British American Football Association
Governing body for American football in the United Kingdom
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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.
 | |
| 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 | britishamericanfootball.org |
In 2023 the organization began a partnership with the National Football League to promote flag football.[1] The partnership will "accelerate the delivery and participation of Flag Football at all levels of the game."[1]
Competitions
Adult
| League | Code | Teams | Participants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BAFA National Leagues (BAFANL) | Adult Contact Football | 70 | Men/Women 18+ | Winning teams play in the Britbowl[2] |
| National Women's Football League (NWFL) | Women's Contact Football | 17 | Women 18+ | [3] |
| British Universities American Football League (BUAFL) | Adult Contact Football | 81 | University Students 18+ | [4] |
| National Flag Football League | Adult Flag Football | 75 | Men/Women 16+ | [5] |
| Women's Flag Football League | Women's Flag Football | 17 | Women/Female University Students 18+ | League features both Club and University sides[6] |
Youth
| League | Code | Teams | Participants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U19's League | Youth Contact Football | 38 | Youths 16–19 | Winning teams play in the Junior Britbowl[7] |
| U16's League | Youth Contact Football | 41 | Youths 13–16 | Winning teams play in the Junior Britbowl[7] |
| U17's Flag League | Youth Flag Football | 22 (2025) | Youths 14–16 | [8] |
| U14's Flag League | Youth Flag Football | 25 (2025) | Youths 11–13 | [8] |
| U11's Flag League | Youth Flag Football | 22 (2025) | Youths 8–12 | [8] |
2025 BAFA National Youth Flag finals
| South Coast Spitfires (Red) | 19 | 47 | Lancashire Bombers |
| Glasgow Hornets | 18 | 27 | Northants Ducks (Black) |
| Fruit Bats (Red) | 33 | 7 | Northants Ducks (Black) |
Final standings
| U17s | U14s | U11s |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lancashire Bombers | 1. Northants Ducks (Black) | 1. Fruit Bats (Red) |
| 2. South Coast Spitfires (Red) | 2. Glasgow Hornets | 2. Northants Ducks (Black) |
| 3. Hinchinbrooke Hunters | 3. Solent Red Storm | 3. Solent Red Storm |
| 4. Fife Allstars | 4. Nuneaton Jaguars | 4. South Coast Spitfires |
| 5. Kent Exiles | 5. Fruit Bats (Red) | 5. Burnley Tornadoes |
| 6. Burnley Tornadoes | 6. South Coast Spitfires (Red) | 6. Sheffield Giants |
Member bodies
Current
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 |