The AFL began play in 1960 with eight teams, and added two more expansion clubs (the Miami Dolphins in 1966 and the Cincinnati Bengals in 1968) before the merger.
ðɪ ˌeɪˌɛfˈɛl bɪɡˈæn plˈeɪ ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti wɪð ˈeɪt tˈiːmz, ænd ˈædᵻd tˈuː mˈoːɹ ɛkspˈænʃən klˈʌbz ðə maɪˈæmi dˈɑːlfɪnz ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti sˈɪks ænd ðə sˌɪnsɪnˈæɾi bˌɛŋɡˈɔːlz ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti ˈeɪt bᵻfˌoːɹ ðə mˈɜːdʒɚ.