Australian Football League facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Australian Football League

AFL logo (since 1999)
Formerly	Victorian Football League (VFL) (1897–1990)
Sport	Australian rules football
Founded	2 October 1896; 128 years ago (1896-10-02)
Inaugural season	1897
CEO	Andrew Dillon
No. of teams	18
Country	Australia
Headquarters	Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Most recent champion(s)	Collingwood (16th premiership)
Most titles	Carlton Collingwood Essendon (16 premierships)
TV partner(s)	Australia: Seven Network Fox Footy New Zealand: Sky Sport International: List of International broadcast partners
Streaming partner(s)	Kayo Sports, Foxtel, 7 News (Australia) WatchAFL (Overseas)
Sponsor(s)	Toyota
Related competitions	AFL Women's VFL SANFL WAFL TSL NTFL QAFL AFL Sydney AFL Canberra AFL International Cup AFLX
Official website	afl.com.au

The Australian Football League (AFL) is the top professional competition for Australian rules football. It started in 1896 as the Victorian Football League (VFL). Its first season was in 1897. The league changed its name to the Australian Football League in 1990. This happened after it grew to include teams from other Australian states in the 1980s. The AFL also creates the rules for Australian football, which other leagues use.

Currently, 18 teams from five mainland Australian states play in the AFL. A new team from Tasmania, Tasmania, will join in 2028. AFL games have been played in all Australian states and territories. They have also been played in New Zealand and China to reach more fans.

The AFL season has 23 regular matches, running from March to September. The team with the best record at the end wins the minor premiership. The top eight teams then play in a four-round finals series. This leads to the exciting AFL Grand Final. The Grand Final is usually held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground every year. The winners are called the "premiers" and receive the premiership cup and a flag. Carlton, Collingwood, and Essendon are the most successful clubs. Each has won 16 premierships. Collingwood is the current champion, winning the 2023 AFL Grand Final.

History of the AFL

Early Years: The VFL Era (1897–1989)

How the League Began

The final standings of the 1896 VFA season. Many of these teams later formed the VFL.

Some of the AFL's clubs are very old. They helped make Australian football popular. The Melbourne Football Club wrote the first rules of the game in 1858. Geelong started in 1859.

The Victorian Football Association (VFA) was the main football competition in Victoria from 1877. In the 1890s, some stronger clubs wanted more control. They disagreed about sharing money from ticket sales. In 1896, six strong clubs left the VFA. These were Collingwood, Essendon, Fitzroy, Geelong, Melbourne, and South Melbourne. They invited Carlton and St Kilda to join them. Together, they formed a new competition called the Victorian Football League (VFL). The VFL's first season was in 1897.

VFL Innovations and Growth

The VFL quickly became very popular. It introduced new ideas to make games exciting. One big change was having a finals tournament. Before, the team with the best record all season won. The VFL also set up the modern scoring system. A goal was worth six points, and a "behind" was one point.

In 1908, the VFL grew to ten teams. Richmond and University Football Club joined. In 1911, clubs could officially pay players. This made the game more professional. University left the VFL in 1914 because its players stayed amateur.

New Teams Join the VFL

In 1924, Footscray (VFA champions) beat Essendon (VFL champions). This helped Footscray, Hawthorn, and North Melbourne join the VFL.

In 1925, the VFL expanded from nine to twelve teams. Footscray, Hawthorn, and North Melbourne joined from the VFA. Footscray quickly became competitive. Between 1927 and 1930, Collingwood made history. They became the first and only VFL team to win four premierships in a row.

Post-War Golden Years (1946–1975)

In 1952, the VFL held a "national day." All six matches were played outside Melbourne. This helped spread the game across Australia. Footscray won their first premiership in 1954.

The Melbourne Demons were very strong in the 1950s and early 1960s. They won five premierships, including three in a row. Television coverage of games began in 1957. At first, only the last quarter was shown live. Later, full replays became common.

In 1959, the VFL started planning its own large stadium. This was VFL Park. It was meant to hold 155,000 fans. It was built to hold 78,000 people. The VFL premiership trophy, a silver cup, was first awarded in 1959.

VFL Logo (1972-1975)

VFL Park opened in 1970. The 1970 VFL Grand Final was a famous game. Carlton came back from 44 points down to beat Collingwood. A record crowd of 121,696 watched this exciting match.

VFL Becomes More Powerful (1976–1981)

In 1976, the National Football League (NFL) started a night competition. It included teams from the VFL, SANFL, and WAFL. Games were played at night and shown live on TV. This brought in lots of money from TV rights and sponsors.

The VFL decided to start its own night competition in 1977. It had better TV deals. Over the next few years, teams from other states joined the VFL's night competition. This made the VFL much stronger than the NFL. This was a big step in the VFL becoming the main Australian football league.

VFL Logo (1976-1989)

By 1982, the VFL night competition included teams from Victoria, Western Australia, and South Australia. It became a pre-season competition in 1988.

Professionalism and Expansion (1982–1989)

The 1980s brought big changes. The VFL was the richest league. It started to recruit top players from other states. This made it hard for weaker VFL clubs to afford players.

The South Melbourne Swans moved to Sydney in 1982. They became the Sydney Swans. This helped the VFL expand outside Victoria. The Swans became a successful team.

In 1986, the VFL gave licenses to new teams. The West Coast Eagles (from Western Australia) and the Brisbane Bears (from Queensland) joined in 1987. These new teams paid a lot of money to join. This money helped struggling Victorian clubs like Footscray and Fitzroy.

New game times also started in the 1980s. Sydney played home games on Sunday afternoons. North Melbourne started playing on Friday nights. These are now common times for all teams. The first National Draft (where teams pick new players) was in 1986. A salary cap (a limit on how much teams can pay players) was introduced in 1987.

The AFL Era (1990–Present)

AFL Logo (1990-1999)

The league officially changed its name to the Australian Football League (AFL) in 1990. This showed that it was now a national competition.

A National Professional League (1990–2010)

In 1990, the AFL Players Association (the players' union) signed its first agreement. This set out wages and conditions for players. Football became a full-time job for many players.

In 1991, a new team from South Australia, the Adelaide Crows, joined the AFL. The West Coast Eagles became the first non-Victorian team to reach the Grand Final in 1991. They then won premierships in 1992 and 1994. In 1995, Fremantle joined, becoming the second team from Western Australia.

In 1996, some Victorian clubs faced financial problems. Fitzroy merged with Brisbane to form the Brisbane Lions. This allowed Port Adelaide to join the AFL in 1997.

During the 1990s, Melbourne-based teams stopped playing at smaller local grounds. They moved to bigger stadiums like the MCG and VFL Park. By 2005, all Melbourne teams played at only two main venues. In 1999, the AFL sold VFL Park. The money helped build a new stadium at Docklands.

The 18-Team Era (2011–Present)

In the late 2000s, the AFL wanted to add more teams. In 2008, the league decided to add two new teams. The Gold Coast Suns joined in 2011 as the 17th team. The Greater Western Sydney Giants, representing Western Sydney and Canberra, joined in 2012 as the 18th team.

On April 25, 2013, the first AFL game for premiership points was played outside Australia. It was between St Kilda and Sydney in Wellington, New Zealand. This game honored the Anzac bond between the two countries.

A national women's league, AFLW, started in 2017. Eight AFL clubs had teams in the first season. More clubs joined later. By 2022, all 18 AFL clubs had teams in the AFLW.

On May 14, 2017, Port Adelaide and the Gold Coast Suns played the first AFL game for premiership points in Shanghai, China.

The 2020 AFL season was greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Games were played without crowds, and the season was paused. When it restarted, the season was shorter. The Grand Final was played in Brisbane, outside Victoria, for the first time. The 2021 Grand Final was played in Perth for the same reason.

AFL Clubs

The AFL has a single league system. There are no separate divisions or promotions/relegations.

The league started with eight teams in Victoria in 1897. Over time, new teams joined, some moved, and some merged. Now there are 18 teams.

In 1990, the league became the Australian Football League. Most teams (ten) are still in Victoria, with nine in Melbourne. New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, and Western Australia each have two teams. Tasmania will get a team in 2028.

Current Clubs

Club	Colours	Moniker	State	Home venue	2023 members	Est.	Former league	VFL/AFL seasons		VFL/AFL premierships
								First	Total	Total	Most recent
Adelaide		Crows	South Australia	Adelaide Oval	68,536	1990	—	1991	33	2	1998
Brisbane Lions		Lions	Queensland	The Gabba	54,676	1996	—	1997	27	3	2003
Carlton		Blues	Victoria	Marvel Stadium	95,277	1864	VFA	1897+	127	16	1995
Collingwood		Magpies	Victoria	Melbourne Cricket Ground	106,470	1892	VFA	1897+	127	16	2023
Essendon		Bombers	Victoria	Marvel Stadium	86,274	1872	VFA	1897+	125†	16	2000
Fremantle		Dockers	Western Australia	Optus Stadium	62,064	1994	—	1995	29	0	—
Geelong		Cats	Victoria	GMHBA Stadium	82,155	1859	VFA	1897+	124†	10	2022
Gold Coast		Suns	Queensland	People First Stadium	23,359	2009	VFL	2011	13	0	—
Greater Western Sydney		Giants	New South Wales	Engie Stadium	33,036	2010	NEAFL	2012	12	0	—
Hawthorn		Hawks	Victoria	Melbourne Cricket Ground	80,698	1902	VFA	1925	99	13	2015
Melbourne		Demons	Victoria	Melbourne Cricket Ground	70,785	1858	VFA	1897+	124†	13	2021
North Melbourne		Kangaroos	Victoria	Marvel Stadium	51,084	1869	VFA	1925	99	4	1999
Port Adelaide		Power	South Australia	Adelaide Oval	64,041	1870	SANFL	1997	27	1	2004
Richmond		Tigers	Victoria	Melbourne Cricket Ground	101,349	1885	VFA	1908	116	13	2020
St Kilda		Saints	Victoria	Marvel Stadium	60,239	1873	VFA	1897+	126†	1	1966
Sydney		Swans	New South Wales^	Sydney Cricket Ground	65,332	1874	VFA	1897+	126†	5	2012
West Coast		Eagles	Western Australia	Optus Stadium	103,275	1986	—	1987	37	4	2018
Western Bulldogs		Bulldogs	Victoria	Marvel Stadium	56,302	1877	VFA	1925	99	2	2016
^ denotes that the club relocated from a different state at some point in its existence + denotes that the club was a founding member of the VFL † denotes that the club did not participate in one or more seasons due to one or both of the World Wars

Future Clubs: Tasmania Devils

Club	Colours	Moniker	State	Home venue	Joining league
Tasmania		Devils	Tasmania	Macquarie Point Stadium	2028

Former Clubs: A Look Back

Only one club, University, has left the league since 1897. It stopped playing in 1914 because it was an amateur club. It could not compete with teams that paid players. Two other clubs, Fitzroy and the Brisbane Bears, merged in 1996 to form the Brisbane Lions.

Club	Colours	Moniker	State	Home venue	Est.	Former league	VFL/AFL seasons			VFL/AFL premierships
							First	Last	Total	Total	Last
Brisbane Bears		Bears	Queensland	Carrara Stadium	1986	—	1987	1996	10	0	—
Fitzroy		Lions	Victoria	Brunswick Street Oval	1883	VFA	1897+	1996	100	8	1944
University		Students	Victoria	Melbourne Cricket Ground	1859	MJFA	1908	1914	7	0	—
+ denotes that the club was a founding member of the VFL

Timeline of Clubs: How the AFL Grew

Non-formal/junior competitions †
Victorian Football Association (1877) †
Victorian Football League (1897, later renamed AFL)
Australian Football League (1990, formerly VFL)
South Australian National Football League (1877) †

† Not all teams shown. These competitions are current.

AFL Venues: Where the Games Are Played

There have been 50 different grounds used in the VFL/AFL's history. The biggest is the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), which holds over 100,000 people. It hosts the Grand Final every year. Six teams share the MCG as their home ground. Other big stadiums are Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Adelaide Oval, and Optus Stadium. The AFL owns Marvel Stadium.

Most early VFL grounds were in Melbourne suburbs. But now, AFL games are played in every Australian state and territory. In 2013, the first AFL game for premiership points outside Australia was played in Wellington, New Zealand.

Current AFL Stadiums

These are the stadiums hosting AFL matches in the 2024 season.

Melbourne Cricket Ground	Optus Stadium	Marvel Stadium	Adelaide Oval
Melbourne, Victoria	Perth, Western Australia	Melbourne, Victoria	Adelaide, South Australia
Capacity: 100,024	Capacity: 61,266	Capacity: 56,347	Capacity: 53,500
Sydney Cricket Ground	GMHBA Stadium	The Gabba	Engie Stadium
Sydney, New South Wales	Geelong, Victoria	Brisbane, Queensland	Sydney, New South Wales
Capacity: 48,000	Capacity: 40,000	Capacity: 37,000	Capacity: 23,500
People First Stadium	Blundstone Arena	University of Tasmania Stadium	Manuka Oval
Gold Coast, Queensland	Hobart, Tasmania	Launceston, Tasmania	Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
Capacity: 22,500	Capacity: 19,500	Capacity: 19,000	Capacity: 15,000
TIO Stadium	Mars Stadium	Norwood Oval	TIO Traeger Park
Darwin, Northern Territory	Ballarat, Victoria	Adelaide, South Australia	Alice Springs, Northern Territory
Capacity: 12,500	Capacity: 11,000	Capacity: 10,000	Capacity: 7,200
Adelaide Hills
Mount Barker, South Australia
Capacity: 5,000

AFL Players: Who Plays the Game

Luke Hodge, a top player drafted in 2001. He played many games and won several premierships.

Most AFL players join the league through the AFL draft at the end of each season. Some players come from other sports or from other countries. Before, players were chosen from specific local areas. At the end of each season, the best 22 players are chosen for the All-Australian team.

The AFL has strict rules about how many players each club can have. Most teams have 38 to 40 senior players. They also have 4 to 6 "rookie" players. Clubs can trade players during a "trade period" after the season. They can also get new players through the national draft. The national draft is the main way new players are recruited.

Player Salaries: The Salary Cap

The AFL has a "salary cap" (called Total Player Payments or TPP). This limits how much money clubs can spend on player salaries. This rule helps keep the league fair, so richer clubs don't just buy all the best players. The salary cap has grown a lot since 1990.

Players' salaries are usually not made public. But the average AFL player earned about $251,559 in 2012. Top players can earn over $1,000,000 a year. In 2017, a new agreement increased player salaries by 20%. The average player wage rose to $371,000.

If a club breaks the salary cap rules, they can be fined. They might also lose draft picks or premiership points.

Player Backgrounds: Diverse Talent

In 2011, there were 801 players on AFL club lists. They came from every state and territory in Australia. In 2014, about 9% of AFL players were Indigenous Australians. This is much higher than their share of the general Australian population.

Indigenous player Lance Franklin. Indigenous Australians make up 9% of AFL players.

In 2011, 12 players were recruited from outside Australia. Most were from Ireland, who used to play Gaelic football. There were also players from the United States and Canada. The AFL has special lists for international rookies and scholarship players. This helps clubs find talent from around the world.

AFL Season Structure

Pre-Season: Getting Ready to Play

Before the main season, the AFL holds pre-season matches. These games help teams warm up and try out new rules. From 1988 to 2013, there was a special pre-season competition. Now, all 18 clubs play two practice matches in February and early March. This is called the Marsh Community Series.

Premiership Season: The Main Event

The AFL home-and-away season lasts for 24 rounds. It starts in mid-March and ends in late August. Each team plays 23 matches. They play 11 home games, 11 away games, and 1 game at a neutral venue (like the Gather Round). Teams get four points for a win and two for a draw. The team with the most points at the end is the minor premier. If teams have the same points, "percentage" (points scored divided by points conceded) is used to decide their rank.

Special Games and Themed Rounds

The Anzac Day clash, a very important game in the AFL season.

Some teams play each other at special times each year. The most famous is the Anzac Day clash between Collingwood and Essendon at the MCG. Other big games include the King's Birthday match and the Easter Monday clash.

The AFL also has themed rounds. The most famous is the Sir Doug Nicholls Round, also known as the Indigenous Round. This round celebrates Indigenous culture and players. It started in 2007 with the "Dreamtime at the 'G" match. In 2016, it was named after Sir Doug Nicholls, a famous Indigenous player and governor. During this round, players wear special jerseys with Indigenous artwork. Some clubs even use Indigenous names.

The AFLW has a "Pride Round" to celebrate diversity and inclusion. The men's league supports inclusivity in different ways.

Finals Series: The Road to the Grand Final

The top eight teams at the end of the regular season play in a four-week finals series. This happens in September. It all leads to the AFL Grand Final, which decides the champions. The Grand Final is usually played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on the last Saturday in September.

The winning team gets a silver premiership cup and a navy blue flag. Each player on the winning team also gets a premiership medallion. The flag is traditionally shown off at the team's first home game the next season.

AFL Awards: Honoring the Best

Many important awards are given out each season:

• Brownlow Medal – for the league's best and fairest player, voted by the umpires.
• Coleman Medal – for the player who kicks the most goals in the regular season.
• All-Australian team – a team of 22 players chosen as the best in their positions.
• Rising Star Award – for the best young player (under 21 and with few games played).
• Norm Smith Medal – for the best player in the Grand Final.
• Jock McHale Medal – for the coach of the premiership-winning team.
• Mark of the Year – for the best "mark" (catch) of the season.
• Goal of the Year – for the best goal of the season.
• Leigh Matthews Trophy – for the best player in the league, voted by the players.

Team of the Century: Legends of the Game

In 1996, the "AFL Team of the Century" was named. This celebrated 100 years of the VFL/AFL. It featured the best players from the league's history.

An Indigenous Team of the Century was also chosen in 2005. This team honored the best Aboriginal players from the last 100 years.

Representative Football: State vs. State

A statue of Ted Whitten, a Footscray legend who strongly supported State of Origin games.

State football, where players represent their home state, ended in the AFL in 1999. It has been brought back twice for special games. In 2008 and 2020, a Victorian team played against an "All Stars" team.

Historically, the Victorian team (nicknamed the "Big V") was very strong. Many of the country's best players played in the VFL. After 1977, when "State of Origin" rules began, other states became more competitive. The AFL took over state football in 1993. However, interest in these games dropped, and they stopped in 1999.

The AFL then focused on the International Rules Series. This series plays against Ireland. In 2008, a special "Hall of Fame Tribute Match" was played. In 2020, another special State of Origin match was held. Money from this game helped communities affected by bushfires.

Global Reach: Spreading the Game

The AFL wants to make Australian rules football popular in other countries. This helps the sport grow and gets more attention for its sponsors. AFL games have been played in New Zealand and China. The sport has also gained interest in North America.

International Rules Series: Australia vs. Ireland

The AFL has a special series of games called the International Rules Series. This is played between an Australian team (made of AFL players) and an Irish team. The game mixes rules from Australian football and Gaelic football. This series is the only way for AFL players to represent their country.

This series has also encouraged young Irish players to join AFL teams. Gaelic football is an amateur sport, but the AFL is professional. So, players can earn a living playing AFL. Many Irish players have tried to make it in the AFL, and some have been very successful, like Jim Stynes.

How the AFL is Run

Gillon McLachlan, a former CEO of the AFL.

The AFL is managed by a group of directors called the AFL Commission. This group was created in 1985. It replaced the old system where clubs elected directors. The Commission helps the AFL grow the sport across Australia. It also provides money for local leagues and runs the Auskick program for young players.

The AFL also works to develop the game outside Australia. It supports competitions around the world. Players, coaches, and umpires in the AFL all have their own associations to represent them.

AFL Audience: Fans and Viewers

The AFL is one of the most popular sports leagues in Australia. In 2012, it had the highest attendance of any sport. Many people also watch it on TV. In 2019, a record 1,057,572 people were members of an AFL club.

In 2022, TV audiences for AFL games totaled 125.4 million viewers. The 2023 AFL Grand Final was watched by 4.98 million people on TV. Another 756,000 watched online. A huge crowd of 100,024 fans watched the game live at the stadium.

Attendance: How Many People Watch Live

The following table shows how many people have attended AFL games in recent seasons:

¹ Finals total and Finals average include grand final crowds.
² Record.
³ Capacity reduced due to MCG refurbishment.
⁴ Crowd for the drawn grand final.
⁵ Crowd for the grand final replay, played one week after the drawn grand final.
⁶ Attendance reduced due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
⁷ Capacity reduced due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Television Coverage: Watching the Game at Home

AFL matches are shown in Australia by the free-to-air Seven Network and the subscription TV provider Foxtel. This deal runs until 2024. Seven shows about three-and-a-half games per round, including Friday and Saturday night games. Foxtel shows every match live on its Fox Footy channels. The Grand Final is only on Channel Seven. You can also stream games online through Kayo Sports.

The first VFL game was broadcast on radio in 1923. Television coverage started in 1957. Over the years, different TV networks have shown AFL games. The current deal is the biggest sports TV deal in Australian history.

International Broadcasts: AFL Around the World

AFL games are shown in many countries around the world. This helps grow the sport globally.

Radio Coverage: Listening to the Game

The first VFL game was broadcast on radio in 1923. Many radio stations still broadcast AFL games today. You can listen to games on stations like Triple M, SEN, 3AW, and ABC Sport.

Non-English Radio: More Ways to Listen

Some radio stations broadcast AFL games in different languages. These include Arabic, Chinese, Greek, Hindi, and Spanish. Many stations also broadcast in Indigenous languages. This is because Australian rules football is very popular among Indigenous Australians.

Internet: AFL Online

The AFL's main internet partner is Telstra. The AFL website offers streaming video for international fans. Telstra also hosts the websites for all 18 AFL clubs.

Since 2019, Kayo Sports has streamed every game live, except the Grand Final. International fans can watch games through the Watch AFL subscription service.

AFL Business: Sponsors and Merchandise

Sponsorship: Who Supports the AFL

Big companies sponsor the AFL. This helps the league grow and run its competitions. The main sponsor of the AFL competition since 2004 has been Toyota.

The AFL Record is a magazine published by the AFL for match days. It is read by many people each week.

Membership: Being a Club Member

The AFL sells memberships that give fans special access to games. Members can reserve seats at stadiums like Marvel Stadium and the MCG. They also get priority access to finals tickets. There are different levels of membership, offering different benefits.

Merchandise: Show Your Team Pride

The AFL has stores that sell merchandise from all clubs. You can buy jerseys, hats, and other gear to support your favorite team.

AFL Video Games

You can also play AFL video games! Here is a list of all the games in the AFL video game series:

Gambling: Tipping and Fantasy Football

Many fans enjoy "footy tipping" competitions. In these, people guess the winners of each game. There are also "fantasy football" games. Here, fans pick a team of real players and score points based on how well those players perform in actual games.

AFL and Community: Supporting Important Causes

Inclusivity: Supporting All Fans

The AFL supports the LGBTIQ community. They organize "pride games" and promote inclusion. The Sydney Swans club has an official LGBTQIA+ supporter group called Rainbow Swans.

The AFLW has an official "Pride Round" since 2021. This round celebrates gender diversity and helps create a welcoming environment for all players. All 18 clubs support this round.

Voice to Parliament: Supporting Indigenous Recognition

The AFL supported the creation of an Indigenous Voice to Parliament. This was a proposal for a group to advise the Australian Parliament on matters affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Images for kids

• 1897 VFL finals series.jpg

  Essendon won the first VFL premiership in 1897.

See Also

In Spanish: Australian Football League para niños

• Australian rules football attendance records
• History of Australian rules football in Victoria (1859–1900)
• Rivalries in the Australian Football League
• Sports attendances

Lists

• List of VFL/AFL premiers
• List of VFL/AFL minor premiers
• List of VFL/AFL pre-season and night series premiers
• List of Indigenous Australian VFL/AFL and AFL Women's players
• List of VFL/AFL players born outside Australia
• List of VFL/AFL players by ethnicity
• List of current Australian Football League coaches
• List of Australian Football League grounds
• List of sports venues in Australia
• List of VFL/AFL presidents
• List of VFL/AFL records
• List of individual match awards in the Australian Football League