World Bowl

The World Bowl was the American football Championship game of NFL Europe, similar to the Super Bowl of the National Football League.

The World Bowl trophy itself was a globe made of glass measuring 35.5 cm (14 inches) in diameter and weighing 18.6 kg (41 lbs).

World League of American Football
When NFL Europe was founded in 1991 as World League of American Football (WLAF), with teams in North America and Europe as well as expansion plans for Asia, the name World Bowl was appropriate. It was kept after 1995 when the league limited itself exclusively to Europe.

Venues as NFL Europe
From 1995 to 1997, the World Bowl venue was decided by the standings after 5 weeks of the 10-week season. All venues before, and since, were predetermined before the season.

The 2002 World Bowl was hosted in Rhein Fire home town of Düsseldorf as a farewell to the old Rheinstadion. After the new LTU arena was completed, the 2005 World Bowl was hosted there again. It would return in 2006, as a first ever back to back WB site. Düsseldorf has currently no Bundesliga team and was not selected for FIFA World Cup games, so football is a major sport there, unlike in other NFL Europe towns.

World Football League
The former World Football League, a short-lived 1970s competitor to the NFL, also named its championship game the World Bowl. In World Bowl I, the only WFL World Bowl contested, the Birmingham Americans defeated the Florida Blazers 22-21 on December 5, 1974 at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama.

World Indoor Football League
The proposed World Indoor Football League that was to begin play in 1988 also intended on calling its championship the World Bowl. It would have been played on August 29, 1988. The WIFL, however, disbanded eleven days before its season was to begin.

World Bowl (WLAF, NFL Europe, and NFL Europa Championships)

 * Note: Roman Numerals were not officially used by NFL Europa until World Bowl IX. Before 2001, the games were billed as World Bowl 2000, World Bowl '99, etc.