Australian Football International Cup
Most recent season or competition: 2017 AFL International Cup | |
Sport | Australian rules football |
---|---|
Inaugural season | 2002 |
No. of teams | 2017: 18 men's & 8 women's |
Country | Host: Australia |
Most recent champion(s) | Papua New Guinea (men) Ireland (women) |
Most titles | Papua New Guinea (men; 3 titles) Ireland (women; 2 titles) |
TV partner(s) | YouTube[1] |
Official website | afl.com.au/internationalcup |
Tournaments | |
---|---|
|
The Australian Football International Cup (also known as the AFL International Cup or simply IC) is a triennial international Australian rules football sport competition. It is the biggest worldwide tournament in the sport and is open to all nations (except for Australia due to the presence of the professional AFL competition and an abundance of semi-professional leagues). More than 26 nations have participated and the competition has expanded into multiple pools and both men and women's divisions. The most recent event 2020 was postponed and then cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[2] At the time of the last tournament in 2017, the sport had a record 170,744 players outside Australia (11% of total players) growing at a rate of 25% per annum (as compared to an Australian participation growth rate of 10%).[3]
The inaugural 2002 tournament was organised by the first world governing body, the International Australian Football Council, however with the AFL Commission assuming control over the game internationally, since 2005 it has been run by the game development arm of the Australian Football League. The IC Grand Final of each men's tournament has been held as a curtain raiser to a home-and-away match of the AFL premiership season.
Although the competition has grown, its status has remained low for more than two decades and the arrangement has been criticised due to the focus on the domestic competition and the AFL's commitment to fund and promote the sport internationally questioned.[4][5][6] Competition scheduling discourages it as a standalone spectator event with few pool matches played at stadiums, matches are generally played on weekdays during business hours and rarely with access to ticketed admission, allocated seating, or covered areas. The event and matches receive very little if any promotion. Though a few blockbusters have been played as curtain raisers to AFL matches, they are generally not advertised and attract mostly neutral observers as they filter in early for the main event. Despite the limited accessibility for spectators some regional matches played on weekends have attracted significant attendances, with the current attendance record of 5,000 at the The Showgrounds, Wangaratta.
The tournament is geared towards game development and as such some rule variations are used, for example the 25-metre penalty used by many amateur competitions and eligibility rules are very strict compared those of other international football competitions. Generally speaking players must be a citizen of the country they represent and have lived there through roughly middle school and high school ages (when most players usually learn the key skills required). IC criteria ensures that expatriate Australians, Australians with overseas ancestry and those who moved to Australia at a young age are ineligible to compete (with the exception of the women's OzIM team, which is composed of indigenous and multicultural Australians). These rules, combined with professional contracts and limited pathways for players typically precludes professional players from participating. In addition there is a per team cap on players registered with Australian clubs. Despite this, some of AFL listed internationals and rookies have participated, however these players must negotiate a release from their AFL/AFLW contracts before nominating. Laura Duryea (Melbourne FC/Ireland women's) was the first player to compete at the highest level in both competitions. Likewise, the tournament forms a pathway for international players to the AFL, with numerous players having been rookie listed by AFL clubs after their performances in the competition.
History[]
When the International Australian Football Council was formed in 1995 one of its aims was to 'establish and promote an official World Cup of Australian Football'. At the time it was thought that 2008, being the 150th anniversary of the game, was the appropriate date.
However, in 1999 a proposal was received from the New Zealand Australian Football League (NZAFL), suggesting that the World Cup be brought forward to 2002. This was accepted by the council and, following visits to many countries, IAFC public relations officer Brian Clarke drafted a discussion paper and draft regulations for circulation to the various national bodies.
An approach was then made to the AFL, asking for their support in staging the event. The AFL agreed on the basis that the event was renamed the "International Cup". An organising committee, chaired by Ed Biggs and including AFL and IAFC representatives, was then appointed.
The inaugural competition, the 2002 Australian Football International Cup, was held between 14 August and 23 August 2002 (in conjunction with the International Australian Football Council), with 11 countries competing including Canada, Denmark, Ireland, Japan, Nauru, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States. All matches were played in Melbourne at mainly second tier suburban and Victorian Football League home grounds. Ireland defeated Papua New Guinea in the final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The second cup in 2005 saw the addition of Spain but the withdrawal of Denmark and Nauru competed in 2002 for financial reasons. While most of the venues were similar to 2002, it was the first tournament to have matches held outside Melbourne, with the Victorian city of Wangaratta hosting one of the later rounds. New Zealand won their first championship.
The third cup in 2008 saw a record sixteen nations with China, India, Sweden, Finland and a combined Israel-Palestine side (known as the Peres Peace Team) debuting.[7] Tonga entered as a seventeenth team, but as they were unable to commit to the full draw they played a series of multicultural exhibition matches against Team Asia and Team Africa, sides drawn from Melbourne's migrant communities. Like the previous cup, the 2008 event had some matches played outside of Melbourne with the western Victorian city of Warrnambool billed as the co-host, with other games being held primarily at Royal Park, Melbourne (to feature as a primary venue in subsequent cups) and also Geelong. Papua New Guinea, which had appeared in all the previous tournaments, won its first title.
The fourth tournament, the 2011 Australian Football International Cup was the first to play matches outside of Victoria, with Sydney's Blacktown International Sports Park and suburban grounds hosting some of the early round matches and a historic first international at ANZ Stadium between the USA and South Africa played as a curtain raiser to a Sydney Swans AFL match.[8] A record 18 nations competed,[9] and a Women's International Cup was competed for alongside the men's competition for the first time.[10][11] It was the first tournament to feature a side from Australia, the OzIM women's team, composed of amateur indigenous and multicultural players, however the team did not perform well. It was also the first tournament to be split into divisions, seeded from primarily performances at previous cups. The tournament saw the addition of teams from Fiji (who went on to take out Men's Division 2), France and Timor-Leste. Tonga, who had previously withdrawn, also competed. However Finland and Samoa did not send teams. Ireland won the title in both men's and women's divisions.
The 2014 Australian Football International Cup saw a significant increase in international and media interest. Once again, 18 teams competed. Israel-Palestinian was no longer represented and Denmark announced a return to its domestic game development policy. Indonesia and Pakistan made debuts in their place. As in previous tournaments, one of the rounds was played outside of Melbourne, with matches played at suburban grounds in Melbourne along with regional matches at Bendigo, Ballarat and Geelong. South Africa, Fiji and France were the standout improvers. Papua New Guinea regained their title in the men's, Sweden finished top of division 2. Fiji, Tonga debuted in the women's division and The United States and Canada both fielded two women's teams making a record 7 teams. Canada achieved a historic first ever title in the women's.
The 2017 Australian Football International Cup once again featured 18 teams, however reflecting the game's growth in the Indian subcontinent with the debut of Sri Lanka. European teams were finding travel difficult, with sides that competed in the IC and EU Cup pulling out, though Croatia and Germany made solid debuts. The 2017 tournament for the first time featured themed rounds: School round, where matches were played at Victorian schools, and Community round, as in 2014 where matches were played at suburban grounds in Melbourne and Geelong. Papua New Guinea won back-to-back men's titles, Croatia won a historic first Division 2 title. In the women's, there were a record 8 teams (with no nations fielding more than one team), with a very strong debut from Great Britain (finishing 3rd overall with its defeat of the USA). Reflecting the strength of the women's competition, the two other new entrants: Pakistan and a composite European side, both failed to score. Ireland regained its women's title continuing its ongoing rivalry with Canada.
The 2020 International Cup was scheduled for 21 July – 8 August in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, but was initially postponed until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic[12] before being cancelled altogether in 2021. Prior to the tournament several changes had been announced. Criteria were made more strict, reducing the number of Australian based players allowed to compete. New Zealand announced the planned entry of its first women's team. The AFL had, for the first time, announced capping the men's competition to 16 teams (2 less than the previous 3 tournaments) and the women's to 8 (the same as previous competitions).[13] These developments could potentially penalise some nations that do not have strong local or regional competitions and a women's team (most likely the European Crusaders) would have to make way for the entry of New Zealand.
Men's International Cup[]
Nation | Moniker | 2002 (11) | 2005 (10) | 2008 (16) | 2011 (18) | 2014 (18) | 2017 (18) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Canada | Northwind | 9th | 7th | 6th | 10th | 5th | 7th | |
China | Dragons | - | - | 15th | 17th | 16th | 13th | |
Croatia | - | - | - | - | - | 11th | ||
Denmark | Vikings | 4th | W/D | 11th | 8th | - | - | |
Fiji | Tribe | - | - | - | 13th | 10th | 8th | |
Finland | Icebreakers | - | - | 14th | - | 15th | - | |
France | Les Coqs | - | - | - | 14th | 11th | 10th | |
Germany | - | - | - | - | - | 12th | ||
Great Britain | Bulldogs | 6th | 6th | 9th | 7th | 9th | 6th | |
India | Bombers | - | - | 16th | 16th | 18th | 18th | |
Indonesia | Garudas | - | - | - | - | 17th | 16th | |
Ireland | Warriors | 1st | 4th | 4th | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | |
Israel-Palestinian territories | Peres Team for Peace | - | - | 13th | 15th | - | - | |
Japan | Samurais | 10th | 9th | 8th | 12th | 14th | 14th | |
Nauru | Chiefs | 8th | W/D | 5th | 6th | 7th | 5th | |
New Zealand | Hawks[14] | 3rd | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 3rd | 2nd | |
Pakistan | Dragoons | - | - | - | - | 12th | 17th | |
Papua New Guinea | Mosquitoes | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 1st | |
Samoa | Kangaroos | 7th | 5th | 10th | - | - | - | |
South Africa | Lions | 11th | 8th | 3rd | 5th | 4th | 9th | |
Spain | - | 10th | - | - | - | - | ||
Sri Lanka | - | - | - | - | - | 15th | ||
Sweden | Elks | - | - | 12th | 11th | 13th | - | |
Timor-Leste | - | - | - | 18th | - | - | ||
Tonga | Tigers | - | - | W/D | 9th | 6th | - | |
United States | Revolution | 5th | 3rd | 7th | 4th | 8th | 4th | |
"W/D" = Withdrew from the tournament without playing a match after officially committing to field a side that year.[15][16] |
Division 1 Grand final and third place playoff results[]
Prior to 2011, all men's teams competed in one division.
Year | Host | Grand Final match | Third Place Playoff match | Number of teams | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Winner | Score | Runner-up | 3rd place | Score | 4th place | ||||||
2002 Details |
Melbourne[17] | Ireland[18] |
7.9 (51) - 2.7 (19) | Papua New Guinea |
New Zealand |
3.7 (25) - 2.4 (16) | Denmark |
11 | |||
2005 Details |
Melbourne, Wangaratta[19] | New Zealand[20] |
7.8 (50) - 5.2 (32) | Papua New Guinea |
United States |
10.5 (65) - 4.6 (30) | Ireland |
10 | |||
2008 Details |
Melbourne, Warrnambool[21] | Papua New Guinea[22] |
7.12 (54) - 7.4 (46) | New Zealand |
South Africa |
4.9 (33) - 5.2 (32) | Ireland |
16 | |||
2011 Details |
Melbourne, Sydney[8] | Ireland[23] |
8.5 (53) - 5.5 (35) | Papua New Guinea |
New Zealand |
12.4 (76) - 6.5 (41) | United States |
18 | |||
2014 Details |
Melbourne | Papua New Guinea |
6.9 (45) - 6.6 (42) | Ireland |
New Zealand |
6.8 (44) - 6.7 (43) | South Africa |
18 | |||
2017 Details |
Melbourne | Papua New Guinea |
4.5 (29) - 4.4 (28) | New Zealand |
Ireland |
7.6 (48) - 2.4 (16) | United States |
18 | |||
2020 (Cancelled) | Sunshine Coast | Cancelled | Cancelled | Cancelled | Cancelled | Cancelled | Cancelled | - | |||
TBA |
Overall tournament results[]
Sorted by winning percentage, with draws counted as half a win, half a loss, and percentage (points for/points against x 100).
Pos | Nation | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | % | PTS | %W | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | New Zealand | 33 | 28 | 5 | 0 | 2536 | 711 | 356.68 | 112 | 84.85 | |||
2 | Papua New Guinea | 32 | 27 | 5 | 0 | 2404 | 852 | 282.16 | 108 | 84.38 | |||
3 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 334 | 72 | 463.89 | 16 | 80 | ||||
4 | Ireland | 33 | 26 | 7 | 0 | 1840 | 810 | 227.16 | 100 | 78.79 | |||
5 | United States | 33 | 21 | 12 | 0 | 2010 | 1050 | 191.43 | 84 | 63.64 | |||
6 | Nauru | 26 | 16 | 10 | 0 | 1671 | 1056 | 158.24 | 64 | 61.54 | |||
7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 230 | 143 | 160.84 | 12 | 60 | ||||
8 | Tonga | 11 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 697 | 450 | 154.89 | 24 | 54.55 | |||
9 | Samoa | 17 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 783 | 652 | 120.09 | 36 | 52.94 | |||
10 | South Africa | 32 | 16 | 16 | 0 | 1372 | 1503 | 91.28 | 64 | 50 | |||
11 | Canada | 33 | 15 | 18 | 0 | 1332 | 1043 | 127.71 | 60 | 45.45 | |||
12 | Fiji | 16 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 899 | 538 | 167.10 | 28 | 43.75 | |||
13 | Denmark | 16 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 699 | 728 | 96.02 | 28 | 43.75 | |||
14 | Great Britain | 32 | 14 | 18 | 0 | 1219 | 1334 | 91.38 | 56 | 43.75 | |||
15 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 153 | 227 | 67.40 | 8 | 40 | ||||
16 | China | 21 | 8 | 13 | 0 | 490 | 1488 | 32.93 | 32 | 38.10 | |||
17 | Sweden | 16 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 448 | 1086 | 41.25 | 24 | 37.5 | |||
18 | Israel-Palestinian territories | 11 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 344 | 744 | 46.24 | 16 | 36.36 | |||
19 | Japan | 32 | 11 | 21 | 0 | 1001 | 1806 | 55.43 | 44 | 34.38 | |||
20 | France | 16 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 589 | 962 | 61.23 | 20 | 31.25 | |||
21 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 259 | 651 | 39.78 | 12 | 30 | ||||
22 | Indonesia | 10 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 274 | 854 | 32.08 | 12 | 30 | |||
23 | Finland | 10 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 148 | 786 | 18.83 | 8 | 20 | |||
24 | India | 21 | 1 | 20 | 0 | 279 | 1831 | 15.24 | 4 | 4.76 | |||
25 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 107 | 529 | 20.23 | 0 | 0 | ||||
26 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 58 | 391 | 14.83 | 0 | 0 | ||||
Table includes finals and has been adjusted to reflect this. |
Overall tournament placings[]
Pos | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Fourth |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st | Papua New Guinea | 3 (2008, 2014, 2017) | 3 (2002, 2005, 2011) | ||
2nd | Ireland | 2 (2002, 2011) | 1 (2014) | 1 (2017) | 2 (2005, 2008) |
3rd | New Zealand | 1 (2005) | 2 (2008, 2017) | 3 (2002, 2011, 2014) | |
4th | United States | 1 (2005) | 2 (2011, 2017) | ||
5th | South Africa | 1 (2008) | 1 (2014) | ||
6th | Denmark | 1 (2002) |
Women's International Cup[]
Nation | Moniker | 2011 (5) | 2014 (7) | 2017 (8) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australia | Australia Indigenous & Multicultural team (OzIM) | 5th | - | - | |
Canada | Midnight Suns | - | 4th | - | |
Canada | Northern Lights | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | |
Europe | European Crusaders | - | - | 7th | |
Fiji | Vonu | - | 5th | 6th | |
Great Britain | Swans | - | - | 3rd | |
Ireland | Banshees | 1st | 2nd | 1st | |
Pakistan | Shaheens | - | - | 8th | |
Papua New Guinea | Flame | 4th | - | 5th | |
Tonga | Black Marlins | - | 6th | - | |
United States | Freedom | 3rd | 3rd | 4th | |
United States | Liberty | - | 7th | - |
Grand final and third place playoff results[]
Year | Host | Grand Final match | Third Place Playoff match | Number of teams | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Winner | Score | Runner-up | 3rd place | Score | 4th place | ||||||
2011 Details |
Melbourne, Sydney | Ireland |
5.9 (39) - 1.2 (8) | Canada Northern Lights |
United States Freedom |
4.3 (27) - 1.2 (8) | Papua New Guinea |
5 | |||
2014 Details |
Melbourne | Canada Northern Lights |
5.8 (38) - 2.0 (12) | Ireland |
United States Freedom |
6.8 (44) - 6.7 (43) | Canada Midnight Suns |
7 | |||
2017 Details |
Melbourne | Ireland |
4.1 (25) - 3.3 (21) | Canada Northern Lights |
Great Britain |
5.2 (32) - 4.1 (25) | United States Freedom |
8 | |||
2020 (Cancelled) | Sunshine Coast | Cancelled | Cancelled | Cancelled | Cancelled | Cancelled | Cancelled | ||||
TBC |
Overall tournament results[]
Sorted by winning percentage, with draws counted as half a win, half a loss, and percentage (points for/points against x 100).
Pos | Nation | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | % | PTS | %W | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Ireland | 15 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 800 | 163 | 490.79 | 56 | 93.33 | |||
2 | Canada - Northern Lights | 15 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 838 | 177 | 473.44 | 48 | 80 | |||
3 | United States - Freedom | 15 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 659 | 285 | 231.22 | 36 | 60 | |||
4 | Great Britain | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 225 | 106 | 212.26 | 12 | 60 | |||
5 | Papua New Guinea | 10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 343 | 290 | 118.27 | 16 | 40 | |||
6 | Fiji | 10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 302 | 306 | 98.69 | 16 | 40 | |||
7 | Canada - Midnight Suns | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 87 | 281 | 30.96 | 8 | 40 | |||
8 | European Crusaders (see European Crusaders) | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 65 | 336 | 19.34 | 4 | 20 | |||
9 | Tonga | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 32 | 312 | 10.25 | 0 | 0 | |||
10 | United States - Liberty | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 22 | 277 | 7.94 | 0 | 0 | |||
11 | Australia | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 20 | 288 | 6.94 | 0 | 0 | |||
12 | Pakistan | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 736 | 0.81 | 0 | 0 | |||
^ Table includes finals and has been adjusted to reflect this. |
Overall tournament placings[]
Pos | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Fourth |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st | Ireland | 2 (2011, 2017) | 1 (2014) | ||
2nd | Canada - Northern Lights | 1 (2014) | 2 (2011, 2017) | ||
3rd | United States - Freedom | 2 (2011, 2014) | 1 (2017) | ||
4th | Great Britain | 1 (2017) | |||
5th | Papua New Guinea | 1 (2011) | |||
Canada - Midnight Suns | 1 (2014) |
Men's Division 2 results[]
Since the 2011 Australian Football International Cup the Men's competition has been split into two Divisions, with the format differing from each past edition. In 2011 and 2014, the divisional lineup was decided by a preliminary competition that involved all eighteen teams. In 2017, the divisions were pre determined prior to the tournament, with ten teams playing in Division 1 and eight playing in Division 2.
In 2014, Division Two was decided by ladder position.
Grand final and third place playoff results[]
Year | Host | Grand Final match | Third Place Playoff match | Number of teams | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Winner | Score | Runner-up | 3rd place | Score | 4th place | ||||||
2011 Details |
Melbourne, Sydney | Fiji |
9.8 (62) - 3.3 (21) | France |
Peres Team for Peace |
7.15 (57) - 2.8 (20) | India |
6 (of 18) | |||
2014 Details |
Melbourne | Sweden |
N/A | Japan |
China |
N/A | Finland |
6 (of 18) | |||
2017 Details |
Melbourne | 11.8 (74) - 1.2 (8) | China |
4.8 (32) - 3.5 (23) | Japan |
8 (of 18) |
Overall tournament placings[]
Pos | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Fourth |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st | Fiji | 1 (2011) | |||
Sweden | 1 (2014) | ||||
1 (2017) | |||||
4th | Japan | 1 (2014) | 1 (2017) | ||
5th | France | 1 (2011) | |||
1 (2017) | |||||
7th | China | 2 (2014, 2017) | |||
8th | Peres Team for Peace | 1 (2011) | |||
9th | India | 1 (2011) | |||
Finland | 1 (2014) |
Eligibility[]
The tournament is geared towards development of the sport outside Australia and as such eligibility rules are much more strict than those of other international football competitions. Generally speaking players must be a citizen of the country they represent and have lived their through roughly middle school and high school ages (so that is usually where they learned to play). IC criteria ensures that expatriate Australians,Australians with overseas ancestry and those who moved to Australia at a young age are ineligible to compete (with the exception of the women's OzIM team, which is composed of indigenous and multicultural Australians). These rules, combined with professional contracts and limited pathways for players typically precludes professional players from participating and players wishing to participate must negotiate their own release from their AFL/AFLW contracts before nominating. In addition there is a per team cap on players registered with Australian clubs which countries teams from stacking their teams with talent developed in Australia. This limit was initially set to 12, however with the increasing number of international players participating in Australian competitions and an increasing number of players learning the game outside Australia, this was later reduced to 8.
Participating AFL/AFLW listed players[]
Currently on an AFL senior or rookie list |
Player | AFL/AFLW club | International Team | Tournament/s |
---|---|---|---|
Barclay Miller | St Kilda FC | New Zealand | 2017 |
Joe Baker-Thomas | St Kilda FC | New Zealand | 2017 |
Gideon Simon | Richmond FC | Papua New Guinea | 2014 |
Laura Duryea | Melbourne FC (AFLW) | Ireland (women's) | 2011/2014/2017 |
Yoshi Harris | GWS Giants | Nauru | 2011 |
Theo Gavuri | GWS Giants | Papua New Guinea | 2011 |
Charlton Brown | GWS Giants | New Zealand | 2011 |
Excluded AFL/AFLW players[]
Players who nominated but were excluded from selection.
Currently on an AFL senior or rookie list |
Player | AFL/AFLW club/s | International Team | Nominated tournament/s | Reasons |
---|---|---|---|---|
Brad Moran | Adelaide FC | Great Britain | 2008 | Rugby convert, eligible but excluded due to country's home grown policy.[24] |
Mal Michael | Brisbane Lions / Essendon FC | Papua New Guinea | 2002/2005/2008 | Excluded due to moving to Australia at too young an age |
Aaron Edwards | West Coast Eagles / North Melbourne FC | Samoa | 2005/2008 | Excluded due to moving to Australia at too young an age |
Notable non-nominating AFL/AFLW players[]
Some players have registered matches for a club in the senior AFL competition and were eligible under IC criteria at the time but didn't nominate. Note that Irish players from gaelic games from the Irish Experiment that could be eligible is somewhat exhaustive, though the AFL and Gaelic Athletic Association instead encourage Irish players to nominate for the International Rules Series and play the hybrid International Rules Football code as such the list is limited to Irish players with more than 50 AFL games. The AFL has the power to veto contracted players from participating in some circumstances (such as if it deems player participation not to be in the best interest of the competition, such as giving nations an unreasonable advantage).[25]
Currently on an AFL senior or rookie list |
Player | AFL/AFLW club/s | International Team | Eligible tournament/s |
---|---|---|---|
Mason Cox | Collingwood FC | USA | 2017 |
Jason Holmes | St Kilda FC | USA | 2017 |
Mark O'Connor | Geelong FC | Ireland | 2017 |
Conor McKenna | Essendon FC | Ireland | 2017 |
Kurt Heatherley | Hawthorn FC | New Zealand | 2014/2017 |
Mike Pyke | Sydney Swans | Canada | 2011/2014 |
Zach Tuohy | Carlton FC/Geelong FC | Ireland[a] | 2011/2014/2017 |
Pearce Hanley | Brisbane Lions | Ireland[a] | 2008/2011/2014/2017 |
Martin Clarke | Collingwood FC | Ireland | 2008/2014 |
Setanta Ó hAilpín | Carlton FC | Ireland[a] | 2005/2008/2011 |
Tadhg Kennelly | Sydney Swans | Ireland[a] | 2002/2005/2008/2011 |
Pathway to Professional AFL and Semi-Professional leagues in Australia[]
The IC has been a development pathway for several players who have been rookie listed or received an international scholarship with professional AFL clubs or clubs from semi-professional competitions throughout Australia. While no IC player has yet to debut for a senior men's AFL club, Laura Corrigan was recuited to the AFLW following a 2011 appearance for Ireland.
IC's potential as a pathway was first promoted by Kevin Sheedy while coaching at the Essendon Football Club, following the 2005 cup he invited Japanese IC players Michito Sakaki and Tsuyoshi Kase to train and play with the club's pre-season team. Though Essendon did not recruit Sakaki, it did earn him with a contract with the Wodonga Raiders in the strong Ovens & Murray Football League.
For older players outside Australia, there are few other options than to play in Australia and these players may have otherwise found it difficult to be noticed by recruiters. Unlike the AFL International Combine pathway for players overseas, the IC is accessible to amateurs from a much broader international area and tests their gameplay and game sense, rather than just their athletic attributes.
For younger players outside, the IC provides an alternative pathway. Currently only New Zealand competes against the AFL Academy (Australia's best junior players) (though South Africa and Ireland have in the past). Unlike the Under 16 and AFL U18/U19 Championships, AFL Women's Under 18 Championships and AFL Draft held in Australia and the Pacific Nations Youth tournament, the IC provides an opportunity for underaged international players to compete at senior level with and against fully developed players.
Since the first IC has been a major pathway for Papua New Guineans to play professionally (even with affiliations to Queensland in the National Championships). IC players from PNG finding their way to AFL clubs have included Amua Pirika, Hewago Oea (both debuted for Papua New Guinea at just 17 years of age) and Stanis Susuve at the Gold Coast, Theo Gavuri at the GWS Giants and John James Lavai, Brendan Beno and David Meli at the Brisbane Lions.
IC players from other countries to have been recruited to play professionally include Joe Baker-Thomas (New Zealand) at St Kilda Football Club, Yoshi Harris (Nauru) at GWS Giants, Danielle Marshall (USA) at the Western Bulldogs and Kendra Heil (Canada) at Collingwood. All of these players were rookie listed shortly following outstanding performances in an IC tournament.
Laura Corrigan Duryea, Ireland national team player was signed by Melbourne in the AFLW
Kendra Heil, Canada Northern Lights national team player was signed by Collingwood in the AFLW
Individual honours[]
Best And Fairest[]
Tournament best and fairests have been named since 2005. In addition, each nation typically nominates their best and fairest player.
Year | Best & Fairest | Nation |
---|---|---|
2002 | ||
2005 | James Bowden | New Zealand |
2008 | Mike Finn | Ireland |
2011 | ||
2014 | ||
2017 |
World team honours[]
A World (formerly All-International) Team is selected from the best players (similarly to the All-Australian Team selection in the AFL). Prior to 2008, field positions and captaincy positions were not nominated. The following players have been nominated more than twice.
Player | Nation | World Team Caps | Years | Captaincies |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mike Finn | Ireland | 4 | 2005, 2008, 2011, 2014 | 2 (2011, 2014) |
John Ikupu | Papua New Guinea | 3 | 2011, 2014, 2017 | |
Michito Sakaki | Japan | 3 | 2005, 2008, 2017 | |
Fia Tootoo | Samoa | 3 | 2002, 2005, 2008 | |
Tshoboko Moagi | South Africa | 3 | 2011, 2014, 2017 |
Broadcasting and audience[]
The IC has maintained a low media profile for more than two decades.
Attendance[]
Apart from the Grand Final which is played as a curtain raiser, matches are not scheduled for stadiums are free entry and are generally played midday and mid-week prohibiting it as a spectator event, though some regional matches have been played on weekends. As such, only two regional matches have attracted a significant attendance: 5,000 attended Japan vs South Africa in 2005 at City Oval in Wangaratta and 3,500 attended Papua New Guinea vs South Africa at Reid Oval in Warrnambool[26]
Broadcast media[]
The 2002 tournament was video recorded and posted on the IAFC website though there were no live broadcasts. The USAFL also provided video coverage and recorded a documentatary on its participation. In 2005 tournament attracted some coverage from Fox Sports including a Grand Final replay on Fox Sports (Australia) and the Fox Footy Channel, though matches were not broadcast. Some community radio and television stations in Victoria also provided limited coverage and World Footy News provided score updates. The AFL began posting videos of the 2008 tournament on its website along with editorial posts after the matches were played. The AFL failed to secure a broadcast partner for the 2011 tournament, instead adding delayed highlights to their online video service. For the 2014 tournament the AFL included live streaming for the first time and the tournament attracted media interest from outside Australia. For the 2017 tournament the AFL partnered with Internet service YouTube to provide live streaming of matches.
IC coverage was not included in the AFL's record breaking 2.5 billion broadcasting deal in 2015[27] or contract negotiations in 2019 for the 2020 extension, though Kayo will stream AFLW matches.[28]
Currently there are efforts to help raise the event's profile by broadcasting the 2017 International Cup on SBS, an organisation devoted to multicultural, multi-lingual entertainment. [29]
Hosts[]
The inaugural IAFC tournament was held in the game's spiritual home of Melbourne, with some games at suburban stadiums around the city.
With the AFL headquartered in Melbourne, all events have been hosted in Victoria, Australia with regional matches in Warrnambool (2008), Wangaratta (2005), the exception being matches scheduled for Sydney, New South Wales in 2011. The West Australian Football League expressed an interest in bidding for the 2008 cup to go to Perth, Western Australia[30] however the AFL did not open up hosting to bidders and the tournament was held in Victoria instead.
The cancelled 2020 tournament was the first time in the history of the event that the AFL opened up to bidders as part of a closed bidding process. Among newly introduced criteria was that the grounds must meet the AFL's Preferred Facility Guidelines at Regional level to qualify.[31] These include requirements for the ground dimensions and surface, staff facilities, lighting and accessibility. The guidelines are mainly aimed at providing AFL staff with maximum amenity, there are no requirements for spectator seating, viewing mounds and a covered area under which spectators can stand are deemed sufficient for calculating ground capacity.[31] The guidelines, combined with the requirement to have at least two main fields meeting this requirement in close proximity, has significantly raised the barrier to entry for hosting the tournament.
The result was selection between two bids, a Ballarat, Victoria bid to hold matches at the Eureka Stadium precinct and adjoining ovals North Oval No.2 (which underwent a total $38.5 million in upgrades to meet AFL standard criteria from 2016-2020) and a Sunshine Coast, Queensland bid backed by the Queensland government in partnership with Tourism and Events Queensland and Sunshine Coast Council to hold matches at the Maroochydore Multi Sports Complex (which underwent a total $5.8 million in upgrades to meet the AFL standard criteria in 2019-2020).[32] The AFL selected the Sunshine Coast bid which would have seen the event hosted outside of Melbourne and Victoria for the first time (not counting the 2011 event which saw some secondary matches played in Western Sydney). As part of the Queensland bid, the Grand Finals would be played at the Brisbane Cricket Ground as a curtain raiser to a Brisbane Lions AFL premiership match.[33] Queensland remained the successful bidder when the tournament was postponed until 2021. However following the cancellation of the 2020 tournament, no announcement was made as to whether the Queensland bid would be retained.
Popular culture[]
The AFL (video game series) by Melbourne game developer Wicked Witch Software has featured selectable teams, including player names, from the IC. In particular, AFL Evolution and AFL Evolution 2 let players play the entire IC17 tournament but at AFL standard stadiums from around Australia.[34]
See also[]
- Australian Football Harmony Cup
- Australian rules football around the world
- Countries playing Australian rules football
- List of International Australian rules football tournaments
- World rankings
References[]
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVNIihETzsAGXnyN0pnJHDA AFL International Cup (Live and on-demand coverage from the 2017 AFL International Cup held in Melbourne, Australia.)
- ^ AFL Statement - 2021 AFL International Cup Cancellation viewed 16-09-2021
- ^ AFL Annual Report 2017
- ^ Against the odds, oval ball bounces into Europe from The Age October 25, 2009
- ^ Fanfare over International Cup fails to mask AFL's deeply insular world view Antoun Issa from the Guardian 2 Aug 2017
- ^ AFL's chance to take on rugby at Brisbane Olympics from InDaily Jul 30, 2021
- ^ "AFL International Cup History". Australian Football League. Archived from the original on 27 July 2008. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
The third International Cup hosted Papua New Guinea, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, Great Britain, India, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Nauru, Samoa, South Africa, Sweden, United States and an unprecedented Peres Peace Team combining Israeli and Palestinian players.
- ^ a b Thompson, Troy (2 December 2010). "IC11 dates and locations confirmed". World Footy News. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
The AFL have now stated that Melbourne and Sydney are locked in, but there will be no Queensland matches.
- ^ "About AFL International Cup". Australian Football League. Archived from the original on 26 July 2008. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
This year, 18 men's teams will compete for the title with Tonga, France Fiji and Timor-Leste (East Timor) all joining for the first time.
- ^ "Women's Teams". Aussie Rules International. Archived from the original on 26 March 2012. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
2011 sees the inaugural Women's International Cup in Australian Football.
- ^ "About AFL International Cup". Australian Football League. Archived from the original on 26 July 2008. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
In addition, 2011 sees the introduction of a women's tournament with five competing countries: Canada, PNG, Ireland, USA and a combined Indigenous/Multicultural team from Australia.
- ^ afl.com.au
- ^ 2020 AFL International Cup update Troy Thompson for World Footy News August 28 2019
- ^ http://www.aflnz.co.nz
- ^ http://www.worldfootynews.com/index.php?topic=IC2005 2005 withdraws
- ^ http://www.worldfootynews.com/article.php/20080519131052904 2008 possible teams
- ^ Northey, Brett (16 November 2004). "International Cup 2002 in Review". World Footy News. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
It has been two years since the inaugural International Cup, held in Melbourne.
- ^ Northey, Brett (16 November 2004). "International Cup 2002 in Review". World Footy News. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
In a tough contest, the Green Machine, as they were dubbed by the Australian media, shut down the Papuans. There are numerous opinions on how the Irish came to defeat such a fancied opponent.
- ^ Northey, Brett (23 April 2005). "International Cup venues released". World Footy News. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
As reported earlier, the grand final is to be played at the MCG, and the series also includes a round of matches at a country venue, Wangaratta, about northeast of Melbourne.
- ^ Richard, Aaron (13 August 2005). "New Zealand take the Cup". World Footy News. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
New Zealand held off Papua New Guinea to win the 2005 Australian Football International Cup this evening, running out 7.8.50 to 5.2.32 winners.
- ^ Nugent, Ash (27 November 2007). "Warrnambool to co-host 2008 International Cup". World Footy News. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
The AFL today announced that Warrnambool will join Melbourne as the host of the 2008 International Cup.
- ^ Northey, Brett (6 September 2008). "Mozzies at last in MCG thriller". World Footy News. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
Papua New Guinea's Mosquitoes have finally broken through to win the International Cup at the MCG after twice being runners-up. It was magnificent come from behind win against quality opposition, the New Zealand Falcons, in a high quality match.
- ^ Richard, Aaron (27 August 2011). "IC11 Men's Div 1 Grand Final - Ireland's Double Glory". World Footy News. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
Ireland have come back from a 28-point deficit midway through the second term to defeat the PNG Mosquitoes by 18 points today, in a match that saw the Warriors become the first nation to win two International Cups, as well as the first nation to win the Men's and Women's International Cups in the same year.
- ^ Brits stick to home grown talent
- ^ http://www.worldfootynews.com/article.php/2007042216130344 AFL and Countries ponder eligibility rules]
- ^ WORLD BEATER: Rave reviews for city's International Cup role The Standard
- ^ AFL announces record-breaking $2.5 billion television deal, pledges to establish code as Australia's foremost
- ^ AFL TV deal provides some certainty in troubled times
- ^ afl.com.au ABOUT THE 2017 AFL INTERNATIONAL CUP
- ^ World Cup For Perth Aug 28 Digby Beacham, Sunday Times, Perth
- ^ a b AFL PREFERRED FACILITY GUIDELINES
- ^ Maroochydore Multi Sports Complex Named Home Ground For AFLW’S Brisbane Lions AusLeisure November 19, 2021
- ^ 2020 AFL International Cup heads to Sunshine Coast
- ^ AFL Evolution Video game announced for 2017 World Footy News. Troy Thompson December 15 2016
External links[]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Australian Football International Cup. |
- Australian Football International Cup on Facebook
- AFL International Cup 2014 Home Page
- New Zealand's Haka versus Samoan's Siva Tau - Wangaratta - International Cup 2005 from Google Videos.
- Samoan Siva Tau - International Cup 2005 from Google Videos.
- Papua New Guinea War Dance - International Cup 2005 from YouTube.
- South Africa and Canada post match song from Google Videos.
- Australian Football International Cup
- International Australian rules football tournaments
- World championships in football variants
- Recurring sporting events established in 2002