Countries playing Australian rules football
Note: In order to be recognised as a true national team and not simply expatriates (for the purposes of this entry), the list is subject to International Cup eligibility rules.[1]
Map of the world indicating the nations where Australian rules football was most played in 2009. The stronger regions are indicated in shades of red, areas in which it was most played; areas where the game was unknown or least played are indicated in grey.
Australian Football League has official affiliation agreements with 15 international governing bodies, ARFL Ireland, AFL Canada, Danish Australian Football League, AFL Scotland, AFL England, AFL Wales, AFL Japan, Nauru Australian Football Association, New Zealand AFL, USAFL, AFL South Africa, AFL PNG, AFL Samoa, Tonga Australian Football Association, AFL Germany and AFL Middle East, although it has working relations with leagues and clubs in further countries.
However, while these affiliations are in place, Australia is the only nation that actively engages in this sport at a professional level.
Africa
Countries with established league(s) and non-Australian-based national team:
| Country | Overview | National team | Major teams/clubs | Governing Body | Main league competition(s) | Main cup competition(s) | Best IC performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 South Africa | Overview[2] | Lions (formerly Buffaloes) | AFL South Africa | North West Province Gauteng Province | 3rd, 2008 | ||
Other nations with some history of Australian Rules:
| Country | Overview | National team | Major teams/clubs | Governing Body | Main league competition(s) | Main cup competition(s) | Best IC performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Kenya | Overview[3] | None | None | None | None | None | |
 Senegal | Overview | None | None | None | None | None | |
 Zimbabwe | Overview | None | None | None | None | None | |
Americas
Countries with established league(s) and non-Australian-based national team:
| Country | Overview | National team | Major teams/clubs | Governing Body | Main league competition(s) | Main cup competition(s) | Best IC performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
.svg.png.webp){kind=small} Canada | Overview | Northwind | AFL Canada | OAFL BCAFL AFL Quebec CWAFL | USAFL National Championships | 6th, 2008 | |
 United States | Overview | Revolution | USAFL | MAAFL EAFL NWPAFL SEAFL WAFA | USAFL National Championships | 3rd, 2005 | |
Other countries with some history of Australian Rules:
| Country | Overview | National team | Major teams/clubs | Governing Body | Main league competition(s) | Main cup competition(s) | Best IC performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Argentina | Overview | Los Santos de Santiago | AAFAU | ||||
 Brazil | Overview[4] | Carnaval | |||||
 Bermuda | Overview[5] | Bermuda Lions | |||||
 Chile | Overview[6] | Santiago Saints | |||||
Asia
Main articles: Australian rules football in Asia and Australian rules football in the Middle East
Countries with an established league(s) and non-Australian-based national team:
| Country | Overview | National team | Major teams/clubs | Governing Body | Main league competition(s) | Main cup competition(s) | Best IC performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Japan | Overview | Samurais | Tokyo Goannas | AFL Japan | JAFL | Asian Championships Narita Cup | 8th, 2008 |
Countries with at least one active club and/or national team including Australian players:
Countries with some history of Australian Rules and/or a club in development:
| Country | Overview | National team | Major teams/clubs | Governing Body | Main league competition(s) | Main cup competition(s) | Best IC performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 East Timor | Overview | Crocodiles | |||||
 Lebanon | Overview[19] | Falcons | |||||
Europe
+Countries with an established league and/or non-Australian-based national team:
| Country | Overview | National team | Major teams/clubs | Governing Body | Main league competition(s) | Main cup competition(s) | Best IC performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Austria | Overview | Avalanche | Styrian DownUnderDogs
Vienna Galahs |
CEAFL Cup, EU Cup | |||
 Catalonia | Overview | LFAC | LFAC | EU Cup | |||
 Czech Republic | Overview | Dragons | Prague Dragons | CAAFL | CAAFL League | EU Cup | |
 Denmark | Overview | Vikings | Farum Cats | DAFL | DAFL Premier League | Doctor's Cup | 4th, 2002 |
 Croatia | Overview | Knights | Zagreb Hawks, Agram Power, Velika Gorica Bombers | CAARF | CRO League | EU Cup | |
 England | Overview | Dragonslayers (Form part of the Great Britain Bulldogs for the IC) | AFL Britain | AFL London Southern Division Central & North West Division North East Division | Brit Cup EU Cup | ||
 France | Overview[20] | Les Bleus | Aix-Marseille Dockers Bordeaux Bombers Montpellier Fire Sharks Paris Cockerels Perpignan Tigers Strasbourg Kangaroos Toulouse Crocodiles | UFFA | UFFA ARFLF | EU Cup | 14th, 2011 |
 Finland | Overview[21] | Ice Breakers | Helsinki Heatseekers Salo Juggernauts Espoo Roos Turku Dockers Waasa Wombats | FAFL | EU Cup | 14th, 2008 | |
 Germany | Overview | Black Eagles | Munich Kangaroos Frankfurt Redbacks Rheinland Lions Hamburg Dockers Berlin Crocodiles Stuttgart Emus | AFLG | AFLG | EU Cup, Tri-Nations | |
 Iceland | Overview | Ravens | Bulls Eagles Dragons | IceAFL | EU Cup | ||
 Ireland | Overview | Warriors | ARFLI | ARFLI | 1st, 2002 and 2011 | ||
 Italy | Overview | Azzurri | Roma Blues Milano Aussie Rulers Genova Dockers | AFL Italia | |||
 Montenegro | Overview | Survivors | AFL Crnu Gora | ||||
 Netherlands | Overview[22] | The Flying Dutchmen | Utrecht Saints
Eindhoven Eagles |
DAFA | DAFA Premiership | EU Cup | |
 Norway | Overview | Trolls | Oslo Crows Ås Battlers Tromsø | ||||
 Scotland | Overview | Clansmen (Form part of the Great Britain Bulldogs for the IC), Sirens | Edinburgh Bloods Glasgow Sharks Greater Glasgow Giants Kingdom Kangaroos [West Lothian Eagles]] | AFL Britain | SARFL | Haggis Cup EU Cup | |
 Spain | Overview | Bulls | Madrid Bears Móstoles Kangaroos | 10th, 2005 | |||
 Sweden | Overview | Elks | AFL Sweden | SAFL SAFF | Tri-Nations | 8th, 2008 | |
 Switzerland | Steinbocks | Winterthur Lions Basel Dragons Geneva Jets | AFL Switzerland | ||||
 United Kingdom | Overview | Bulldogs | AFL Britain WARFL SARFL | 6th, 2002 & 2005 | |||
.svg.png.webp){kind=small} Wales | Overview | Cymru Red Dragons (Form part of the Great Britain Bulldogs for the IC) | Cardiff Double Blues Gwent Tigers South Cardiff Panthers Swansea Magpies Vale Warriors | AFL Britain | WARFL | Dragon Cup | |
Countries with at least one active club and/or national team including Australian players:
| Country | Overview | National team | Major teams/clubs | Governing Body | Main league competition(s) | Main cup competition(s) | Best IC performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
.svg.png.webp){kind=small} Belgium | Overview | Brussels Saints | EU Cup | ||||
 Poland | Overview | Polish Devils | Bydgoszcz Wildcats | AFL Polska | EU Cup | ||
 Russia | Overview | Czars | The Pirates The Shooters Slavyane St. Petersburg Cats Lazy Coalas | ФАФР | EU Cup | ||
 Hungary | Overview | Cats | Budapest Bats | AFL Hungary | EU Cup | ||
Other countries with some history of Australian Rules:
| Country | Overview | National team | Major teams/clubs | Governing Body | Main league competition(s) | Main cup competition(s) | Best IC performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Georgia | Overview | Ozirulz Georgia | |||||
Oceania
Countries with active league(s) and national teams.
| Country | Overview | National team | Major teams/clubs | Governing Body | Main league competition(s) | Main cup competition(s) | Best IC performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
.svg.png.webp){kind=small} Australia | Overview | Galahs All-Australian Team | List of clubs | AFL | AFL SANFL WAFL VFL Queensland State NTFL Sydney AFL TSL O&M MFL VWFL SAWFL SWAFL WAWFL ACTWAFL NTWARFA | AFL Grand Final NAB Cup TAC Cup | Ineligible |
 Fiji | Overview | Tribe | Nausori Cats Raiwaqa Bulldogs Suva City Swans Suva Lions | AFL Fiji | AFL Fiji | 10th, 2014 | |
 Nauru | Overview | Chiefs | Nauru Australian Football Association | NAFA Senior League NAFA Junior League | 5th, 2008 | ||
 New Zealand | Overview | Falcons | AFL New Zealand | Auckland AFL Canterbury AFL Waikato AFL Wellington AFL | NPC | 1st, 2005 | |
 Papua New Guinea | Overview | Mosquitos | PNG Rules Football Council | Goroka Kimbe Lae Mt Hagen Port Moresby Rabaul Eastern Highland | NPC | 1st, 2008; 2014 | |
 Samoa | Overview | Kangaroos | Samoa Australian Rules Football Association | 5th, 2005 | |||
 Tonga | Overview | Black Marlins | Tonga Australian Football Association | ||||
 Vanuatu | Overview | AFL Vanuatu |
Other countries with some history of Australian Rules:
| Country | Overview | National team | Major teams/clubs | Governing Body | Main league competition(s) | Main cup competition(s) | Best IC performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Solomon Islands | Overview |
See also
References
- AFL and Countries ponder eligibility rules for 2008, by Brett Northey - worldfootynews.com, 23 April 2007
- South Africa target 28000 players by 2010, youth Test match confirmed, by Brett Northey - worldfootynews.com, 15 Jan 2007
- Footy a welcome hit in Kenya, by Matt Morris - worldfootynews.com, 20 Nov 2004
- Santiago Saints headed to Rio for Brazil's first-ever footy match, by Aaron Richard - worldfootynews.com, 9 June 2009
- Bermuda 2007 cancelled, by Brett Northey - worldfootynews.com, 16 January 2007
- Footy enters Chilean alternative sports scene, by Aaron Richard - worldfootynews.com, 15 Oct 2004
- Dixon's world tour to advance the cause, by Brett Northey - worldfootynews.com, 13 Sep 2006
- Kickstart to sport from Down Under by Romila Saha for the Calcutta Times 16 November 2006
- Indian footy - the 2008 International Cup, Croatian connection and Vegemite Vindaloo, by Ash Nugent - worldfootynews.com, 18 January 2007
- Indonesian League does the hard yards alone, by Sean - worldfootynews.com, 28 November 2006
- Footy in Israel - From St Kilda to the Dead Sea, by Aaron Richard - worldfootynews.com, 19 January 2005
- Aussie Rules gets its start in the Philippines, by Derek Ackary - worldfootynews.com, 15 January 2005
- Asian Eagles want to take to the skies again, by Craig Francis - hk-dragons.com, 24 November 2006 Archived 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine
- College tournament planned for North-West Pakistan, by Aaron Richard - worldfootynews.com, 18 May 2006
- Pakistan keen to spread the word, by Ash Nugent - worldfootynews.com, 22 June 2006
- Dubai tries to get footy moving in the Middle East, by Ash Nugent - worldfootynews.com, 23 November 2006
- "Aussie Rules is gaining momentum in Dubai, by Steve Hill - gulfnews.com, 25 November 2006". Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 28 November 2006.
- Dubai 9s preview, by Ash Nugent - worldfootynews.com, 7 Mar 2007
- Lebanese Falcons take Flight, by Aaron Richard - worldfootynews.com, 1 Oct 2004
- French footy gets on board with Leo Lagrange, by Aaron Richard - worldfootynews.com, 22 November 2006
- Finland domestic comp ready to break the ice in 2007, by Aaron Richard - worldfootynews.com, 16 November 2006
- Netherlands
External links
| Tournaments | |
|---|---|
| National teams (men) |
|
| National teams (women) | |
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