The NFL has decided to axe its Europe League after 16 years.

NFL Europe began in 1991 as the World League of American Football, with 10 teams including the inaugural winners, the London Monarchs, competing in the United States and Europe.

After a two-year hiatus (1993-94) following the 1992 season, the league returned in 1995 as a six-team, all-European venture, with the Scottish Claymores joining the Monarchs.

The English team was disbanded in 1998 and replaced by the Berlin Thunder while the Claymores were axed in 2004 with five German teams dominating the League.

"The time is right to refocus the NFL's strategy on initiatives with global impact, including worldwide media coverage of our sport and the staging of live regular-season NFL games," commented Mark Waller, senior vice president of NFL International.

Last October, NFL owners passed a resolution to stage up to two international regular-season games per season.

The new international series will launch on Sunday October 28 when the Miami Dolphins host the New York Giants at Wembley Stadium.