Kirchdorf Wildcats

Lore & Background

The club was founded in 1986 as the Simbach Wildcats in Simbach am Inn, Bavaria. After playing only friendlies in its first two seasons, it entered the Bavarian league in 1988. The Wildcats won a league championship in 1993 and earned promotion to the 2. Bundesliga (later GFL2). In 1994 they won the southern division but lost both promotion games against the Stuttgart Scorpions. By 1998, a lack of players forced the club to voluntarily withdraw to the tier-four Bayernliga. They quickly recovered, winning the Bayernliga title in 1999 and moving up to the Regionalliga. Another league championship in 2002, followed by a victory over the Wiesbaden Phantoms in the promotion play-offs, returned the club to the 2. Bundesliga. In 2003 they won the southern division again but lost the promotion round to the Marburg Mercenaries. At the end of that season the club relocated to Kirchdorf, and in March 2004 received permission to change its name to Kirchdorf Wildcats.

Reader's Guide

The Kirchdorf Wildcats represent a persistent presence in German American football, with multiple promotions and relegations between the GFL and GFL2. Their history illustrates the cyclical nature of club sports in Germany, where financial and player availability issues can force voluntary withdrawals, as seen in 1998 and 2008. The club's five GFL2 South division titles (1994, 2003, 2014, 2017, 2023) demonstrate sustained competitiveness at the second tier. Their 2017 promotion to the GFL marked the club's greatest achievement, though they were relegated after two seasons. After a brief return to the GFL in 2024, the Wildcats withdrew their first men's team from the 2025 GFL season and returned their licence. Following a one-year break, the senior team relaunched in 2026 in the Regionalliga, Germany's third tier. The club's ability to rebuild after setbacks—such as the 1998 and 2008 withdrawals—highlights its resilience within the German football league system.

Did You Know?

• The club was originally named the Simbach Wildcats and was renamed in early 2004 after moving to Kirchdorf.
• The Wildcats won the GFL2 South championship five times: 1994, 2003, 2014, 2017, and 2023.
• In 2017, the club earned promotion to the GFL by defeating the Saarland Hurricanes in the promotion round.
• After the 2024 GFL season, the Wildcats withdrew their first men's team from the 2025 season and returned their licence.