Editing Italian Football League (section)

==History==
[[File:Superbowl 95.jpg|thumb|left|[[Legnano Frogs]] celebrate victory after winning the XV Italian Bowl in 1995]]

In the 1970s teams formed and played in Italy. The first American football championship organized in Italy, which was never recognized by the federation, took place in 1977 and was won by the {{ill|Tori Torino|it}}. 

Among the games played in the 1970s there was the first official match played between Italian American football teams in preparation for the first championship officially recognized by the federation; played on 24 June 1978 at the [[Stadio Carlo Speroni]] in [[Busto Arsizio]], it was won 36–0 by the [[Rhinos Milano]] over the [[Gallarate Frogs]].<ref name="storia">{{cite web|url=http://www.frogslegnano.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=46&Itemid=27|title=La storia|access-date=10 October 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140330171728/http://www.frogslegnano.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=46&Itemid=27|archive-date=30 March 2014|language=it}}</ref>

In 1980 the first official American football league in Italy was established and crowned a champion.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.asinazionale.it/notizie/football-americano-la-squadra-del-primo-scudetto-torna-a-vivere/|title=Football Americano. La squadra del primo Scudetto in Italia torna a vivere|access-date=31 May 2023|language=it}}</ref> This championship did not include a final and was won by {{ill|Lupi Roma|it}}. However, the title of first champions of Italy was recognized to the Lupi only in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://marino.blogautore.repubblica.it/2016/03/23/roma-campione-del-football-36-anni-dopo-lemozione-del-qb-volterra-noi-i-pionieri-dei-touchdown-italiani/|title=Roma campione del football 36 anni dopo. L'emozione del qb Volterra: "Noi, i pionieri dei touchdown italiani"|access-date=2 June 2023|language=it}}</ref>
[[File:2009 Guelfi Sharks.jpg|thumb|{{ill|Palermo Sharks|it|Sharks Palermo}} in 2008]]

The Italian league (Series A) in the late 1970s and early 1980s, was one of the first leagues in Europe to sign professional import players and coaches from the USA. The league had good popularity in the early years especially the late 1980s and early 1990s with reported attendance of nearly 20,000 fans for a Series A league final championship game in that time period.<ref name="treccani">{{cite web|url=https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/football-americano_%28Enciclopedia-dello-Sport%29/|title=Football Americano|access-date=31 May 2023|language=it}}</ref> American Football in Italy has had ups and downs since that time but has always had a competitive league with different lower levels playing below the Italian Football League (IFL). 
[[File:XXXIV Italian Superbowl.jpg|thumb|XXXIV Italian Bowl, won by [[Milano Seamen]] vs. [[Parma Panthers]] in 2014.]]

The new IFL was founded in 2007, taking over previous league's significance called (National Football League Italy).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.runlikeneverbefore.com/new-era-annuncia-la-partnership-con-la-italian-football-league/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150908222357/http://www.runlikeneverbefore.com/new-era-annuncia-la-partnership-con-la-italian-football-league/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=September 8, 2015|title=New Era annuncia la partnership con la Italian Football League|access-date=31 May 2023|language=it}}</ref> The league was born as a result of the escape of several of the best clubs of the old championship organized by the Italian federation, such as Milano Rhinos, Parma Panthers, Bologna Doves and Bolzano Giants. However some of the historic Italian clubs have not joined the new league and continue to participate in different tournaments organized by other federations.  

In the following years a lot of teams moved to the {{ill|Federazione Italiana di American Football|it}} (the federation the IFL belongs to)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/football-americano/|title=Football americano|access-date=31 May 2023|language=it}}</ref> and most of the biggest teams are now again part of the IFL that is the First Division or in the other two divisions. 

The [[Bergamo Lions]] have won the most Italian Super Bowl league championships winning 12 finals.

On Saturday, July 1, 2023, Italian Bowl XLII was played at the [[Glass Bowl]] Stadium on the campus of The [[University of Toledo]], [[Toledo, Ohio]], USA. This marked the first Italian Football League Championship held outside of Europe. The Parma Panthers won the game played in front of nearly 10,000 fans, and was televised in the United States.