What is the AFL?
The Australian Football League runs both the elite competition and the sport itself — descended from the Victorian Football League of 1896, national since 1990, with 18 men's clubs, 18 AFLW clubs, and the MCG as the game's cathedral.[1] [2]
Why does it matter?
The AFL is the wealthiest and best-attended sporting body in Australia — its draft, salary cap and equalization policies shape every player's career, and its premiership is the code's only real currency.[2] [3]
References
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — Australian rules football (history). Accessed August 2026.
- AFL — official site. Accessed August 2026.
- 2025 AFL Grand Final. Accessed August 2026.