The 2026 Peace Deal in Sight
European football just woke up to one of those headlines that make you sit up a little straighter:
“EFA and ELF working toward reunification for 2026.”
If you’ve followed the chaos of the last two years, you know this isn’t just news — it’s a potential plot twist worthy of a Netflix sports documentary.
But before we roll out the red carpet for a happy ending, let’s rewind and clarify what this is really about.
First, What the EFA Actually Is (and Isn’t)
Let’s drop the confusion:
This has nothing to do with national federations, grassroots structures, or some multi-layered European governance system.
The EFA — the European Football Association — was essentially a breakaway group of ELF teams. Eleven of them, to be precise, who collectively felt:
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mismanaged,
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ignored,
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unfairly treated,
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financially endangered,
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or simply tired of the entire circus.
So they broke away.
And then — because 2024/2025 was apparently the golden era of fragmentation — another breakaway happened, forming what the world now lovingly calls the Lumsden League.
In short:
European elite football was less “united ecosystem” and more “rock band in the middle of a messy divorce, arguing over who gets the tour bus.”
Fast-Forward to Today: The EFA Is Signalling Peace
Against all odds, the EFA now appears to be extending an olive branch.
There’s talk of real cooperation, real structure, real reunification.
But the return of the ELF hinges on one gigantic condition:
The ELF — and especially Zeljko Karaijca — must fulfill every single requirement laid out by the EFA.
And those requirements aren’t small.
The To-Do List for the ELF Is… Extensive
If the ELF wants to be part of 2026 again, it needs to rebuild almost everything from scratch. Here’s the short version:
1. Settle the outstanding debts
No league can move forward while buried under financial ghosts of the past. Bills must be paid, people must be compensated, promises must be honoured.
2. Bring back the “lost crew”
Players, coaches, GMs, doctors, media teams, photographers (hi 👋), league staff — many left because the environment became unstable.
Reunification means convincing them the ship is no longer sinking.
3. Get the referees back in the room
The officiating crews were among the first to lose trust. Without them, you don’t have a league. You barely have a scrimmage.
4. Rebuild trust through transparency
The ELF doesn’t just need a facelift — it needs major spine surgery.
Communication must be:
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open,
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honest,
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consistent,
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and verifiable.
5. Register the correct CEO. Seriously.
This one is embarrassingly simple:
Ingo Schiller must finally be the legally registered CEO.
Not “kind of,” not “in practice,” not “in the press release.”
Legally. Officially. Publicly.
Because right now, corporate records still show Karaijca as CEO.
No serious reunification can happen while the official leadership structure looks like a haunted house.
If — and Only If — All This Happens, Reunification Is Possible
If the ELF completes all requirements, the door opens for the league to return in 2026.
But that’s only the beginning.
Because after that, you still have to:
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reattach the referee program,
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bring players back into a stable environment,
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rebuild league office operations,
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convince sponsors,
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convince stadiums,
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convince fans,
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and convince the entire European football community that this time the chaos won’t return by Week 4.
It’s a huge mountain to climb. But at least the path is visible now.
Look — as someone who has lived this sport from the sideline, with a camera in hand and mud on my shoes, I want this to succeed. A united structure is desperately needed. Everyone deserves stability. And the sport deserves a stage that isn’t constantly overshadowed by crisis statements. But I’m still skeptical — respectfully skeptical. Why? Because trust doesn’t grow back like grass after rain. It has to be earned, carefully and visibly. If the ELF manages to: pay its debts, fix its leadership, rebuild trust, welcome back teams and staff, and cooperate with the EFA in good faith… …then yes, 2026 could mark the beginning of something genuinely powerful for American Football in Europe. But until then? I’m hopeful — just not naive. Optimistic — but not blind. Cheering — but still double-checking the official CEO registry. The sport deserves unity. It deserves peace. And it deserves leadership that finally gets its act together. Let’s hope 2026 becomes the year everyone pulls in the same direction — for once.
If the ELF completes all requirements, the door opens for the league to return in 2026.
But that’s only the beginning.
Because after that, you still have to:
-
reattach the referee program,
-
bring players back into a stable environment,
-
rebuild league office operations,
-
convince sponsors,
-
convince stadiums,
-
convince fans,
-
and convince the entire European football community that this time the chaos won’t return by Week 4.
It’s a huge mountain to climb. But at least the path is visible now.
