Hildesheim Invaders

Lore & Background

Formed in 1983, the Invaders entered the northern division of the tier-two 2. Bundesliga in 1986. They won division championships at that level in 1986 and 1989, with the latter earning promotion to the American football Bundesliga. Hildesheim played two seasons at the top level, finishing fourth in its division in 1990 but last the following year, losing all ten games. From 1992 to 1994 and again from 1996 to 2000, the team played in the 2. Bundesliga, dropping to the Regionalliga for a season in 1995. The end of the 2000 season saw the club relegated and stepping down to the tier-four Oberliga for a season. Between 2001 and 2006, the Invaders fluctuated between the third and fourth tiers. From 2006 onward, fortunes improved, earning promotion to the Regionalliga that year, followed by promotion back to the 2. Bundesliga in 2008. From 2008 to 2014, the club fluctuated between the Regionalliga and the 2. Bundesliga (renamed German Football League 2). Promotion from the Regionalliga in 2008, 2011, and 2013 was followed by relegation from the second tier in 2009 and 2012. The Invaders established themselves in the GFL2 in 2014 and won the northern division in 2015, earning the right to compete in the German Football League in 2016, taking over the spot vacated by the Cologne Falcons. As an independent club, the Invaders themselves applied for and secured the GFL license in October 2015.

Reader's Guide

The Hildesheim Invaders represent a persistent presence in German American football, having navigated multiple promotions and relegations across four decades. Their significance lies in their ability to repeatedly return to the highest level of play, most notably earning promotion to the Bundesliga in 1989 and again to the GFL in 2016 after winning the GFL2 northern division in 2015. The club's history reflects the volatility of lower-tier German football, with frequent movement between the Regionalliga and GFL2 from 2008 to 2014. Their 2023 division title in GFL2 and subsequent return to the GFL Nord as of 2024 underscores their resilience. The Invaders have qualified for the GFL playoffs three times (2019, 2024, 2026) and have had nine seasons of GFL membership (1990–1991, 2016–2019, 2024–2026). Their legacy is one of endurance and periodic success within the German football league system.

Did You Know?

• The Hildesheim Invaders were founded in 1983.
• They won the GFL2 Northern Division championship in 1986, 1989, 2015, and 2023.
• The club played in the top-level Bundesliga for two seasons, from 1990 to 1991.
• Their promotion to the GFL in 2016 was made possible by the withdrawal of the Cologne Falcons.