02 September 2024 Kiki Klepsch
The Wildcard Weekend of the European League of Football 2024 is in the books, and the Vienna Vikings’ semifinal opponent has also been decided: On Saturday, September 7, the Viennese franchise will welcome the Paris Musketeers to the Generali Arena for a showdown. The French team defeated the Munich Ravens 40:37 in an entertaining football thriller last Saturday. In the second wildcard match-up on Sunday, Rheinfire made short work of the Madrid Bravos 40:10. The reigning ELF champions from Germany will therefore travel to semifinal number 2 in Stuttgart.
Tens of thousands of football fans across Europe are now eagerly awaiting the two semifinals. The games will be played on Saturday in Vienna (Musketeers @ Vikings) and on Sunday in Stuttgart (Rheinfire @ Surge). As some experts expect, the four best teams will meet again in the playoffs after the regular season. One thing is certain: the championship game on September 22nd in the Veltins Arena in Schalke will feature an unprecedented final pairing. In the still young history of the European League of Football, the previous champions have been Frankfurt Galaxy (2021 versus Hamburg Sea Devils), Vienna Vikings (2022 versus Hamburg Sea Devils) and Rheinfire (2023 versus Stuttgart Surge).
The ELF All-Star voting for fans has begun
Before the playoff highlights next weekend, the huge football community across Europe is still busy typing, as the ELF all-start voting has already begun. Voting is done by position; any player who has played at least 5 games is eligible. Some athletes can be voted for in more than one category: for example, Vienna’s exceptional athlete Benjamin Straight is listed as a safety and as a punter. The Vikings’ Swiss Army Knife, US superstar and crowd favorite Exavier Edwards, can be voted for as both a cornerback and a returner.
Who ultimately makes it into the ELF 2024 All-Star First and Second Team will be based on one third of the votes from fans, one third from coaches and some representatives of the league. The All-Stars will be announced on Monday, September 16 at 7:30 p.m.
