American Indoor Football Alliance

The American Indoor Football Alliance (AIFA) is a minor-professional American indoor football league based in the United States.[1]

American Indoor Football Alliance
SportIndoor football
Founded2021
Inaugural season2022
No. of teams4
CountryUnited States
Most recent
champion(s)		Columbus Lions (2023)
Official websitewww.goaifa.com

Teams' typical operating budget is $500,000 with a $90,000 payroll budget per season. Players are paid up to $200 per game, with a $25 bonus for participating in charity events within their local communities. Most teams offer players housing during the season.[2]

History

After the 2021 American Arena League season concluded, four members of the East Division (Carolina Predators, Tampa Bay Tornadoes, Pennsylvania Union and Mississippi Raiders) announced that they would leave the AAL to form a new league, after league president and commissioner Tony Zefiretto had sold the league to the ownership.[3]

The league played its first season in 2022, while the Mississippi Raiders defeat the Las Vegas Kings 55–12 to claim the Inaugural AIFA Championship.[4][5][6]

For the 2023 season, AIFA had a inter-league scheduling agreement with the American West Football Conference.[7][8] The Columbus Lions won the league championship after completing an undefeated season and beating Mississippi Raiders 55 to 10 in AIFA Championship.[9][10][11]

Teams
TeamHome cityHome venueCapacityFoundedJoinedHead coach
Carolina Predators[12]Fayetteville, North CarolinaTBDTBD20182021
Capital City CyclonesTallahassee, FloridaTBDTBD20192021Stevie Thomas
Las Vegas KingsLas Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas Sports Park*20212021Chris Wallace
South Florida ThunderPalm Beach, FloridaTBDTBD2019[13]2022

* Outdoor facility

Former teams

References
  1. "Home – American Indoor Football Alliance". www.goaifa.com. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  2. "AIFA Expansion Packet" (PDF).
  3. "Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report". oursportscentral.com. July 12, 2021.
  4. "Mississippi Raiders are now AIFA National Champions". Vicksburg Daily News.
  5. Bowker, Ernest (July 8, 2022). "Vicksburg coach Muhammad chasing a championship with Mississippi Raiders". Vicksburg Post.
  6. "AIFA Championship". YouTube.
  7. "Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report". December 26, 2022.
  8. "AWFC/AIFA Partnership".
  9. "Lions defeat Raiders 55 to 10 in AIFA Championship". American Indoor Football Alliance.
  10. "AIFA Champioinship Part1". youtube.com.
  11. "AIFA Champioinship Part 2". youtube.com.
  12. "Fayetteville set to welcome arena football back to the Crown with the Carolina Predators".
  13. "South Florida has a new arena football league coming soon — and you could be a part of it".
  14. "Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report". October 3, 2022.
  15. "AWFC Schedule & AIFA Partnership".
  16. "Lions Join Regional Arena League - Columbus Lions". Columbus Lions.
  17. "COLUMBUS LIONS JOIN AMERICAN INDOOR FOOTBALL (AIF) FOR THE 2024 INDOOR SEASON". aif-proindoorfootball.com. American Indoor Football. August 4, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  18. "Mississippi Raiders bringing arena football back to Jackson".
  19. "Dallas Falcons set to join the AIFA for the 2023 Season".
  20. "Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report". OurSports Central.
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