Countries That Play Australian Rules Football
By
Will Brown
Contributor Updated: 22 August 2024
Will Brown Contributor
William Brown is a Content Writer with strong expertise in US and global gambling industry trends. Having covered the local sports betting market since the repeal of PASPA in 2018, William approaches his gambling guides with passion and diligence. He is a keen player of online slots, blackjack, and a regular sports bettor.
Australian Rules Football
Australian rules football is a fast-paced and dynamic sport that has a storied history in Australia. With nearly half the country backing an Aussie rules team in the official Australian Football League (AFL), the sport is most popular in its country of origin. However, there are several other countries that play Australian rules football, and global interest in the sport is steadily growing. We’ve explored its international participation and appeal in this comprehensive guide.
Intro to Other Countries That Play AFL
We understand that before we get into the sport’s global play, it’s important that you know what the game actually is. In the first section, we’ve provided a brief overview of the sport and the history of the AFL. We’ve then looked at its popularity at home and in countries that watch Aussie rules.
A considerable section of this guide covers the numerous countries that play Aussie football before we discuss the major international events that can be backed when betting on Aussie Rules. We’ve rounded out the guide by explaining the sport’s global appeal and its international future.
- How the AFL Became Popular
- The Countries That Play AFL
- Major International Events
- AFL’s Global Appeal Explained
- The Future of International AFL
How the Sport Became Popular
Australian Rules football is an exhilarating high-contact sport with the objective of kicking a ball into the goal. It is played between two teams of 18 players, with the ball transferred by being kicked, handballed (a punch-like move), or ran with. Six points are awarded if a goal is scored through the central goalposts and one is awarded if kicked between the outer posts.
There are four quarters, with the top-scoring team winning. The top major professional league for the sport is the AFL, and every year, the championship culminates with the Grand Final, which is one of the most widely-watched sports events in Australia.
The sport was invented in Melbourne, Victoria, in the 1850s, and for more than 100 years, it was considered to be a distinctly Victorian sport. In the 1980s, the major football league expanded to include out-of-state teams, paving the way to make it a truly national sport ingrained in Australian culture.
The past three decades have also seen growing interest in the sport outside of the country. In many instances, the countries that play Australian rules football began to do so after the game was introduced by Australian expats. While it has yet to hit the mainstream in other nations, it still has a passionate following.
Growing Number of Countries That Watch AFL
Since the 1900s, the number of nations with Aussie rules participation has steadily grown. The first foreigners to adopt the game were from New Zealand and South Africa, being introduced to the sport during the Victoria gold rush. Further overseas exposure came during World War I and II after Australian soldiers played the game in Europe and Africa.
The sport has steadily gained interest in neighboring countries in the Asia Pacific region. This includes the small island nation of Nauru, the Solomon Islands, and Papua New Guinea. Recent reports have put the international growth of AFL at 25% per annum compared to 10% in Australia, with more than 170,000 people playing outside its country of origin.
The AFL-Playing Countries
Now that you understand the sport and its appeal, we will introduce you to some of the countries that play AFL. Keep in mind that there are varying degrees of popularity in each nation. While some have strongly developed leagues with international participants, others are primarily enjoyed by Australian expats.
England
It makes sense why Aussie rules are so popular in England. The two countries share strong historical and cultural ties, with expatriation to England from Australia considered to be a common rite of passage. It is England’s ex-pats that have established AFL Britain, with numerous leagues across the nation including the London Swans. The season culminates with the AFL London Grand Final.
Ireland
Ireland is among the most successful countries that play Australian rules football, which is likely due to the similarity between the sport and Gaelic football. The Australian Rules Football League of Ireland (ARFLI) sees teams in Dublin and Belfast compete, with the national team often performing well in the AFL International Cup.
New Zealand
As the first nation to introduce the sport outside of Australia, this is among the top countries that play AFL in regards to popularity. Over the past 15 years, the sport has developed a foothold in school sports programs, which has seen more players in the AFL with New Zealand heritage debut. Its international team is represented by the New Zealand Hawks.
United States of America
Since the sport was introduced in the 1990s, the sport has steadily grown, particularly in cities with large Australian expat communities. The largest league is the United States Australian Football League (USAFL), with 48 men’s teams and 25 women’s teams involved. The USAFL season culminates in the largest Aussie rules tournament outside of Australia, the National Championships.
Canada
It is believed that AFL was introduced to Canada in the early 2000s by Australian expats. The sports is now managed by AFL Canada, with teams in seven provinces and cities such as Vancouver, Toronto, and Calgary introduced the sport to Canada. This year, Canada will host the 2024 Transatlantic Cup, an international AFL tournament.
South Africa
While South Africans were first introduced to the sport in the early 1900s while in the nation during the gold rush, the sport wasn’t officially played until the 1990s. The AFL South Africa league works hard to develop the sport and manages several clubs throughout the nation. Its national team is represented by the Lions.
China
Of all the countries that watch Aussie rules football, China is the largest market. The AFL Grand FInals are broadcast in the nation, attracting millions of viewers. Its popularity has grown after the AFL displayed an exhibition match in Shanghai in 2010. Its national team is the Dragons, which won the 2017 and 2018 All-Asian AFL Cup.
India
Local AFL games in India have steadily grown at a grassroots level. Of all the nations with AFL outside of Australia, India holds the record for most spectators of a live local league game, with 20,000 people recorded. It is played in 12 Indian states, with the national team called the Tigers.
The Pacific: Nauru, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea
Australian rules football is immensely popular in the nearby Pacific nations of Nauru, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea. Nauru, a tiny island nation with a population of 12,000, considers Australian football to be its national sport, with more than 30% of the country participating. This is the largest rate in the world.
The sport was introduced to the neighboring countries in the early 1900s. In international competitions, the teams tend to perform extremely well, with Papua New Guinea coming either first or second in every competition since it began in 2002. Many Fijian-born players have competed in the AFL.
Major International AFL Events
Since 2002, the top countries that play Australian rules football come together to compete in the Australian Football International Cup. This is a triennial event that hosts teams from 18 countries, with both men’s and women’s competitions. However, the event was canceled in 2024 due to financial reasons.
Instead, the competitions have been split between the Trans-Atlantic Cup, the Asia Cup, and the Pacific Cup. The Europe Championship also brings together teams such as Denmark, Ireland, and England. Of course, the Australian AFL Grand Final still generates plenty of international interest.
AFL’s Global Appeal Explained
As we’ve mentioned, much of the sport’s growth has been attributed to Australian expats. However, the sport is also renowned for its extreme athleticism and physically demanding nature. The game tends to generate plenty of goal-scoring, which keeps the games engaging and unpredictable. It’s an especially exciting sport for betting.
The Future of International AFL
As this guide has pointed out, the future of international Aussie rules football lies in its growing popularity in nearby Asia Pacific nations. We are also excited to see how the sport develops in the USA, as it now hosts one of the best-organized leagues outside of Australia.
