Institutional portal - Municipality of Milan

Riva: "Proud of this international debut" - Photo gallery

Milan, June 5 2023 – On Saturday 10 June, at 19pm, the Maspes-Vigorelli velodrome will be the scene of an important international sporting event: the debut of the Milano Seamen in the European American football championship, the European league of football (ELF).

The event was presented this morning in the Via Arona facility managed by Milanosport, in the presence of the Sport councilor Martina Riva, the president of the Milano Seamen Paolo Mutti, the general manager Marco Mutti, the coaches and some players.

The five-time Italian American football champions will take the field for their first match in the European professional league against the Barcelona Dragons next Saturday. The meeting will be held two weeks after the presentation of the team and the championship which took place on the field set up in Piazza Duomo on 27 and 28 May, under the patronage of the Municipality of Milan. This is a great leap in quality and a notable commitment for the Milano Seamen, a team of 65 players from all over Italy and supported by an organizational structure of over 130 people.

With its 12 regular season matches, broadcast on TV and streaming all over the world, the European League of football, with 17 teams based in nine nations, is in its third season and establishes itself as the main point of reference for the millions of American football fans on the continent. The Milano Seamen will play their home games in the historic Maspes-Vigorelli velodrome.

"We are proud to witness this international debut which has a double merit: on the one hand it will give visibility and make American football rediscovered and on the other it will enhance the historic Maspes-Vigorelli velodrome, which will host six scheduled matches – commented the councilor Riva –. Milan is experiencing a beautiful season of sporting satisfactions: the debut of the Milano Seamen in the European American football championship is undoubtedly among them".

"After winning in Italy for years we said to ourselves: what next goal? The ELF, nine nations, 17 teams seemed the right one – declared Paolo Mutti, president of the Milano Seamen –. With the help of over one hundred volunteers, of the support of the Municipality of Milan, thanks to the convinced assistance of councilor Riva and the work of the Milanosport workers, here we are, ready to assert ourselves! This new commitment makes us insist even more in working with the youth teams, with over one hundred children aged six and up who will be the champions of tomorrow."