiting the number of eligible players per franchise. This rule applies only for the 2026 season.

Each team may carry a maximum roster of 65 players during the season. From this group, 53 players can be designated to the active roster. On gameday, teams may dress 48 players, plus up to two additional Homegrown players under the age of 21. This structure balances competitive depth with opportunities for developing local talent.

AFLE teams may sign players across four roster categories: Homegrown, A-Import, I-Import, and E-Import. Each team may roster up to 4 A-Import players, 1 I-Import player, and 9 E-Import players. In addition, a maximum of two A-Import players may be on the field at the same time during play. These limits are designed to maintain competitive balance while ensuring strong development opportunities for homegrown players.

AFLE games primarily follow the rules of the National Football League, including quarter length and core playing rules. The league aims to provide a familiar and widely recognized ruleset so fans, players, and officials can easily follow the game. One exception is overtime, where AFLE uses the format of NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football. A full AFLE rulebook will be made available on the league website in the future.

AFLE uses the same overtime format as NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football. If the score is tied at the end of regulation, teams alternate offensive possessions starting at the opponent’s 25-yard line. Beginning with the second overtime, teams must attempt a two-point conversion after a touchdown. From the third overtime onward, teams run alternating two-point conversion attempts until a winner is determined.

Our replay system uses multiple camera angles and advanced technology to review close calls. Replay officials review plays in real-time and communicate decisions to on-field officials within specified time limits.

Yes, the AFLE will deliver comprehensive live statistics in cooperation with Stats Perform. Fans, teams, and media will have access to low-latency play-by-play data as well as detailed game and season statistics, with career statistics planned for future development. The statistics program is supervised by Head of Statistics Dr. Nils Rosjat to ensure consistent quality standards, data accuracy, and ongoing analytics improvements.

Player safety is a top priority for the AFLE. Trained head-injury spotters monitor games at the sideline to identify potential concussions, while the league schedule includes two bye weeks oer team to support adequate recovery. The AFLE continuously reviews rules and risk-management procedures based on current research and medical insights. In addition, the medical commission led by Dr. Hans-Olaf Baack works closely with the league's officiating department to implement and enforce player-safety standards.