<P> The AFL -- NFL merger was the merger of the two major professional American football leagues in the United States at the time : the National Football League ( NFL ) and the American Football League ( AFL ) . It paved the way for the combined league , which retained the `` National Football League '' name and logo , to become one of the most popular sports leagues in the United States . The merger was announced on the evening of June 8 , 1966 . Under the merger agreement , the leagues maintained separate regular - season schedules for the next four seasons -- from 1966 through 1969 -- and then officially merged before the 1970 season to form one league with two conferences . </P>
<P> The AFL -- NFL merger was the merger of the two major professional American football leagues in the United States at the time : the National Football League ( NFL ) and the American Football League ( AFL ) . It paved the way for the combined league , which retained the `` National Football League '' name and logo , to become one of the most popular sports leagues in the United States . The merger was announced on the evening of June 8 , 1966 . Under the merger agreement , the leagues maintained separate regular - season schedules for the next four seasons -- from 1966 through 1969 -- and then officially merged before the 1970 season to form one league with two conferences . </P>
when did the nfl and the afl merge
when did the nfl and the afl merge
1970
1970