| Czech League of American Football (Česká Liga Amerického Fotbalu) | |
| Pixels: | 200px |
| Sport: | American football |
| Inaugural: | 1994 |
| Teams: | 26 (6 in Division 1, 5 in Division 2, 8 in Division 3, and 7 in Division 4) |
| Champion: | Nitra Knights |
| Most Champs: | Prague Black Panthers (18 titles) |
| Website: | CAAF Online |
| Ceo: | Lukas Baros |
| Founder: | Czech American Football Association (ČAAF) |
The Czech League of American Football (ČLAF) (cs|Česká Liga Amerického Fotbalu), known as the Snapbacks liga for sponsorship reasons,[1] is a national American football competition in the Czech Republic. First held in 1994, it is organised by the Czech American Football Association (ČAAF).
Next to the "Paddock League" which is the first Division in Czech American Football there is in 2019; 5 more Divisions in Men's and 1 Division in Ladies' Football. The Trnava Bulldogs (from Trnava in Slovakia) are the only non-Czech participant in 2019.
| League | year | Teams | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paddock League[2] | 2019 | Příbram Bobcats, Prague Lions, Trnava Bulldogs (SK), Ostrava Steelers, Pardubice Stallions, Ústí nad Labem Blades | |
| Division 2 | 2019 | Prague Hippos, Pilsen Patriots, Brno Sígrs, Přerov Mammoths, Brno Alligators, Příbram Bobcats, | |
| Division 3 – North | 2019 | Hradec Králové Dragons, Prague Mustangs, Liberec Titans, Trutnov Rangers | |
| Division 3 – South | 2019 | Přerov Mammoths, Vysočina Gladiators, Budweis Hellboys, East Bohemia Bucks | |
| Division 4 – West | 2019 | Prague Black Panthers 2, Teplice Nordians, Tabor Foxes | |
| Division 4 – East | 2019 | Brno Sígrs 2, Šumperk Dietos, Třinec Sharks, Zlín Golems | |
| Women's | 2017 | Brno Amazons, Prague Black Cats, Prague Harpies |
Divisions 1 and 2 uses a round-robin tournament system. Similar to Divisions 1 and 2, Division 3 also uses a same round-robin tournament system.
A semifinal bracket as follows 1. vs 4. and 2. vs 3., deciding the semifinals winners advanced into the finals. Whoever wins the semifinals, the team must advanced into the championship game, the Czech Bowl. Divisions 2 and 3 also has the final game, the Silver Bowl and the Bronze Bowl respectively, while Division 4 has the same championship game, the Iron Bowl, as the ČAAF does that.
In ČLAF A, a team must have 12 minutes, 10 minutes in ČLAF B and 4x8 minutes in ČLAF C. All games use the International Federation of American Football[3] rule book.
The Czech Bowl is the national American football game of the Czech Republic, where it had been held since 1995 after the Prague Panthers won the regular season championship when it swept the said season in 1994, the year the Czech Bowl was not held.
| Bowl | Year | Champion | Runner-up | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | 1994 | — | — | ||
| II | 1995 | 55–22 | |||
| III | 1996 | 48–30 | |||
| IV | 1997 | 35-21 | |||
| V | 1998 | 29–8 | |||
| VI | 1999 | 38–0 | |||
| VII | 2000 | 15–13 | |||
| VIII | 2001 | 35–13 | |||
| IX | 2002 | 52–14 | |||
| X | 2003 | 23–14 | |||
| XI | 2004 | 13–3 | |||
| XII | 2005 | 24–9 | |||
| XIII | 2006 | 38–21 | |||
| XIV | 2007 | 28–13 | |||
| XV | 2008 | 24–14 | |||
| XVI | 2009 | 24–14 | |||
| XVII | 2010 | 74–0 | |||
| XVIII | 2011 | 32–31 | |||
| XIX | 2012 | 35–34 | |||
| XX | 2013 | 48–9 | |||
| XXI | 2014 | 40–0 | |||
| XXII | 2015 | 52–13[4] | |||
| XXIII | 2016 | 10–9[5] | |||
| XXIV | 2017 | 28–0[6] | |||
| XXV | 2018 | 30–7[7] | |||
| XXVI | 2019 | 29–23[8] | |||
| XXVII | 2020 | Season canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic | |||
| XXVIII | 2021 | 23–0 | |||
| XXIX | 2022 | 35–29 | |||
| XXX | 2023 | 42–28 | |||
| XXXI | 2024 | 35–28 | |||
| Rank | Team | Titles | Participations | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18 | 1994–1996, 1999–2003, 2007–2010, 2013–2018 | 23 | 1995–2005, 2007–2018 | ||
| 2 | 6 | 1998, 2004–2006, 2019, 2022 | 15 | 1995, 1998–2000, 2003–2009, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021 | ||
| 3 | 2 | 2011, 2012 | 3 | 2010–2012 | ||
| 4 | 2 | 2021, 2023 | 3 | 2021–2023 | ||
| 5 | 1 | 1997 | 5 | 1996, 1997, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023 | ||
| 6 | 1 | 2024 | 1 | 2024 | ||
| 7 | 0 | – | 2 | 2014, 2015 | ||
| 7 | 0 | – | 2 | 2001, 2002 | ||
| 9 | 0 | – | 1 | 2006 | ||
| 9 | 0 | – | 1 | 2024 | ||
| Team | Times | Years | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3x | 2010–2011, 2015 | ||
| 3x | 2006-2007, 2017 | ||
| 1x | 2018 | ||
| 1x | Budweis Hellboys | 2012 | |
| 1x | Brno Sígrs | 2016 |
| Team | Times | Years | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3x | Bílovice Sígrs | 2012, 2014-2015 | |
| 1x | 2016 | ||
| 1x | Přerov Mammoths | 2017 |
| Team | Times | Years | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1x | 2015 | ||
| 1x | Vysočina Gladiators | 2016 |
| Team | Times | Years | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1x | Prague Black Cats | 2015 | |
| 1x | Brno Amazons | 2016 |