American Football: edit← Previous revisionRevision as of 04:35, 4 November 2026 Line 121: Line 121: :{{Main|American Football Ireland}} :{{Main|American Football Ireland}} American football was first played on the island of Ireland in the 1940s by United States servicemen stationed in Northern Ireland during [[World War II]].{{cite web |title=Pre-1984 American Football Ireland |url=https://eirball.ie/pre-1984-american-football-ireland/ |website=Eirball.ie |date=13 January 2024 |access-date=2025-05-23}}{{cite web |title=European Theater of Operations Football Championship Northern Ireland Autumn 1942 |url=https://eirball.ie/european-theater-of-operations-football-championship-northern-ireland-autumn-1942/ |website=Eirball.ie |date=3 September 2021 |access-date=2025-05-23}}{{cite web |last=McQuaid |first=Michael |title=American football came to Northern Ireland for first time when soldiers played in Belfast during Second World War |url=https://www.irishstar.com/sport/other-sports/american-football-northern-ireland-belfast-31741170 |website=Irish Star |date=2023-12-26 |access-date=2025-05-24}}{{cite web |title=American football in Ulster during the Second World War |url=https://wartimeni.com/article/american-football/ |website=WartimeNI |access-date=2025-05-24}} Organised play among amateur local teams began in 1986.{{cite web |title=Irish American Football |url=https://eirball.ie/irish-american-football/ |website=Eirball.ie |date=17 December 2018 |access-date=2025-05-26}} Ireland is also host to an annual regular season [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] game, the [[College football in Ireland|Aer Lingus College Football Classic]], and in 2025 is due to host a game as part of the [[NFL International Series]]. American football was first played on the island of Ireland in the 1940s by United States servicemen stationed in Northern Ireland during [[World War II]].{{cite web |title=Pre-1984 American Football Ireland |url=https://eirball.ie/pre-1984-american-football-ireland/ |website=Eirball.ie |date=13 January 2024 |access-date=2025-05-23}}{{cite web |title=European Theater of Operations Football Championship Northern Ireland Autumn 1942 |url=https://eirball.ie/european-theater-of-operations-football-championship-northern-ireland-autumn-1942/ |website=Eirball.ie |date=3 September 2021 |access-date=2025-05-23}}{{cite web |last=McQuaid |first=Michael |title=American football came to Northern Ireland for first time when soldiers played in Belfast during Second World War |url=https://www.irishstar.com/sport/other-sports/american-football-northern-ireland-belfast-31741170 |website=Irish Star |date=2023-12-26 |access-date=2025-05-24}}{{cite web |title=American football in Ulster during the Second World War |url=https://wartimeni.com/article/american-football/ |website=WartimeNI |access-date=2025-05-24}} Organised play among amateur local teams began in 1986.{{cite web |title=Irish American Football |url=https://eirball.ie/irish-american-football/ |website=Eirball.ie |date=17 December 2018 |access-date=2025-05-26}} Ireland is also host to an annual regular season [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] game, the [[College football in Ireland|Aer Lingus College Football Classic]], and in 2025 was due to host a game as part of the [[NFL International Series]]. [[American Football Ireland]] (AFI), the governing body for the sport in Ireland, oversee league play among amateur teams from both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. As of 2025, full-contact senior men's football was being contested by 16 teams across two divisions, with the annual champion of the AFI Premier Division playoff being awarded the [[Shamrock Bowl]].{{cite web |title=2025 AFI Season Preview |url=https://gaelicgridiron.com/2025/02/19/2025-afi-season-preview/ |website=Gaelic Gridiron |date=2025-02-19 |access-date=2025-05-12}} AFI also organises developmental youth leagues, co-ed and women's [[flag football]] competitions,{{cite web |title=About Us / Mission Statement |url=https://www.americanfootball.ie/governance/about-us_mission-statement/ |website=American Football Ireland |access-date=2025-05-23}} as well as overseeing the Irish Wolfhounds national team which competes in [[International Federation of American Football]] (IFAF) competitions.{{cite web |title=American Football Ireland – Member Federation |url=https://www.americanfootball.sport/member-federations/27/631 |website=International Federation of American Football |access-date=2025-05-23}} [[American Football Ireland]] (AFI), the governing body for the sport in Ireland, oversee league play among amateur teams from both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. As of 2025, full-contact senior men's football was being contested by 16 teams across two divisions, with the annual champion of the AFI Premier Division playoff being awarded the [[Shamrock Bowl]].{{cite web |title=2025 AFI Season Preview |url=https://gaelicgridiron.com/2025/02/19/2025-afi-season-preview/ |website=Gaelic Gridiron |date=2025-02-19 |access-date=2025-05-12}} AFI also organises developmental youth leagues, co-ed and women's [[flag football]] competitions,{{cite web |title=About Us / Mission Statement |url=https://www.americanfootball.ie/governance/about-us_mission-statement/ |website=American Football Ireland |access-date=2025-05-23}} as well as overseeing the Irish Wolfhounds national team which competes in [[International Federation of American Football]] (IFAF) competitions.{{cite web |title=American Football Ireland – Member Federation |url=https://www.americanfootball.sport/member-federations/27/631 |website=International Federation of American Football |access-date=2025-05-23}}