Inter Miami II – Columbus Crew II
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WLAF
The WLAF, or World League of American Football, is one of the shortest-existed leagues in American football. It was launched in 1990 with the support of the National Football League as a promotion project overseas. The league united 10 countries in North America and Europe. The organizational committee planned to connect the Asian countries, too.
The league used most NFL rules, but some of them were unique. For example, it prioritized the field goals. At least one non-US representative must participate in the series of downs. Before implementing it in the NFL, WLAF was also a testbed for new rules. Such an example is the two-point conversion, which appeared in NFL only in 1994.
Historical review
Ten teams played a 10-week regular season divided into three divisions. Two of them were North American East and West, and the third was the European one. Winners of the divisions emerged in the semifinals with the best non-divisional record. The winners of two games competed in the World Bowl. This decisive game was held in a predetermined place like the current Super Bowl.
The European teams dominated in these competitions. They collected 24-6 overall record, while Raleigh-Durham lost all their matches. The best NA teams resulted in 5-5 regular season record. The 1991 final in London was pan-European as the local team competed with Barcelona and won the title. The second World Bowl in Montreal was pan-American. Sacramento Surge won in the game against Orlando Thunder. But the factors listed above, plus NFL popularity in the US, limited the attendance and interest in the competitions. The television coverage was available only on USA Network, with no international broadcasts. Thus, the European viewers who couldn’t attend the stadium couldn’t see the game.
The league needed two years for reformatting. Three existing European teams got new rivals from Amsterdam, Dusseldorf and Edinburgh. After the 1997 season, the league management considered that the exclusive European format required rebranding. The management has chosen the name NFL Europa. This format has functionated till 2007. You can read more in the article NFL Europa on Gambroo.