British American Football Association

Governing body for American football in the United Kingdom

British American Football Association
Formation	1985
Headquarters	Kidderminster, Worcestershire, England
Chairman	Nichole McCulloch
Key people	Ian Deakin, Bruce Leatherman, Pete Ackerley, Richard Watson, Kenny Bello, Ian Deakin, Heather Smith.
Website	http://www.britishamericanfootball.org/

The British American Football Association (BAFA) is the national governing body for the sport of American football and non-contact Flag football in the United Kingdom since 1985. It is affiliated to the International Federation of American Football (IFAF). In 2010, they formed the BAFA National Leagues as the country's primary competition for contact football. Their flagship event is the annual Britbowl which is competed by the top two sides of the BAFANL Premier Divisions.

In 2023 the organization began a partnership with the National Football League to promote flag football. The partnership will "accelerate the delivery and participation of Flag Football at all levels of the game."

Competitions

Adult

League	Code	Teams	Participants	Notes
BAFA National Leagues (BAFANL)	Adult Contact Football	70	Men/Women 18+	Winning teams play in the Britbowl
National Women's Football League (NWFL)	Women's Contact Football	17	Women 18+
British Universities American Football League (BUAFL)	Adult Contact Football	81	University Students 18+
National Flag Football League	Adult Flag Football	60	Men/Women 16+
Women's National Flag Football League	Women's Flag Football	15	Women/Female University Students 18+	League features both Club and University sides

Youth

League	Code	Teams	Participants	Notes
U19's League	Youth Contact Football	38	Youths 16–19	Winning teams play in the Junior Britbowl
U16's League	Youth Contact Football	41	Youths 13–16	Winning teams play in the Junior Britbowl
U17's Flag League	Youth Flag Football	14	Youths 14–17
U14's Flag League	Youth Flag Football	20	Youths 11–14

2021 BAFA National Youth Flag finals

Under 14s
South Coast Spitfires	44	20	Leicester Huntsmen

Under 17s
South Coast Spitfires	20	18	Coventry Cougars

Final standings

2021 Standings
U14s	U17s
1. South Coast Spitfires	1. South Coast Spitfires
2. Leicester Huntsmen	2. Coventry Cougars
3. Chorley Buccaneers Cutlasses	3. Waveney Wolves
4. London Blitz	4. South London Renegades
5. Nuneaton Jaguars	5. Nuneaton Jaguars
6. Solent Red Storm	6. Brighton & Hove Scorpions
7. Houghton Bears
8. Chorley Buccaneers Blades

Member bodies

Current

BAFCA (British American Football Coaches Association)
BAFRA (British American Football Referees Association)
BUAFL (British Universities American Football League)

Defunct

BAFL (British American Football League) - split from BAFA in 2010, and ceased operations in the same year.
BYAFA (British Youth American Football Association) - dissolved 2007 and merged into BAFL
BSAFA (British Students American Football Association) - Disaffiliated 2007 leading to the foundation, by BAFA, of the BUAFL.
SGA (Scottish Gridiron Association)

Boards of directors

Role	Name
Chairman	Nichole McCulloch
Senior Non-Executive Director	Ian Deakin
Chief Executive Officer	Pete Ackerley
Director	Bruce Leatherman
Director	Richard Watson
Non-Executive Director	Colin Allen
Non-Executive Director	Kenny Bello
Non-Executive Director	Heather Smith

References

^ "NFL, British American Football Association announce strategic partnership". National FootballLeague. 27 June 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
"Adult Contact – British American Football".
"Women's Contact – British American Football".
"University Football (BUCS) – British American Football".
"Adult Flag – British American Football".
"Women's Flag – British American Football".
^ "Youth Contact – British American Football".
^ "Youth Flag Finals 2021 – British American Football".
"South Coast Spitfires at the double at 2021 Youth Flag National Finals – British American Football".
"What is BAFA? – British American Football".

External links

American football in the United Kingdom

BAFANL Premier League

Premier Division North	East Kilbride Pirates Edinburgh Wolves Leicester Panthers Manchester Titans Merseyside Nighthawks Tamworth Phoenix
Premier Division South	Bristol Aztecs Cambridgeshire Cats Kent Exiles London Blitz London Warriors Solent Thrashers

BAFANL Division 1

NFC 1 Scotland	Aberdeen Roughnecks Clyde Valley Blackhawks Dunfermline Kings Glasgow Tigers Inverclyde Goliaths Highland Stags
NFC 1 Central	Darlington Steam Halton Spartans Lancashire Wolverines Northumberland Vikings Scunthorpe Alphas Yorkshire Rams
NFC 1 South	Birmingham Bulls Chester Romans Northants Knights Nottingham Caesars Sandwell Steelers Sheffield Giants
SFC West 1	Bournemouth Bobcats Bristol Apache Hertfordshire Cheetahs Oxford Saints Rushmoor Knights South Wales Warriors
SFC East 1	Essex Spartans London Blitz B London Hornets London Olympians Norwich Devils Wembley Stallions

BAFANL Division 2

NFC 2 West	Crewe Railroaders Leigh Miners Lincolnshire Bombers Shropshire Revolution Staffordshire Surge
NFC 2 East	DC Presidents Doncaster Mustangs Gateshead Senators Humber Warhawks Wakefield District Raiders
SFC 2 West	Cornwall Monarchs Portsmouth Dreadnoughts Somerset Wyverns Torbay Trojans
SFC 2 Central	Berkshire Renegades Hereford Stampede Ouse Valley Eagles Swindon Storm
SFC 2 East	Colchester Gladiators East Essex Sabres East Kent Mavericks Ipswich Cardinals Sussex Thunder

Associate Teams

Cumbria Wildcats
Rossendale Raiders
South East Squadron
South Lincolnshire Lightning
Yorkshire Bobcats
Worcestershire Black Knights

Exhibition Teams

Sealand Seahawks
The Thundering Herd

Defunct/Inactive Teams

National Football League in the UK: NFL International Series; American Bowl; London Monarchs; Scottish Claymores; Potential London NFL franchise

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