1. Overview

The Virtual Football League (VFL) is a simulated sports league powered by EA Sports College Football 26. The league consists of multiple divisions, led by the Premier Division. Each team is managed by an Owner, Renter, or Free Player.

The VFL is an online league that uses EA Sports College Football 26 solely as a simulation vehicle. No part of the league is owned within the game itself.

2. League Structure

• Premier Division: 32 custom-branded teams. Entry requires ownership, lease or invitation.
• Lower Divisions: Free to enter. Use standard in-game teams.
• Promotion/Relegation: Players can be promoted or demoted among divisions based on final rankings at the end of each season. 

3. Gameplay Settings

• Platform: Xbox & PlayStation
• Difficulty: Heisman
• Quarter Length: 5 minutes
• League Advance Days: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday @ 11:59 PM EST
• Broadcast: Games streamed on Twitch & YouTube

4. Premier Division Team Rules

• Each Premier team is a custom-branded team
• Each team is a Fail-U program
• Each team gets 1 elite custom player who is a senior (max 95 overall, 95 per skill)
• All teams start at “cupcake” level to ensure fairness
• There are 3 conferences (A, B, C), which are subject to realignment after every season based on final standings

5. League Governance

• Owners vote on major changes (majority rules)
• Commissioner handles operations and disputes

6. Ownership Clarification

Owning or playing for a VFL team means controlling a created VFL team in a simulated environment. The EA game is just the simulation engine. No revenue comes from the game itself. League revenue comes from content, audience growth, and partnerships.

7. Season Format

• Each year includes 5 seasons
• Teams may update branding annually during game transitions
• Stats & rankings influence promotion, content opportunities, and rewards

8. Promotion & Relegation

The league is structured to reward performance. Users are promoted or demoted between divisions on a seasonal basis. These rules may evolve, but for Season 1:

• Each Premier Division coach is guaranteed 2 full seasons unless removed for violating league rules or the Code of Conduct
• After Season 2, teams in the C conference may be demoted to Division 2 based on performance

9. Code of Conduct

To remain in good standing with the league, the following conduct is expected:

• Respectful behavior in all league activities, including games, Discord, and social media
• No use of hate speech, harassment, threats, or discriminatory language
• No cheating, game manipulation, or intentional disconnects
• Consistent effort to schedule and play games on time
• A positive presence in the community that promotes growth and fair competition

Violation of this Code of Conduct may result in removal from your position, demotion to a lower division, or full removal from the league.

10. Intellectual Property & Team Rights

Unless a player has an official, signed ownership agreement with the VFL, they do not own the rights to any team name, logo, or brand associated with the league. Use of VFL intellectual property for commercial purposes, including merchandise or monetized content, is strictly prohibited without written consent from league leadership.

11. Sponsorship Disclaimer

Players participating in the Virtual Football League are not sponsored by, endorsed by, or affiliated with any of the brands, businesses, or partners that sponsor or collaborate with the league. Any sponsorships or partnerships featured by the VFL apply to the league and its official entities only. Individual players may not represent or imply association with these brands without written approval from league leadership.

12. Additional Rules

1. If a game vs. the CPU is played more than once, without approval from the commissioner, a force loss will be awarded to their next CPU or non-CPU game.
2. If a user rage quits*, they are given a force loss and subject to a minimum 1-game suspension the following week. *A rage quit is defined as quitting or disconnecting the game while losing which results in the stats from the game not being counted.