About US

History

The Schweizerische American Football Verband (SAFV) is the umbrella organization for tackle and flag football in Switzerland. It is a member of the Swiss Olympic Association and the International Federation of American Football (IFAF). 

The SAFV was founded on December 26, 1982 as the Swiss Football League in Lugano. The first president, Massimo Monti, was a former player of a Milan team and at the same time founder of the now defunct Lugano Seagulls. At first, the Seagulls played only against Italian teams. But with the creation of other clubs in Switzerland, the first Swiss championship with eight teams took place in 1986. A year later, the association was renamed the Schweizerische American Football Verband. 1987 was also the first year that Swiss clubs participated in European competitions. Two years later, in 1989, the SAFV was accepted as a member by the Swiss Olympic Association.

In 2003, SAFV became a member of EFAF, the former European American Football Federation, and IFAF (the world governing body).

In 2012, the Calanda Broncos were the first Swiss team to win the biggest European American football competition (at that time the EFL). Due to the dissolution of the EFAF in 2014, the SAFV joined the new European American Football Federation, the IFAF, for the 2015 season.

Today the SAFV has approximately 2’500 licensed players, coaches, referees and team personnel and supports a variety of categories; tackle, flag and youth.