Austrian Football League finale: Three-team race for playoff positioning

AFI | AFC Vienna Vikings | 06/27/2025

Graphic: Dante Bustos

The Danube Dragons, Graz Giants, and AFC Vienna Vikings enter the final weekend of the Austrian Football League (AFL) regular season locked in a three-way battle for first and second place, which will determine home-field advantage in the upcoming playoffs.

Saturday, June 28

Salzburg Ducks (1-8) @ Danube Dragons (7-2): Battle for the top seed
The Danube Dragons host the Salzburg Ducks at Ravelin Football Center on June 28, aiming to secure the AFL’s first seed. A victory guarantees home-field advantage and a semifinal matchup against the Prague Black Panthers. The Dragons face uncertainty after head coach Fred Armstrong departed for the ELF’s Rhein Fire, but co-head coach Florian Pos emphasized motivation: “We’re absolutely driven to secure first place.” The Ducks, eliminated from contention, nearly upset the Dragons in Week 9 (14–7 loss) and aim to play spoiler.

Swarco Raiders (2-7) @ Graz Giants (7-2): Giants’ home-field push
The Graz Giants host the Swarco Raiders Tirol at ASKÖ Stadion Eggenberg, needing a win to clinch at least second place and a home semifinal. The Raiders, locked into fifth, seek pride in their season finale. Coach Dominik Bauer stressed resilience: “We want to show we’re a team to be proud of.” For the Giants, coach Stefan Pokorny highlighted preparation: “We’ve improved since our narrow Week 1 win over Innsbruck.”

Sunday, June 29

Prague Black Panthers (4-5) @ AFC Vienna Vikings (6-3): Vikings’ late surge
The AFC Vienna Vikings host the Prague Black Panthers on June 29 at Ravelin Football Center. The Vikings can still claim second place with a win and losses by both Dragons and Giants. Coach Benjamin Sobotka targeted special teams improvements: “We excelled offensively and defensively in our first meeting but need sharper execution.”

Standings scenarios and tiebreakers

Danube Dragons: Win = 1st seed. Loss + Giants win = 2nd. Loss + Giants loss + Vikings win = 3rd via tiebreaker (head-to-head points differential).
Graz Giants: Win = 2nd (or 1st if Dragons lose). Loss = 3rd if Vikings win.
AFC Vienna Vikings: Win + Dragons/Giants losses = 2nd via tiebreaker (total points differential).

Stakes and broadcast
For the Dragons, Giants, and Vikings, this weekend is a final chance to secure critical home-field edges in pursuit of the championship.