CMS advises on the establishment of the European Football Alliance as a new European football league

Frankfurt/Stuttgart – Six leading American football clubs from several European countries have established the European Football Alliance e.V. (EFA) as a new, independently organised league. The new structure is based on club-run governance and financial independence and marks an important step towards sustainable professionalisation of American football in Europe. The league began play on 15 May 2026.

CMS provided comprehensive legal advice to European Football Alliance e.V., under the leadership of Dr Maximilian Grub and Dr Pietro Graf Fringuelli, on the legal structure and implementation of the structure of the league association and the marketing company affiliated with it. The mandate specifically involved developing and drafting articles of association as well as structuring key membership, commercial and agency agreements for the pan-European league. Particular emphasis was placed on establishing a robust governance and operational structure taking account of the corporate and tax law requirements of the various European countries. In this connection the German CMS team worked closely with their CMS colleagues in Denmark, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

The new league has deliberately adopted a club-based model: the founding members of European Football Alliance e.V. are the participating clubs themselves, which will from now on be jointly responsible for the organisation's financial, strategic and operational direction. The structure is therefore modelled on established international league models where the clubs act as shareholders and are key contributors to value creation.

Further involvements

Bech-Bruun Law Firm P/S, Dänemark
Bjarke Hald Appel
Niels Kornerup

Press contact
presse@cms-hs.com