World Footy News

The Karlstad Dragons made their first appearance on the weekend, taking on the Gothenburg Beserkers in a friendly in Gothenburg. Although the Dragons went down 134-61, the Beserkers are reportedly a much stronger side than previous seasons, making the game a fairly promising start for Karlstad. The South Sweden Saints and Port Malmo Maulers have both kicked off their DAFL Premier League seasons, although they are both still seeking their first win. In the Swedish capital, the three-team city league coordinated by the Stockholm Dynamite has also begun its season.

The Finnish AFL may soon have its second club take the field, with the formation of the Tampere Kestrels. Around 170km from Helsinki, Tampere is Finland's third-largest city overall and the largest outside the Helsinki metropolitan area.

The Swedish regional series will be played between Stockholm, Gothenburg and Scania this year. The Scania Griffins are readying for their first match against Gothenburg on May 15th. The second match currently planned sees Scania take on Stockholm in Stockholm.

Discussion has been undertaken between the various leagues in Sweden with view to forming a national body, although a structure attractive to all sides has not yet been put forward.

The Swedish national team will again take on Germany and Denmark in the northern European tri-series, eager to show they are becoming a major force in international Aussie Rules. Matches are also in planning between Finland and Sweden, with more details as they come to hand.