The German Junior Bowl, usually only referred to as Junior Bowl, is the annual national championship game for junior teams in the sport of American football in Germany. It is contested by the two best teams of the GFL Juniors.
It is the second-oldest still existing bowl game in Germany, after the German Bowl, dating back to 1982. Record winners are the Düsseldorf Panther, who celebrated their 18th success and their 23nd Junior Bowl appearance in 2024.Bowls GFL website, accessed: 26 January 2011
History The first edition of the Junior Bowl was held in 1982 and became a recognised national championship in the following year. Until 2000, regional championships were held rather than a national league. The regional champions then participated in the play-offs to determine the national champion.GFL Juniors - Die Jugendbundesliga GFL website, accessed: 26 January 2011
In 2001, the GFL Juniors was introduced. The league consisted, for the most part of its existence, of twelve teams, split into three regional divisions, north, central and south, with four teams each. The best eight clubs then took part in the play-offs to determine the two teams that will play in the Junior Bowl.Football History Historic American football tables from Germany, accessed: 26 January 2011
Like Germany's elite league, the German Football League, the GFL Juniors will be expanded for the 2011 season and play with four regional divisions of five teams each. However, the new western division will play with only four clubs as the Langenfeld Longhorns have withdrawn from the league. In 2012, the divisions will then expand to six teams each, taking the number of elite level junior clubs to 24.Spielplan für die erweiterte GFL Juniors veröffentlicht GFL Juniors website, published: 22 December 2010, accessed: 26 January 2011
Junior Bowls The Junior Bowls since 1982:
By game Year Champions Runners-up Score Location Attendance 1982 Düsseldorf Panther Cologne Crocodiles 13–6 Cologne 1983 Cologne Crocodiles München Rangers 13–6 Rüsselsheim 1984 Düsseldorf Bulldozer München Rangers 19–0 Düsseldorf 1985 Düsseldorf Panther Noris Rams 50–19 Nuremberg 1986 Düsseldorf Panther Munich Cowboys 22–0 Cologne 1987 Düsseldorf Panther Munich Cowboys 19–14 Mainz 1988 Düsseldorf Panther Würzburg Pumas 27–8 Hanover 1989 Berlin Adler Kempten Comets 36–12 Nuremberg 1990 Berlin Adler Ansbach Grizzlies 28–0 Düsseldorf 400 1991 Düsseldorf Panther Darmstadt Diamonds 22–12 Hamburg 1992 Berlin Rebels Stuttgart Scorpions 38–6 Hanover 2,734 1993 Cologne Crocodiles Regensburg Royals 44–6 Stuttgart 1994 Berlin Adler Frankfurt Gamblers 22–0 Rüsselsheim 1,340 1995 Darmstadt Diamonds Düsseldorf Panther 19–13 Stuttgart 700 1996 Berlin Rebels Munich Cowboys 41–12 Aschaffenburg 500 1997 Berlin Adler Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns 33–0 Hamburg 770 1998 Düsseldorf Panther Darmstadt Diamonds 13–9 Braunschweig 1,400 1999 Hamburg Blue Devils Stuttgart Scorpions 43–0 Hanau 832 2000 Berlin Rebels Darmstadt Diamonds 19–14 Hanau 782 2001 Darmstadt Diamonds Stuttgart Scorpions 13–6 Koblenz 700 2002 Düsseldorf Panther Darmstadt Diamonds 61–26 Düsseldorf 700 2003 Düsseldorf Panther Darmstadt Diamonds 40–0 Schwäbisch Hall 583 2004 Düsseldorf Panther Franken Knights 47–7 Düsseldorf 1,200 2005 Düsseldorf Panther Franken Knights 48–10 Düsseldorf 1,050 2006 Düsseldorf Panther Berlin Adler 26–7 Düsseldorf 1,530 2007 Düsseldorf Panther Stuttgart Scorpions 47–26 Mönchengladbach 1,943 2008 Düsseldorf Panther Stuttgart Scorpions 49–30 Mönchengladbach 1,500 2009 Berlin Adler Cologne Falcons 21–14 Mönchengladbach 1,500 2010 Düsseldorf Panther Hamburg Young Huskies 17–7 Berlin 513 2011 Cologne Falcons Düsseldorf Panther 24–18 Cologne 4,362 2012 Cologne Falcons Cologne Crocodiles 40–13 Cologne 2,350 2013 Saarland Hurricanes Cologne Crocodiles 26–25 Düsseldorf 1,900 2014 Cologne Crocodiles Düsseldorf Panther 37–0 Düsseldorf 2015 Cologne Crocodiles Dortmund Giants 36–14 Cologne 2016 Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns Cologne Crocodiles 24–21 Schwäbisch Hall 2017 Paderborn Dolphins Düsseldorf Panther 27–22 Paderborn 1,500 2018 Paderborn Dolphins Düsseldorf Panther 21–14 Stuttgart 2019 Cologne Crocodiles Wiesbaden Phantoms 57–18 Schwäbisch Hall 935 2021 Cologne Crocodiles Fursty Razorbacks 21–7 Cologne 2022 Düsseldorf Panther Berlin Adler 23–6 Düsseldorf 3,000 2023 Düsseldorf Panther Berlin Adler 30–26 Düsseldorf 2024 Düsseldorf Panther Berlin Adler 36–0 Berlin 2025 Düsseldorf Panther Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns 49–0 Schwäbisch Hall 1,350 2026 Düsseldorf Panther Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns 24–13 Schwäbisch Hall
By team App. Team Wins Losses Pct. Season(s)† 25 Düsseldorf Panther 20 5 0.800 1982, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1995, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 10 Cologne Crocodiles 6 4 0.600 1982, 1983, 1993, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2021 9 Berlin Adler 5 4 0.556 1989, 1990, 1994, 1997, 2006, 2009, 2022, 2023, 2024 7 Darmstadt Diamonds 2 5 0.286 1991, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 5 Stuttgart Scorpions 0 5 0.000 1992, 1999, 2001, 2007, 2008 4 Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns 1 3 0.250 1997, 2016, 2025, 2026 3 Berlin Rebels 3 0 1.000 1992, 1996, 2000 Cologne Falcons 2 1 0.666 2009, 2011, 2012 Munich Cowboys 0 3 0.000 1986, 1987, 1996 2 Paderborn Dolphins 2 0 1.000 2017, 2018 Franken Knights 0 2 0.000 2004, 2005 München Rangers 0 2 0.000 1983, 1984 1 Saarland Hurricanes 1 0 1.000 2013 Hamburg Blue Devils 1 0 1.000 1999 Düsseldorf Bulldozer 1 0 1.000 1984 Fursty Razorbacks 0 1 0.000 2021 Wiesbaden Phantoms 0 1 0.000 2019 Dortmund Giants 0 1 0.000 2015 Hamburg Young Huskies 0 1 0.000 2010 Frankfurt Gamblers 0 1 0.000 1994 Regensburg Royals 0 1 0.000 1993 Ansbach Grizzlies 0 1 0.000 1990 Kempten Comets 0 1 0.000 1989 Würzburg Pumas 0 1 0.000 1988 Noris Rams 0 1 0.000 1985 † Bold denotes Junior Bowl victory.
References
External links GFL Juniors website German Football League official website German American Football Association website Football History Historic American football tables from Germany