| Founded | January 6, 1886 |
|---|---|
| Ceased | 1895 |
| Commissioner | Clarence M. Smith (January 6, 1886–September 27, 1888), William H. Ford (September 27, 1888, 1889-) |
| Sports fielded |
|
| No. of teams | 5–8 (start), 2 (final), 10–17 (total) |
| Headquarters | New York City, New York |
| Region | Eastern |
The American Football Union (AFU) was a coalition of amateur, semi-professional, and collegiate club football teams that operated from 1886 to 1895 in the New York metropolitan area. Although the minor league was practically inconsequential and obscure in the development of professional American football, the Orange Athletic Club, who participated in the league from 1888 to 1895, would go on to become the Orange and Newark Tornadoes, and join the NFL for two seasons in 1929 and 1930.[1]