“Winning back lost trust will certainly be our biggest challenge” – COO Moritz Heisler speaks to the community

In a recent interview with Foot Bowl, AFLE COO and Managing Director Moritz Heisler answered questions from the community. The discussion covered a wide range of topics, including participating teams, the upcoming schedule, lessons learned from the past, and the overall direction of the American Football League Europe.

One message was clear from the beginning: rebuilding trust is one of the most important goals moving forward.

Learning from the past

In European football, the phrase “Football is family” has often been used. At the same time, many fans have felt disappointed in recent years – whether because of unclear communication, merchandise issues, high ticket prices, delivery problems, or a lack of consistent community connection.

Heisler addressed this directly.

“Winning back lost trust will certainly be our biggest challenge.”

He made it clear that the league understands the responsibility that comes with starting something new. The focus is not on promising perfection, but on improving structures and avoiding past mistakes.

“We’re not saying everything will be perfect this year, but many of the things that happened in the past will not happen again this season.”

Despite past frustrations, Heisler emphasized that the emotional connection to the sport is still strong.

“There is still a strong sense of ‘Football is Family’ out there.”

He added that it is now up to the league “to bring that feeling together again and deliver a really strong product for our fans this summer.”

Schedule and planning for the fans

Another major topic was the release of the schedule. Many fans are waiting for confirmed dates to plan away trips or book their holidays.

Heisler acknowledged this openly.

“We know that fans need to book their holidays. We also understand that people have commitments beyond waiting for us to finalize our schedule.”

He confirmed that the complete schedule for the 2026 season will be released soon. The delay, he explained, is not due to a lack of preparation but because of the complexity behind scheduling.Stadium availability, travel logistics, player welfare, and broadcast planning all need to be coordinated carefully. 

“We can’t just throw seven teams together and see who can play when,” Heisler said. “We have to make sure we’re not changing stadiums two weeks before the season starts, and we need to maintain high stadium standards.”

In addition, some teams are still in development, and the league remains in close communication with them to finalize structures and operational details.

Building the future together

The interview showed that the AFLE understands the expectations surrounding the league. At the same time, the focus remains on building strong and stable structures that support long-term growth.

For Heisler and the AFLE, the priority is clear: create reliable processes, improve communication, and build a solid foundation for the seasons ahead.