Countries playing Australian rules football

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.

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]

Australian Football League has official affiliation agreements with 13 international governing bodies, ARFL Ireland, AFL Canada, Danish Australian Football League, AFL Britain, 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
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	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		AFL Japan	JAFL	Asian Championships Narita Cup	8th, 2008

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
Brunei	Overview		Sharks	BARFL		Asian Championships
China	Overview		Beijing Bombers Shanghai Tigers Tianjin Normal University			Asian Championships	15th, 2008
Hong Kong	Overview		Dragons			Asian Championships
India	Overview[7][8][9]						16th, 2008
Indonesia	Overview[10]		Jakarta Bintangs Jakarta Bulldogs Bali Geckos Banda Aceh Bandits Borneo Bears		WeJAFL	Asian Championships Pancawati Cup Java-Bali Cup Bali 9s
Israel	Overview[11]	Peres Peace Team					13th, 2008 (as Peace Team)
Laos	Overview		Lao Elephants
Malaysia	Overview		Warriors			Asian Championships
The Philippines	Overview[12][13]		Philippine Eagles	PAFL		Asian Championships
Pakistan	Overview[14][15]	Dragoons		AFL Pakistan	Swat
Qatar	Overview		Doha			Dubai 9s
Singapore	Overview		Singapore Wombats			Asian Championships
Thailand	Overview		Thailand Tigers			Asian Championships
United Arab Emirates	Overview[16][17][18]		Dubai Dingoes Dubai Dragons Dubai Heat			Asian Championships Dubai 9s
Vietnam	Overview		Hanoi Swans Saigon Saints			Asian Championships

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 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			CEAFL Cup, EU Cup
Catalonia	Overview			LFAC	LFAC	EU Cup
Czech Republic	Overview	Lions	Prague Cats Prague Dragons Prague Kings Vinohrady Hawks	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
Netherlands	Overview[22]	The Flying Dutchmen	Utrecht Saints Eindhoven Eagles Amsterdam Devils Den Haag Ooievaars	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)	Edinburgh Bloods Glasgow Sharks Aberdeen Eagles Kingdom Kangaroos	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	Lugano Steinbocks
United Kingdom	Overview	Bulldogs			AFL Britain WARFL SARFL		6th, 2002 & 2005
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
Belgium	Overview		Brussels Saints			EU Cup
Russia	Overview	Czars	The Pirates The Shooters Slavyane St. Petersburg Cats Lazy Coalas	ФАФР		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
Australia	Overview	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			10th, 2014
Nauru	Overview	Chiefs		NAFA			5th, 2008
New Zealand	Overview	Falcons		New Zealand AFL	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

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

References

1. AFL and Countries ponder eligibility rules for 2008, by Brett Northey - worldfootynews.com, Apr 23 2007
2. South Africa target 28000 players by 2010, youth Test match confirmed, by Brett Northey - worldfootynews.com, Jan 15 2007
3. Footy a welcome hit in Kenya, by Matt Morris - worldfootynews.com, Nov 20 2004
4. Santiago Saints headed to Rio for Brazil's first-ever footy match, by Aaron Richard - worldfootynews.com, June 09 2009
5. Bermuda 2007 cancelled, by Brett Northey - worldfootynews.com, Jan 16 2007
6. Footy enters Chilean alternative sports scene, by Aaron Richard - worldfootynews.com, Oct 15 2004
7. Dixon's world tour to advance the cause, by Brett Northey - worldfootynews.com, Sep 13 2006
8. Kickstart to sport from Down Under by Romila Saha for the Calcutta Times November 16, 2006
9. Indian footy - the 2008 International Cup, Croatian connection and Vegemite Vindaloo, by Ash Nugent - worldfootynews.com, Jan 18 2007
10. Indonesian League does the hard yards alone, by Sean - worldfootynews.com, Nov 28 2006
11. Footy in Israel - From St Kilda to the Dead Sea, by Aaron Richard - worldfootynews.com, Jan 19 2005
12. Aussie Rules gets its start in the Philippines, by Derek Ackary - worldfootynews.com, Jan 15 2005
13. Asian Eagles want to take to the skies again, by Craig Francis - hk-dragons.com, Nov 24 2006
14. College tournament planned for North-West Pakistan, by Aaron Richard - worldfootynews.com, May 18 2006
15. Pakistan keen to spread the word, by Ash Nugent - worldfootynews.com, June 22 2006
16. Dubai tries to get footy moving in the Middle East, by Ash Nugent - worldfootynews.com, Nov 23 2006
17. Aussie Rules is gaining momentum in Dubai, by Steve Hill - gulfnews.com, 25 Nov 2006
18. Dubai 9s preview, by Ash Nugent - worldfootynews.com, 07 Mar 2007
19. Lebanese Falcons take Flight, by Aaron Richard - worldfootynews.com, Oct 01 2004
20. French footy gets on board with Leo Lagrange, by Aaron Richard - worldfootynews.com, Nov 22 2006
21. Finland domestic comp ready to break the ice in 2007, by Aaron Richard - worldfootynews.com, Nov 16 2006
22. Netherlands

External links

• Australian Football International