List of American and Canadian football leagues
This is a list of current and defunct leagues of American football and Canadian football.
Leagues in North America
Current professional leagues in North America
Professional outdoor leagues:- National Football League, 1920–
- Canadian Football League, 1909–
- Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional, 2016-
- Indoor Football League, 2009–
- Champions Indoor Football, 2015–
- National Arena League, 2017–
- American Arena League, 2018–
- American West Football Conference, 2019–
Current semi-professional leagues
- Chicagoland Football League, 1917–1934, 2005-
- Empire Football League, 1969–
- , 1978-
- , 1993-
- New England Football League, 1994–
- , 1997-
- , 1997–
- , 1999-
- , 2006-
- Florida Football Alliance, 2007–
- , 2008-
- Atlantic Coast Football Alliance, 2009–
- , 2012–
- American 7s Football League, 2014–
- XFL, 2020–
Developmental leagues
- Gridiron Developmental Football League, 2010–
- Rivals Professional Football League, 2015–
- The Spring League, 2017–
- Your Call Football, 2018–
Collegiate and amateur leagues
- National Collegiate Athletic Association, 1906–
- National Federation of State High School Associations, 1920–
- California Community College Athletic Association, 1929–
- Collegiate Sprint Football League, 1934–
- National Junior College Athletic Association, 1938–
- National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, 1940–
- , 2010–
- , 2010–
- , 2019 -
Current Women's Leagues
- Women's Football Alliance, 2009–
- United States Women's Football League, 2010–
- Women's National Football Conference, 2019–
Women's Indoor/Arena leagues
- Legends Football League, 2009–
- Women's Arena Football League, 2012–
Planned women’s leagues
- Women's Football League Association, 2021–
Planned leagues in North America
- National Gridiron League, proposed to begin in 2020
- Freedom Football League, proposed to begin in 2020
- Fan Controlled Football League, proposed to begin in 2020
- American Patriot League, proposed to begin in 2021
Historical leagues in North America
- Western Pennsylvania Professional Football Circuit, 1892–19406
- National Football League and the World Series of Pro Football, 1902–1903
- Ohio Independent Championship, 1903–19196
- New York Pro Football League, c. 1913–19206
- American Football League, 1926, 1936–1937, 1940–1941, and 1960–19692
- All-America Football Conference, 1946–19491
- World Football League, 1974–1975
- United States Football League, 1983–1985
- XFL, 2001
- United Football League, 2009–2012
- Alliance of American Football, 2019
- Anthracite League / Eastern League of Professional Football
- American Football League, 1934
- Midwest Football League, 1935–1937, became American Professional Football Association in 1938, American Football League in 1939
- Dixie League, 1936–1947 – originally South Atlantic Football Association
- American Association 1936–1941/American Football League 1946–19503
- American Football League, 1938–19394
- Pacific Coast Professional Football League, 1940–1948
- American Football League, 19445
- American Football Conference was a fall semi-professional football league that fully organized in September 1959 with five independent teams who played the other teams sporadically. The original teams were Duquesne Ironmen, Melvindale Redskins, Toledo Tornadoes, Dayton Triangles and Newark Rams. Players were from both pro and college teams. Teams also end up play in Sarnia, Zaneville, Port Huron and Detroit, while Toledo Tornadoes leave for the pro United Football League.
- United Football League, 1961–1964
- Atlantic Coast Football League, 1962–1971, 1973
- Continental Football League, 1965–1969
- North American Football League, 1965–1966
- Seaboard Football League, 1971–1974
- American Football Association, 1978–1983
- International Football League, 1984
- Professional Spring Football League, 1992
- Regional Football League, 1999
- International Football Federation, 2000
- Spring Football League, 2000
- United Football League, 2009–2012
- Stars Football League, 2011–2013
- Fall Experimental Football League, 2014–2015
- 1: Two teams now in NFL
- 2: Agreed to merger with the NFL in 1966, with merger completed in 1970
- 3: American Association suspended operations for duration of U.S. involvement in World War II; in 1946 the AA was renamed American Football League
- 4: Known as the American Professional Football Association in 1938; renamed American Football League in 1939; dissolution after 1939 season caused by formation of 1940–1941 AFL major league
- 5: Merged with PCPFL in 1945
- 6: Informal association of teams
- Arena Football League, 1987–2008, 2010–2019
- Professional Indoor Football League, 1998–2000
- Indoor Football League, 1999–2000
- Indoor Professional Football League, 1999–2001
- Arenafootball2, 2000–2009
- National Indoor Football League, 2001–2007
- American Professional Football League, 2003–2013
- Intense Football League, 2004–2008
- United Indoor Football, 2005–2008
- American Indoor Football, 2005–2010, 2012–2016
- Continental Indoor Football League, 2006–2014
- World Indoor Football League, 2007
- Southern Indoor Football League, 2008–2011
- Ultimate Indoor Football League, 2011–2014
- Lone Star Football League, 2012–2014
- Professional Indoor Football League, 2012–2015
- Champions Professional Indoor Football League, 2013–2014
- X-League Indoor Football, 2014–2015
- Texas Sixman Football League, 1999–2012
- Women's Professional Football League, 1999–2007
- National Women's Football Association, 2000–2008
- Women's American Football League, formed 2001, became the AFWL in 2002
- American Football Women's League, 2002
- Women's Football Association, 2002–2003
- Women's Football League, 2002–2007
Leagues outside North America
Current American football minor, semi professional and amateur leagues outside North America
Central and South America:- - CBFA Brasil Futebol Americano
- - FECOFA Federación Colombiana de Football Americano
- - LUFA
- - AFL Austrian Football League
- - BFL Belgian Football League
- - HFL Hrvatska Football Liga
- - CLAF Česká Liga Amerického Fotbalu
- - NL National Ligaen
- - VL Vaahteraliiga
- - LEFA Ligue Élite de Football Américain
- - GFL German Football League
- - HFL Hungarian Football League
- - IAFL Irish American Football League
- - FIDAF Prima Divisione FIDAF
- - AFBN AFBN Division One
- - PLFA Polish American Football League
- - LFA Liga Futbolu Amerykańskiego
- - LPFA Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Americano
- - CNFA Campionatul Naţional de Fotbal American
- - UAFR Russian American Football Championship
- - SLAF Slovenská futbalová liga
- - SNFL Slovenian Football League
- - NLS Nacionalna Liga Srbije
- - LNFA Liga Nacional de Fútbol Americano
- - Superserien
- - NLA Nationalliga A
- - NSFL Non Professional Swiss Romande American Football League
- - ULAF Super League
- - BAFANL BAFA National Leagues
- ///// - CEFL Central European Football League
- /// - EEAFC Eastern European American Football Cup
- - IFL Israel Football League
- - X-League
- - Korea American Football Association
- - ATFFP Philippine–American Football League
- - AFLC American Football League of China
- - Gridiron Australia
- - Australian Gridiron League
- - Ladies Gridiron League
- - New Zealand American Football Association
Defunct American football minor leagues around the world
- - Australian American Football League 1984–1998
- - Torneio Touchdown 2009–2015
- // - Continental Football League, 1965–1969
- //// Intercontinental Football League - Intended to begin play in 1975, folded before first game
- - BCAFL British Collegiate American Football League, 1985–2007
- - BAFL British American Football League, 1987–2010
- - ISAF Icelandic Society for American Football, 1988–1991
- ///// International League of American Football - Intended to begin play in 1990, folded before first game
- ///// World League of American Football/NFL Europe/NFL Europa, 1991–1992, 1995–2007
- ///// Football League of Europe, 1994-1995
- - National Gridiron League of Australia 1991–1995
- - BIG6 BIG6 European Football League
- - CL IFAF Europe Champions League
- - Philippine Tackle Football League
International American Football Leagues
- International Federation of American Football
Collegiate and amateur leagues
- - List of Japanese collegiate American football programs