AFL smashes record as grassroots Aussie Rules participation hits all-time high

More Australians than ever have picked up a footy this year, with grassroots participation levels hitting a new record. Here’s how many laced up their boots.

Aussie Rules has cemented its status as the greatest game down under with record grassroots participation levels to be announced by the AFL on Wednesday.

National participation this year hit an unprecedented 625,000 players, breaking the previous all-time mark of 580,000 set last year.

The Herald Sun can reveal the amount of men, women and children playing footy grew by 7 per cent year-on-year.

Auskickers Raf, Allira and Tiegan helped set a new Aussie Rules participation record this season. Picture: Supplied

More Australians than ever laced up their boots across junior, youth and senior community football, AFL Nines, Auskick, Superkick and AFL Schools competitions.

Victoria remains the nation’s heartland, with more than 250,000 participants, while South Australia (70,500) and WA (90,000) boast strong numbers across all levels of the game.

But Aussie Rules is also kicking goals in rugby and rugby league territory, with Queensland surging past 91,000 players to now rank second nationally in participation behind Victoria. Women and girls’ coaching numbers in the Sunshine State rose by more than 25 per cent, the strongest increase in the country.

And more than a quarter of all participants now come from Queensland, NSW and the ACT, with all three regions and Tasmania recording double digit growth this year (15 per cent, 10 per cent and 14 per cent).

Aussie Rules is also kicking goals in rugby and rugby league territory. Picture: Supplied

AFL game development executive general manager Rob Auld said the numbers were “a remarkable achievement and a powerful reminder of how footy continues to bring communities together across the country”.

“As more Australians find their pathway into the game, our focus remains on making sure footy is welcoming, inclusive and accessible as we strive to have one million participants by 2033,’’ he said.

In Victoria, boys and girls playing Auskick accounted for almost 50,000 of the total, up about five per cent.

Superkick added another 10,300 to the total, 3700 played AFL Nines, about 118,200 were on community junior and youth teams and more than 3100 part of schools programs.

More than 65,100 Victorians played senior footy.

Nationally, women and girls’ participation grew by 14 per cent, with females now accounting for almost a quarter of all players.

Girls’ participation in AFL Superkick — for players who have mastered Auskick — rose by about 212 per cent to almost 10,500 registered players.

Girls’ participation in Superkick has surged. Picture: Phil Hillyard

More than 179,000 boys and girls played Auskick or Superkick in total and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participation grew nine per cent.

Participation in NSW and the ACT grew to more than 78,000, a 10 per cent jump since 2024.

There are now 24,000 Tasmanians playing footy and more than 19,000 in the NT.

Mr Auld said the results were “driven by the thousands of people who give their time, energy and passion to footy every week.’’

But he conceded there were some leagues and clubs doing it tough both financially and in maintaining players at certain age groups.

“We know there are challenges in local footy and there is still work that needs to be done to help clubs,’’ he said.

“But to our clubs, coaches, umpires, volunteers and parents who make all of this possible, thank you and we’re incredibly grateful for everything you do.”