The franchise was born as Gladiators Football and on 24 March 2021 announced it would use the Barcelona Dragons name, made possible by the 9 March 2021 agreement between the ELF and the NFL over the names of former NFL Europe teams. Its first home was the Estadi Municipal de Reus. [1]
In 2024 it played in Badalona under the Elite Sports Equity ownership group, and on 4 December 2024 the ELF confirmed the team was leaving the league. [2] [3]
Honours pending verification against official sources.
NFLA Spaniard works out for the Patriots: Diego Paz, from the Barcelona Dragons to Foxborough
Diego Paz González started at 19 with the Barcelona Dragons, moved through Finland and Austria and finished the AFLE season with 8.5 sacks. On Monday he worked out for the New England Patriots through the International Player Pathway.
14 October 2026 · 4 min read
- History
Barcelona Dragons: rise, fall and legacy of professional football in Barcelona
Barcelona has had professional football in two different eras under the same name. This article separates both stages, explains what links them (only the name) and documents how each one ended.
12 September 2026 · 6 min read
Sources
Last verified: 12 September 2026Links consulted for this piece. We record the access date because websites change.
- [1]
The Barcelona Dragons are back!
European League of Football (web oficial, copia en Internet Archive) · League official · 24 March 2021 · accessed 12 September 2026
Franchise's first game (24 March 1991), ELF-NFL naming agreement (9 March 2021), Reus stadium in 2021.
- [2]
Barcelona Dragons ready for 'exciting' new season after major off-season rebuild
Catalan News · Press · 18 May 2024 · accessed 12 September 2026
- [3]
Mailand und Barcelona raus: ELF 2025 mit 16 Teams
Football Austria · Press · 4 December 2024 · accessed 12 September 2026
- [4]
Wikipedia (en) · Encyclopedia · accessed 12 September 2026
- [5]
European League of Football announce new franchise for 2024
European League of Football (web oficial, copia en Internet Archive) · League official · 19 May 2023 · accessed 12 September 2026