[Archive 2009-10-29] AFL provides insufficient support for European leagues: Germany

Historical archive — originally published 2009-10-29. This report records what was known on that date. It is not current news; subsequent events may have changed the situation. Wikinews closed in May 2026.

The Australian Football League (AFL) has recently come under fire for not supporting European Australian rules football organisations. Local teams have affiliated with AFL teams who help provide them with balls, guernseys and other equipment.

Australian rules football is played on a field 170 metres by 160 metres. The two teams consist of 18 players a side. Scores are quoted as goals-behinds (total).

Australian rules football is played across Europe with Ireland, the United Kingdom and Denmark having arguably the oldest competitions. All three nations have sent teams to the Australian Football International Cup. Currently national teams play either one off internationals and/or play in either a tri-nation tournament, the EU Cup or the Central European Australian Football League Championships

While Germany has a a local league with similar success to those mentioned above, AFL Germany holds the position that money that would be spent sending a team to the International Cup would be better spent developing the game locally.

Australian rules football in general gets exposure with games from the AFL being broadcast live into Europe through Eurosport 2 with an unknown few watching online. "Grand Final Parties" were set up by the local Australian rules football communities and clubs. 12 such parties were listed on World Footy News, an independent news source covering Australian rules football related topics from around the world.

The AFL is currently the de facto world governing body for the sport of Australian rules football.

The European stance generally stems from the respective local bodies perceived inability to promote and develop the sport. The Swedish AFL has forged an alliance with their Rugby Union counterparts, in a bid to alleviate this problem, giving them lobbying power with local funding bodies. AFL Germany is also forging a similar alliance with the local American football community for the same reasons.

The Karlstad Eagles aligned themselves with AFL team the West Coast Eagles in May. As part of this alignment, Karlstad received long sleeve jumpers, allowing them to train year round. Club president Jimmy Ljunggren said, "We can train all year round in these. We just need a couple of snow ploughs to clear the track in winter."

Wikinews emailed the Australian Football League to get its response to this occurrence. In its response, the AFL said that its primary focus in terms of development was in Australia.

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