The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960, and first took the field for the 1961 season. The team competes in the National Football Conference North division. During the 1960s, the Vikings' record was typical for an expansion franchise, but improved over the course of the decade, resulting in a Central Division title in 1968. In 1969, their dominant defense led to a league championship, the last NFL championship prior to the merger of the NFL with the AFL. The Vikings are arguably the most successful NFL franchise to never win a Super Bowl. Minnesota ranks sixth all-time in win percentage and seventh overall in combined regular season and postseason wins. The Vikings have won 20 division titles, and have made 30 playoff appearances. The club has appeared in 10 conference championship games, winning four to reach the Super Bowl. They are one of only three teams, along with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Los Angeles Rams, to appear in at least one conference title game every decade since the 1970s.