Women's Arena Football League
| Sport | Arena football |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2011 |
| Founder | Ivan Tompkins |
| First season | 2012 |
| Folded | 2013 |
| CEO | Ivan Tompkins |
| Commissioner | Anthony Bartley |
| No. of teams | 8 |
| Country | United States |
| Headquarters | 4615 Southwest Freeway Houston, Texas, U.S.A. |
| Related competitions | Legends Football League |
| Website | WAFLeague.com |
The Women's Arena Football League (WAFL) was an 8-on-8 full contact professional American indoor football league based out of Houston, Texas. Founded in 2011, games were played in the spring and summer months in arenas around the United States.[1] The league is somewhat similar to the male-based Arena Football League and Indoor Football League, but with slightly different rules as well as no goalposts or rebound nets. It began play in 2012 with six teams. The founder and league president is Ivan Tompkins, Dwayne Ware Coach and former AFL player with the Houston Thunderbears and head coach of the charter Houston Lady Oilers.[2] Their championship game is known as the Diva Bowl.
The WAFL was created as a more family-friendly alternative to the rival Legends Football League. As opposed to the lingerie (later bikini wear) worn by the players in the LFL, the WAFL's players wore more traditional women's athletic gear.[3][4] A bunch of volleyball, flag football, and former LFL players were playing in the league. Some women werestlers also played in the league.[5]
Following their inaugural season in 2013, the WAFL went dormant in preparations for a future return. As of 2026, the WAFL is disbanded, but the WAFL Facebook page, and some of the team pages are inactive, but still standing.
Teams
source: [6]
| Teams | Location | Arena | Founded | Coach | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Archers | Suwanee, Georgia | Atlanta Silverbacks Suwanee Indoor | 2012 | TBA | Folded mid-season, never played a game |
| Dallas Darlings | Garland, Texas | Curtis Culwell Center | 2012 | TBA | Folded after season |
| Houston Lady Oilers | Houston, Texas | Brown Convention Center (never played)
Reliant Arena (exhibton) Texans Indoor Soccer (regular season) Sports Culture (playoffs) |
2012 | Dwayne Ware | Folded after season |
| Jacksonville Cougars | Jacksonville, Florida | TBA | 2012 | n/a | Never played |
| New Orleans Bayou Queens[7] | Kenner, Louisiana | Pontchartrain Center (regular season)
Pan American Stadium (playoffs) |
2012 | Clyde Maiden | Folded after season |
| Orlando Eclipse | Orlando, Florida | TBA | 2012 | n/a | Never played |
| San Antonio Estrella | San Antonio, Texas | TBA | 2012 | n/a | Never played |
| Tampa Bay Duchess | Tampa, Florida | TBA | 2012 | n/a | Never played |
References
- ↑ WAFL official website
- ↑ "Women's Arena Football League (WAFL) To Announce League, Teams and 2012 Schedule During Introduction Press Conference". www.newswire.com. Retrieved 2026-04-22.
- ↑ KHOU 11 News Covers The WAFL with Coach Dwayne Ware and The Houston Lady Oilers, YouTube, June 24, 2012
- ↑ SRL covers Houston Lady Oilers Kick Off, Sports Rapp YouTube, July 23, 2012
- ↑ Staffieri, Mark. "Women's Arena Football League Adds New Dimension to Expanding Female Game". bleacherreport.com. Retrieved 2026-04-22.
- ↑ "Indoor Football Database - WAFL 2013". sites.google.com. Retrieved 2026-04-22.
- ↑ "Football Fans, Get Ready For the Bayou Queens!". WGNO. 2013-05-22. Archived from the original on 2022-04-26. Retrieved 2026-04-22.