Radio Brisvaani
Melbourne, July 10 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
Australian Rules Football is set for a major push into India after the AFL unveiled a long-term strategy to grow the sport to more than 100,000 registered participants across the country over the coming years.
The announcement was made during the visit of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), highlighting sport as an increasingly important pillar of the Australia-India relationship.
The AFL said India, already its fastest-growing international market and home to the world’s largest sports fan base, presents a significant opportunity to expand Australian Rules Football while strengthening the cultural and sporting ties between the two countries.
The initiative follows AFL Chief Executive Andrew Dillon’s visit to India earlier this year, where he attended the AFL India National Championships in Ranchi. The strategy formalises the AFL’s long-term commitment to supporting a sport that has grown steadily in India through grassroots and community-led efforts.
The announcement complemented the launch of the Australia-India Sports Collaboration Roadmap, unveiled earlier in the day by Prime Minister Albanese and India’s Prime Minister Modi at the MCG. The roadmap aims to deepen cooperation in coaching, athlete development, sports science, high-performance programmes and sporting exchanges as India prepares to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games and Australia the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The AFL said expanding the game in India would create new opportunities for participation, coaching, talent development and cultural exchange, while introducing Australian football to one of the world’s largest and youngest sporting audiences.
India has witnessed steady growth in Australian Rules Football over the past decade, with local clubs, schools and community organisations helping establish the game in several states. The AFL said its new strategy will provide structured support to build on that momentum and accelerate participation.
The league believes the initiative will not only broaden the sport’s international footprint but also contribute to stronger Australia-India people-to-people ties through community engagement and sporting partnerships.
The announcement comes as Australia and India continue to broaden their cooperation across education, trade, defence, technology and sport, with both governments increasingly recognising sport as an effective platform for strengthening bilateral relations and fostering closer community connections.
