Raiders Tirol
Austrian American football team, multiple Eurobowl and Austrian Bowl champions.
The Raiders Tirol, also known as the SWARCO Raiders Tirol (and originally as Papa Joe's Tyrolean Raiders), are an American football club from Innsbruck, Austria. Established in 1992, they have grown into one of the most successful teams in both Austria and Europe. They have won the Eurobowl three times (2008, 2009, 2010) and the CEFL twice (2017, 2018), along with a CEFL Cup win in 2019. In the Austrian Football League (AFL), they have claimed the national championship seven times, with their most recent title coming in 2021. From 2022 to 2025, the team competed in the European League of Football (ELF), and in 2026 they joined the new European Football Alliance (EFA).
The club was started in 1992 by a handful of American football enthusiasts and volunteers. They began play in Austria’s third division in 1993, going undefeated with a combined score of 158–11. After promotion to the second division, their success stalled, posting a 2–14 record over the 1994 and 1995 seasons. The next two years saw playoff appearances but semifinal losses. A league expansion then moved them up to the top-tier AFL in 1998. Their first two seasons in the top division were mostly losses, but by 2000 they reached the playoffs and played in their first championship game, losing to the Chrysler Vikings Vienna. They returned to the final the next year, again falling to the Vikings. In 2019, the Swarco Raiders Tirol completed a perfect 16–0 season, winning Austrian Bowl XXV, the CEFL Cup, and the ECTC Bowl. The team is known for employing the most full-time coaches and staff of any European squad, and a special partnership with the Las Vegas Raiders has led many to consider them one of the best-run organizations in Europe. In 2021, they announced they would join the European League of Football for the 2022 season, alongside their AFL rival, the Vienna Vikings.
The Raiders won their first AFL championship in 2004. After losing both regular-season games to the Vikings, they beat them 28–20 in the final, held in Salzburg. That same year, they also won the EFAF Cup, shutting out the P.A. Farnham Knights of Great Britain 45–0—the first international title for a Tyrolean team. In 2006, they faced the Vikings again in the championship, this time winning decisively 43–19 in Maria Enzersdorf.
- Eurobowl titles
- 3 (2008, 2009, 2010)
- Cefl titles
- 2 (2017, 2018) plus 1 CEFL Cup (2019)
- Austrian bowl titles
- 7 (2004, 2006, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2021)
Lore & Background
The Swarco Raiders were founded by a small number of American football fans and volunteers in 1992. Starting in Austria's 3rd division in the 1993 season, the team went unbeaten with an overall score of 158–11. After being promoted to the 2nd division, the team posted a record of 2–14 in 1994 and 1995. The next two seasons, the Raiders reached the playoffs but lost their semifinals. Due to a league expansion they were promoted to Austria's top division, the AFL, in 1998. The first two seasons on the top level the Raiders lost most of their games. In the 2000 season they made it to the playoffs and played its first championship game, losing to the then Chrysler Vikings Vienna. A year later they repeated their appearance in the final, but again lost to the Vikings.
The Raiders won their first national championship in 2004, beating the Vienna Vikings 28–20 in a game hosted in Salzburg. Also in 2004, the team won the EFAF Cup, shutting out the P.A Farnham Knights 45–0. They won a second Austrian Bowl in 2006, defeating the Vikings 43–19 in Maria Enzersdorf. In 2011, one week after winning its third Eurobowl title, the Raiders defeated the Vikings 23–13 in Vienna to win Austrian Bowl XXVII, achieving 'the double' of national and European titles in the same season. The team later won additional Austrian Bowl titles in 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, and 2021. In 2019, the Swarco Raiders Tirol completed their first perfect season with a record of 16–0 and won Austrian Bowl XXV, as well as the CEFL and ECTC Bowls.
Reader's Guide
The Raiders Tirol are significant as one of the most successful American football organizations in Europe, with a history of dominance in both Austrian and European competitions. Their three Eurobowl titles (2008, 2009, 2011) and three CEFL titles (2017–2019) underscore their continental impact. The team's eight Austrian Bowl championships, including a perfect 16–0 season in 2019, demonstrate sustained domestic excellence. The Raiders employ the most full-time coaches and staff out of all European teams, and their special cooperation with the Las Vegas Raiders has led many to regard them as one of the most well-run organizations in Europe. Their move to the European League of Football from 2022 to 2025 and subsequent joining of the European Football Alliance in 2026 reflect their ongoing role in shaping the sport's development in Europe. The team's exhibition games against US college teams, including wins over Centre College (2001) and Elmhurst College (2016), highlight their efforts to foster transatlantic competition.
Did You Know?
- The Raiders were founded in 1992 by a small number of American football fans and volunteers.
- The Raiders won the EFAF Cup in 2004, shutting out the P.A Farnham Knights 45–0.
- From 2022 to 2025, the Raiders played in the European League of Football; in 2026 they joined the European Football Alliance.
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