title: Russian American Football Championship
text: # Russian American Football Championship
  
  Russian American Football Championship (Russian: Чемпионат России по Aмериканскому Футболу, tr. Chempionat Rossii po Amerikanskomu Futbolu) is the highest level of American football played in Russia, previously known as the League of American Football (LAF; Russian: Лига Американского Футбола, tr. Liga Amerikanskogo Futbola, ЛАФ).
  
  There are 11 teams in two divisions participating in the league. Since 2020 season the Eastern European Super League serves as the highest league of American football in Russia.
  
  ## History
  
  American football came into the Soviet Union in late 1980s. The first official games were played in 1989 when American high school all-star teams from Oklahoma played exhibition games against local teams, following a failed attempt to have college football bowl game be played in Moscow (known as the Glasnost Bowl). In the same year the very first game between Russian teams was played.
  
  In 1991, the Soviet Championship was founded. The league became the Russian Championship in 1992 as the country collapsed. The league was suspended in the turmoils of the dissolution of the USSR.
  
  The Russian Championship was founded again in 2002. The league has been growing ever since.
  
  In 2016 it was reorganized as The League of American Football, LAF in short. But in 2019 the league was re-organized as Russian Championship.
  
  Since 2020 season the Eastern European Super League serves as the highest league of American football in Russia.
  
  ## List of champions
  
  | Year | Champion | Runner-up | 3rd Place |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | 1991 (USSR Championship) | Moscow Bruins | Moscow Swans | Kharkov Atlants Aktau Caspian Sphinxes |
  | 1992 | Moscow Bruins | Krasnoyarsk Siberian Devils | Krasnoyarsk Siberian Bruins |
  | 1993 | Moscow Bruins | Krasnoyarsk Siberian Devils | Moscow Eagles |
  | 1994 | | | |
  | 2002 | Moscow Patriots | Moscow Bruins | |
  | 2003 | Moscow Patriots | Moscow Bruins | Moscow Tanks — Astrakhan Gladiators |
  | 2004 | Moscow Patriots | Moscow Bruins | Moscow Tanks — Astrakhan Gladiators |
  | 2005 | Moscow Patriots | | |
  | 2006 | Moscow Patriots | Moscow Black Storm | Moscow Tanks |
  | 2007 | Moscow Patriots | Moscow Tanks | |
  | 2008 | Moscow Patriots | Moscow Tanks | |
  | 2009 | Moscow Patriots | | |
  | 2010 | Moscow Patriots | Moscow Red Falcons | |
  | 2011 | Moscow Patriots | Moscow United | |
  | 2012 | Moscow Patriots | Chelyabinsk Scouts | |
  | 2013 | Moscow Black Storm | Saint Petersburg Griffins | |
  | 2014 | Moscow Patriots | Astrakhan Gladiators | |
  | 2015 | Saint Petersburg Griffins | Moscow Patriots | |
  | 2016 | Moscow Patriots | Moscow Spartans | |
  | 2017 | Moscow Patriots | Saint Petersburg Griffins | |
  | 2018 | Moscow Spartans | Moscow Patriots | |
  | 2019 | Moscow Patriots | Perm Steel Tigers | |
  | 2020 | Moscow Spartans | Perm Steel Tigers | Moscow Dragons |
  | 2021 | Moscow Spartans | Moscow Patriots | Spartak Moscow |
  