Innsbruck, Austria will be the site of Eurobowl XXX on June 11 which will pit Austria’s Swarco Raiders against the Braunschweig New Yorker Lions from Germany, traditionally two of the best teams in Europe.
This will be the fifth time that Innsbruck acts as host city for this prestigious event which has been held since 1986. Both the Raiders and Lions have won the title three times each. Braunschweig won it last year defeating the Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns 24-14. The Raiders last victory was in 2011 when they beat the Berlin Adler 27-12.
The Swarco Raiders qualified for the Eurobowl final, which currently brings the two best teams from the Big6 tournament together, by beating the Berlin Adler and Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns both from Germany. Meanwhile the New Yorker Lions defeated the Vienna Vikings from Austria and France’s Aix-en-Provence Argonautes.
The Lions and Raiders have never faced each other in the Eurobowl final. The last time these two teams met was in the Big6 in 2015 group play when Braunschweig prevailed 33-28 in a come from behind victory, played in Innsbruck.
The Vienna Vikings have appeared in the Eurobowl final a record 10 times and won it five times, most recently in 2013.
The past two Eurobowl finals have been held in Germany which made the judges’ decision to award the game to Innsbruck a little easier.