List Of American And Canadian Football Leagues

Leagues in North America

Current professional leagues in North America

Professional outdoor leagues

Major:

National Football League (NFL), 1920–

Originally American Professional Football Association (1920–1921)

Merged with the All-America Football Conference (1946-1949) and with the American Football League (1960–69)

Canadian Football League (CFL), 1958–

Formed from Interprovincial Rugby Football Union (1909) and Western Interprovincial Football Union (1936).

Grey Cup Canadian Football Championships since 1909

Minor:

Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional (LFA), 2016–2020; 2022–
United Football League (UFL), 2024–

Formed from merger of XFL (2020) and United States Football League (2022)

Professional arena/indoor leagues

Arena Football League (AFL), 1987–2008, 2010–2019, 2024–
American Indoor Football (AIF), 2005–2010, 2012–2016, 2024-
Indoor Football League (IFL), 2009–

Formed from Intense Football League (2004) and United Indoor Football (2005)

National Arena League (NAL), 2017–
Great Lakes Arena Football (GLAF), 2023–

Originally Great Lakes Arena Alliance (2023)

United Indoor Football Association (UIFA), 2023–

Originally United Indoor Football League (2023)

The Arena League (TAL), 2024

Current Developmental leagues

Gridiron Developmental Football League, 2010–
Rivals Professional Football League, 2015–

Current semi-pro/amateur leagues

Chicagoland Football League, 1917–1934, 2005–
Northern Football Conference, 1954–
Eastern Football League, 1961–
Empire Football League, 1969–
Mason-Dixon Football League, 1978–
Alberta Football League, 1984–
The Minor Football League, 1993–
New England Football League, 1994–
National Public Safety Football League, 1997–
Rocky Mountain Football League, 1997–
MidStates Football League, 1999–
Maritime Football League, 2001–
The Pacific Coast Football League, 2006–
Florida Football Alliance, 2007–
East Coast Football Association, 2007–
Northern Elite Football League, 2008–
Atlantic Coast Football Alliance, 2009–
Texas United Football Association, 2010–
Amateur to Professional Developmental Football League, 2012–
American 7s Football League, 2014–
Puerto Rico American Football League, 2014–
Atlantic Football Association, 2014–
Florida Champion Football League, 2017–
Cactus Football League, 2018–
North Louisiana Football Alliance, 2019–
Southern Elite Football League, 2021–
Mid-West United Football league, 2021–
Heartland Football Association, 2022–

Current Flag football leagues

Pro

American Flag Football League, 2018–

Other

National Gay Flag Football League, 2002–
DC Gay Flag Football League, 2009–

Current Collegiate or Junior 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–
U Sports, 1961–
Quebec Junior Football League, 1970–
Canadian Junior Football League, 1974–
Organización Nacional Estudiantil de Fútbol Americano, 1978–
Atlantic Football League, 2009–
Intercollegiate Club Football Federation, 2010–
National Club Football Association, 2010–
Hohokam Junior College Athletic Conference, 2019–

Current women's leagues

Outdoor leagues

Women's Football Alliance, 2009–
United States Women's Football League, 2010–
Western Women's Canadian Football League, 2011–
Utah Girls Tackle Football League, 2015–
Women's National Football Conference, 2019–
Central Canadian Women's Football League, 2022–

Women's Indoor/Arena leagues

National Football Confederacy, 2024-
X League, 2009–

Operated as the Lingerie Football League from 2009 to 2012 and then as the Legends Football League from 2013 to 2019.

Women's Arena Football League, 2012–

Planned leagues in North America

International Football Alliance (IFA), 2025
American Spring Football League (ASFL), proposed to begin in 2024
Major League Football (MLF), proposed to begin in 2024
Major League Football (MLFB), TBD (cancelled seasons in 2016 and 2022)
American Patriot League (APL), TBD

Historical leagues in North America

Major outdoor leagues

The following leagues partly or fully merged with NFL:

All-America Football Conference, 1946–1949
American Football League, 1960–1969

Other notable major outdoor leagues:

Western Pennsylvania Professional Football Circuit, 1892–1905
National Football League, 1902
Ohio Independent Championship (Ohio League), 1903–1919
Interprovincial Rugby Football Union, 1907–1959
New York Pro Football League, c. 1913–1920
American Football League, 1926, 1936–1937, and 1940–1941 (all unrelated, three separate leagues)
California Winter League, 1927–1928
Western Interprovincial Football Union, 1936–1960
United States Football League, 1945 (Never played)
Trans-America Football League , 1945 (Never played)
World Football League, 1974–1975
United States Football League, 1983–1985

Minor outdoor leagues

Wilmington Football League (1922–1925, 1929–1935, 1940–1941, 1946–1955)
Anthracite League (1924)
Ohio Valley League, 1925–1929
Eastern League of Professional Football (1926)
Pacific Coast League, 1926
Eastern League of Professional Football, 1926–1927
Anthracite League, 1928–1929
Eastern Football League, 1932–1933

Became Interstate Football League in 1933

Greater New York League, 1934–1935

Originally the New Jersey Football Circuit (1934)

American Football League, 1934
American Legion League, 1934–1935
Northwest Football League, 1935–1938
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 1946–1950
New England Football League, 1936
Virginia-Carolina Football League, 1937
California Football League, 1938
Eastern Pennsylvania Football League, 1938
American Football League, 1938–1939
Pacific Coast Professional Football League, 1940–1948
Northeast Football League, 1940–1942
Northwest War Industries Football League, 1942
Eastern Football League, 1944
American Football League, 1944
Virginia Negro League, 1946
Central States Football League, 1948–1953
Pacific Football Conference, 1957–1958
American Football Conference, 1959–1961

Low-level fall league that was fully organized in September 1959 with five independent teams who played the other teams sporadically. The original teams were Duquesne Ironmen (Pennsylvania), Melvindale Redskins (Michigan), Toledo Tornadoes, Dayton Triangles (Ohio) and Newark Rams (New Jersey). Players were from both pro and college teams. Teams also end up play in Sarnia, Zaneville (Ohio Colts), Port Huron and Detroit, while Toledo Tornadoes leave for the larger United Football League (1961–1964).