Australian Football
An Australian sport played between two teams of 18 on-field players, who score points by kicking an oval-shaped ball between goalposts
Australian football was developed as a way to keep cricket players fit during the winter months.
Founded in 1858, Melbourne became the first Australian football club and is among the oldest continuously operating sporting clubs in the world. The game’s first official rules were written in 1859.1
Marngrook, a Gunditjmara word meaning “game ball”, was played by some First Nations groups in Victoria. Some believe that Marngrook influenced the development of Australian Rules football, though the evidence remains inconclusive. 2
Discover more about Australian football through the Clearinghouse evidence base:
- Modified Sports - adaptations that make Australian football more inclusive and accessible.
- Australian Sport History - history and Hall of Fame information about Australian football.
Evolution:
- Victorian Football League (VFL) [1897-1990]
- Australian Football League (AFL) [1990-]
Participation
An estimated 579,204 Australian adults [aged 15+] participated in Australian football at least once in 2024.3
An estimated 280,286 Australian children [aged 0-14] participated in Australian football at least once in 2024.3
An estimated 134,355 Australian women [aged 15+] and an estimated 440,824 Australian men [aged 15+] participated in Australian football at least once in 2024.3
Explore further participation statistics for Australian football through the Australian Football Report, opens in a new tab and AusPlay online portal., opens in a new tab
Governing body
The Australian Rules Football League (AFL), opens in a new tab is an organisation recognised by government at all levels as the National controlling body for the sport of Australian football in Australia.
In 1897, the Victorian Football League (VFL) was established. The competition was primarily focused on state-based leagues until the 1980s when clubs from outside of Victoria began joining the VFL, broadening its reach and competitiveness. In 1990, reflecting its national expansion, the league was renamed the Australian Football League (AFL).1
REFERENCES
- History of Football,, opens in a new tab Australian Football League
- The AFL's aboriginal origins, opens in a new tab, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
- AusPlay Data Portal: Sport-related participation – frequency of participation, opens in a new tab, Australian Sports Commission, (accessed 15 October 2025)
Documents
The Clearinghouse for Sport has sought permission from relevant organisations for the inclusion of their documents in this archive. Copyright ownership remains vested with the organisation and as such permission from the copyright owner should be sought if you wish to communicate, adapt or reproduce these documents.
- AFL Annual Report 2024[PDF • 14.24 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 2023[PDF • 12.03 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 2022[PDF • 22.98 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 2021[PDF • 25.87 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 2020[PDF • 26.5 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 2019[PDF • 19.32 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 2018[PDF • 44.21 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 2017[PDF • 32.95 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 2016[PDF • 10.04 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 2015[PDF • 25.74 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 2014[PDF • 18.24 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 2013[PDF • 13.11 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 2012[PDF • 8.51 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 2011[PDF • 6.66 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 2010[PDF • 6.67 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 2009[PDF • 15.78 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 2008[PDF • 13.12 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 2007[PDF • 12.05 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 2006: Key highlights[PDF • 112.89 kb]
- AFL Annual Report 2006: Part 4[PDF • 7.05 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 2006: Part 3[PDF • 21.24 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 2006: Part 2[PDF • 11.9 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 2006: Part 1[PDF • 12.77 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 2005[PDF • 10.41 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 2004: Part 2[PDF • 30.62 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 2004: Part 1[PDF • 30.49 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 2003: Part 2[PDF • 30.51 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 2003: Part 1[PDF • 31.33 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 2002: Part 2[PDF • 28.61 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 2002: Part 1[PDF • 31.03 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 2001: Part 2[PDF • 29.29 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 2001: Part 1[PDF • 31.36 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 2000: Part 2[PDF • 27.81 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 2000: Part 1[PDF • 30.91 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 1999: Part 2[PDF • 31.9 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 1999: Part 1[PDF • 39.19 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 1998: Part 2[PDF • 25.99 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 1998: Part 1[PDF • 26.75 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 1997[PDF • 39.13 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 1996[PDF • 36.64 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 1995[PDF • 36.62 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 1994[PDF • 35.82 mb]
- AFL Annual Report 1993[PDF • 35.65 mb]
- Australian Football Foundation Annual Report 1998[PDF • 6.11 mb]
- AFL Injury Report 2010[PDF • 869.73 kb]
- AFL Injury Report 2003[PDF • 241.58 kb]
- AFL Injury Report 2002[PDF • 230.11 kb]
- AFL Club management program : volunteer management for football clubs (2004)[PDF • 1.21 mb]
- The Coach : The official AFL level 1 coaching manual (2010)[PDF • 3.41 mb]
- Junior coaching manual : for coaches and players aged 5-12 years (2010)[PDF • 45.23 mb]
- Youth coaching manual (2010)[PDF • 11.22 mb]
- Bouncing racism out of sport : a racial and religious tolerance program for Australian Football (no date) [PDF • 301.58 kb]
- AFL Players’ Association Insights and Impact report edition 1 (2022)[PDF • 31.73 mb]
- AFL Players’ Association Development and Wellbeing report (2012)[PDF • 11.42 mb]
- AFL Players’ Association Development and Wellbeing report (2011)[PDF • 16.26 mb]
- AFL Players’ Association Development and Wellbeing report (2010)[PDF • 4.57 mb]
- AFL Administrative Structure Review Findings (1993)[PDF • 981.71 kb]
