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Hungary

The history of American football in Hungary dates back to 1992 when enthusiastic young people started to play the game in a few groups.  These groups joined each other through the years, and became one team, the Budapest Cowboys.  Being the only Hungarian team, they could only play matches against foreign teams. The Cowboys ceased in 2000.

In 2003, in the Boxutca Restaurant, some of the Cowboys’ players and others interested in the sport gathered to follow the NFL matches via satellite broadcast.  Some of these people were Attila Árpa, Sándor Kovács, István Varga and Gábor Boda.  Some of them appeared at Sport 1 during the NFL broadcasts as experts.  In 2004 they founded the Budapest Wolves American Football team.  At the end f 2004 the Wolves boasted more than 45 players, and they started to play in the Austrian Divison II.


In August, 2005 there were six teams in Hungary, and the leaders agreed to organize the first Hungarian championship.  László Tóth joined them to help to coordinate the league and the organization and the first Hungarian championship started in October, 1, 2005 with four teams.  The final was held on November 19, 2005 in minus 5 degrees Celsius in front of 2,000 spectators, as the Wolves beat the Gladiators 46-0.

In January 2006, the Hungarian American Football Federation (MAFSZ) was founded officially and membership doubled as eight teams started the second season (Budapest Black Knights, Eger Heroes, Zala Predators, Szolnok Soldiers were the new ones).

In the spring of 2007, coach and referee training, plans for a junior cup, economic and developmental programs, sponsorship talks, works of mercy (e.g. nationwide blood-giving) and other PR events were initiated.  The number of teams rose from 2005’s four to 15, and almost 1,000 players were signed to the clubs.  The championship was divided to two divisions, consisting of six in the first and nine in the second.  MAFSZ became members of the European Federation of American Football (EFAF) in March, 2007 and MAFSZ’s delegation has taken part in two EFAF congresses.

In 2008 the Hungarian league kicked off with 18 teams and the number of signed players increased to 1,250 while in 2009 there were three divisions with 26 teams and more than 2,000 players.


Executive Committee:

President: Tóth László

Honorary President: Dámosy Zsolt

Vice President: Árpa Attila, Boda Gábor

Secretary: Mosolygó Róbert

President of Officiating Committee:  Udvardi Gyula

President of Competition Committee:  Fábián Krisztián

President of Coaching Committee:  Boda Gábor

Federation:   Magyarorszagi Amerikai Football Csapatok Scovetsege (MAFSZ)

Address:
1212 Budapest
Kossuth Lajos u. 30-46
Hungary

Website:   www.mafl.hu  

 

 

 

Quick Facts

  • The famous Rubik’s Cube was invented by Hungarian sculptor, Ernő Rubik
  • As of 2007, 13 Hungarians had received a Nobel prize
  • At the all time total medal count for Olympic Games, Hungary is 9th out of 211 nations, with a total of 465 medals

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