According to Commissioner Patrick Esume, via YouTube, starting with the Championship Game on Sunday, September 26th between the Frankfurt Galaxy and the Hamburg Sea Devils, the European League of Football will use instant replay.
It will be like in the NFL, coaches will be able to challenge calls twice a game, except in the final 2 minutes, where the booth will have control over what gets another look.
The YouTube announcement also proved that the league will be expanding in the 2022 season.
“For next season we will have at least 12 teams, maybe 14, maybe even 16. So we will be announcing some teams on Sunday, but we have time until the end of November, we can finally close those negotiations with the new franchises, and then make the new schedule. So that we will be finished by Christmas with the new schedule for 2022.”
Patrick Esume
One of the hints they gave was that one of the new teams was NOT going to be in Germany, which is where 5 of the current 8 teams are but will be a different country. Austria has been in the discussions, as the Vienna Vikings have publicly shown interest. But so have many other franchises.
The league is planning a pre-game party for fans who are able to attend the Final at Merku Speil-Arena in Dusseldorf, Germany. If you want to, and can, there are 25,000 tickets being sold right now at this link, but very few are left.
The venue also has a statement that those who do attend should note:
** Please note that the tickets are personalized and that the visitor’s name is requested in the booking process **Information about the event At our events, it is mandatory to wear a medical mask. The 3G rule also applies to sporting events. So visitors must provide proof of full vaccination, proven recovery, or a valid test result. You must also bring a valid identification document (ID card or passport) with you to the event. You can also find all valid rules and regulations in the Infection Protection Ordinance of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia. Please inform yourself about the currently valid regulations before your visit . Entry: 1:00 p.m. Kick-Off: 2:45 p.m.
