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As of this summer, Switzerland has its first American football team that plays at international level.
Football fans are trying again to establish the US national sport in Europe. The “European League of Football” has existed since 2021. In the 3rd ELF season, a Swiss team will be there for the first time: the Helvetic Guards.
The guards do not want to appear more papal than the pope. According to General Manager Toni Zöller, the inaugural season is about gaining a foothold in the league. Nevertheless, the team trained by the American Norm Chow does not just want to be cannon fodder in the 17-team league: “We have made great progress. We have excellent young men who always give their all. That’s all we can ask for.”
Under American leadership
The 77-year-old Chow has many years of experience as a head coach and offensive coordinator at various US universities. His extended arm on the field is quarterback Collin Hill. The 25-year-old tried his hand at the Cincinnati Bengals in 2021 but failed to make the cut there.
Standing out on defense is linebacker JR Tavai, who once played 4 games for the Tennessee Titans. However, three quarters of the 60-man squad are Swiss, including numerous national players.
From Hamburg to the Guards
Tim Hänni is also a national player. The defensive tackle has already sniffed ELF air with the Hamburg Sea Devils and has been with the guards since this season. “It’s different from Hamburg, you can speak Swiss German with most of them. What is also special is that we are a completely new franchise,” says the 26-year-old. For him it is still too early to make comparisons with Hamburg, but thinks: “We can certainly compete with them.”
What is happening to the NLA?
The poaching of previous NLA players has not only caused joy at their regular clubs. On the other hand, the semi-professional environment of the ELF offers the existing amateur players opportunities to earn money for the first time, which in turn could attract more youngsters to the clubs.
Regular season with 12 games
The Helvetic Guards play their home games in the stadium of the Challenge League club FC Wil. In the ELF they are divided into the Central Conference and will meet the Barcelona Dragons, the Milano Seamen, the Munich Ravens, the Stuttgart Surge and the Raiders Tirol twice in the next three months in the regular season.
There are also two encounters with the Rhine Fire from Duisburg, who play in the Western Conference. 6 teams (3 conference winners, 3 wildcard teams) move into the playoffs.