Australian Rules Football In Norway

Australian rules football is played in Europe at an amateur level in a large number of countries. The oldest and largest leagues are those in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Denmark, in each of these nations there are several established clubs, and organised men's, women's and juniors programs. The British AFL has now expanded into Welsh, Scottish and English leagues. The Danish AFL has been responsible for the expansion of Australian Football into Sweden, Finland, Iceland and Norway. The governing body for Australian Football in Europe was founded in Frankfurt in January 2010; the body was initially called the European Australian Football Association, but changed its name to AFL Europe at a general assembly meeting in Milan in October of the same year. It currently has 22 member nations. AFL Europe, with backing of the AFL in Australia has overseen a large improvement in the organisation of Australian football in Europe.

The sport has grown from a few clubs and leagues started mainly by expatriate Australians and returning nationals in the late 1980s and early 1990s, to now, having established leagues in almost 15 nations,15 Nations found European Australian Football Association in Frankfurt
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As of the 2017 edition of the tournament, Ireland, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Spain, Sweden, France, Germany, Croatia and Finland have sent national teams to the Australian Football International Cup.

The two main cup competitions played between nations in Europe are the 18-a-side (formerly 16-a-side) European Championships in Australian Football and the nine-a-side Euro Cup. Both competitions strictly only allow local players to represent their country.

As of 2018 AFL Europe also organises the Fitzpatrick Cup, AFL Europe Champions League and ANZAC Cup on an annual basis.

Cup competitions held in the past have included the Atlantic Alliance Cup and Central European Australian Football League Championships. In addition, there are tests matches played between Great Britain and Ireland, a tri-series ( European Australian Football Tri-nations Tournament) between Germany, Denmark and Sweden, and a tri-series between Croatia, Austria and the Czech Republic.

Andorra

The Australian rules football club of Andorra formed in early 2008, with plans to compete in the Catalan AFL. Logistical problems saw them withdraw from the league before the first round.France win inaugural "World 9s" in Catalonia
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Andorra made its first appearance at the WAFF (World Australian Football Federation) World 9s in September 2008, which was played in Valls, Catalonia. The first ever international goal for the Andorran team was kicked by Sumra Sallis and the team went on to defeat Spain in their first international match. Andorra finished equal third in the competition which included teams from Senegal, Catalonia, Argentina, France and Spain. France went on to win the final which was played against Catalonia.

In 2009 the Andorra Crows made their debut in the Catalan AFL. The team's Catalan name is Corbs d'Andorra, which translates at "Ravens", but they use the name Crows when referring to the team in English.

Austria

Australian rules football in Austria has been played since 2004, when the nation's first club was founded in Vienna. The club began life as the Vienna Dingos, changing their name to the Vienna Kangaroos in 2006. In the same year and doubling as the National Team, the Kangaroos competed in a tri-nations series against Croatia and the Czech Republic. The Kangaroos eventually folded, and later were rebranded as the Vienna Galahs.

A second club was formed in Graz in 2008, named the Styrian DownUnderDogs. The first game between the two Austrian clubs was played on 25 October 2008 in Zwaring, Styria. The first Austrian premiership series was contested between the two teams in 2010, with Vienna winning the series 3–2.European Roundup Part 4
from worldfootynews.com

The Austrian national team was considering attending the 2011 Australian Football International Cup, but later set a debut at the 2014 tournament as a more realistic goal.

In 2013, the first game between the two clubs in three years was held, which the Styrian DownUnderDogs won with 74:59. Furthermore, the national team of Austria, renamed to the Austrian Avalanche, made it to end 9th (Plate Champion) out of 12 teams at the EU-Cup in Bordeaux.
2013 was a turning point in Austrian football with the establishment of a local metro league in Graz the home of the Styrian Downunder Dogs. The Styrian Downunder Dogs compete against 5 other Croatian clubs in the Croatian league. Graz and four of the Croatian clubs benefit greatly with an association with their respective universities.

The Vienna Galahs was founded in 2018.

Belgium

Australian rules football was first played in Chatelet in 1919 by Australian soldiers in World War I.

Australian rules football has been played in Belgium since 2004, with a team based in Brussels. The Brussels Saints have played matches against the Paris Cockerels and teams from around Europe, including winning the 2005 EU Cup, although since this era, the club has gone into recess and is not currently active.

A new Belgian club played matches against Dutch sides Amsterdam and The Hague in late 2012, the first Australian rules football match played by a Belgian team in over five years.

Bulgaria

There are currently three Australian rules football clubs in Bulgaria, the Burgas Hawks, the Varna Demons and the Sofia Magpies. AFL Bulgaria is the main governing body and competition for the sport in Bulgaria.

Croatia

Australian rules football in Croatia began with the first official team, known as the Zagreb Giants, in January 2006, although there had been efforts for many years before this to found a team in Zagreb.

In 2006, the team began a tri-nations series against the Czech Republic and Austria, winning the first event. In late 2006 plans were laid for a new team in Rijeka called the Sharks, although these did not come to fruition.

The Zagreb Giants formed an alliance with Australian Football League club the Hawthorn Hawks, changing their name to the Zagreb Hawks. Croatia's second club was created in 2008 under the name Kapitol Saints, with a series of domestic matches played between the Saints and the Hawks. This series has continued in 2009, with the Saints changing their name to the Agram Power, Agram being an old name for the city of Zagreb.

In 2010, the Velika Gorica Bombers became the third club founded in Croatia, based in the little town of Velika Gorica near Zagreb. They won the Croatian national league (HLAN) in 2011.
They were followed in 2012 by the nation's fourth club, in the Zagreb city district of Zapruđe. They formed an alliance with AFL club GWS Giants, taking on the name Zapruđe Giants. In 2013 the Slavonski Brod Tigers joined the league and the league started construction of their home ground at the University of Zagreb.

The national team has been named the "Croatian Knights".Local Footy building in Prague and Zagreb
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Croatia is one of the stronger International teams, having come 1st (2010), 2nd (2008 and 2011) and 3rd (2009) in the four previous EU Cups.
Croatia ended on 5th place on first European championship in Malmo and Copenhagen in 2010.
The 2009 EU Cup was hosted by the Croatian Knights, in the town of Samobor, 25 km from Zagreb.

In 2014 there are four clubs playing out of Zagreb, the Zagreb Dockers, Zagreb Giants, Zagreb Hawks and the Zagreb Dragons. Also there is a new team playing in Slavonski Brod roughly 200 km from Zagreb. Almost all of the Zagreb players have/had a connection with the Zagreb University which maintains their oval. So do the Styrian Downunder Dogs from the university town of Graz in Austria who also play in the Croatian Australian Football League.

In 2015 a women's team from Velika Gorica was created. In 2016 there are five clubs from Zagreb and a sixth team from the Dalmatian coast at Ploče and a men's team from Velika Gorica. Croatian Knights won first place in EU cup 2016 while women's national team Queens won third place. Following year Knights won first place in world cup in Australia. In 2018 there is a new women's club in Zagreb, the Panthers.

In 2021, a dedicated ground in Zagreb was opened, one of the first such facilities in continental Europe. The ground was announced to host the 2022 AFL Europe Championship.

Czech Republic

Australian rules football has been played in the Czech Republic since around 2003, when there were efforts to start a club in Prague known as the Tigers.

The first lasting club was founded in 2005, known as the Czech Lions. The Lions remained the only team in the Czech Republic for the next three years, playing mainly in tournaments against other European teams, hosting the CEAFL Championships in 2006.

The Czech AFL hosted the EU Cup in Prague in 2008, hosted at Slavia Rugby Club.

In 2009, the Czech AFL took steps to create a domestic competition in the Czech Republic, with the creation of two sides known as the All-Stars and the Marauders. As of July 2009, the two sides had around 30 active playing members, of which around one half were Czechs, one third expatriate Australians, and the remainder from other nationalities. The national representative side of the Czech AFL still competes under the name Czech Lions.

For the 2010 season
CAFL
has expanded to four teams. The All Stars have been re-branded as th
Vinohrady Hawks
the Marauders are now th
Prague Cats
and two new team
Prague Dragons
an
Prague Kings
have been created. As well as significantly expanding the local league, The National team, The Czech Lions will be playing more international games this year. Making 2010 a significant year of expansion for C.A.F.L.

Along with these changes C.A.F.L. games are now played at the Sparta Rugby Field a new facility in Prague.

For the 2011 Season, CAFL has been re-branded as CAAFL (Czech Association of Australian Football) to comply with member ship requirements of the Czech Sports League. This is part of a long-term plan to have Australian Football recognized as an official sport in The Czech Republic.

The Czech Lions now have an official "Home" ground, the Petrovice Rugby Club in Petrovice-Prague.

In 2012 CAAFL the Czech Lions expanded their international activities by participating in more European football matches, starting with Berlin in April 2012. 2012 looked to be a turning point for Czech Football, with more Czech than non-Czech players involved in the sport leading to a strong National team.

2013 saw the CAFL expand to five teams, with the successful addition of a side from Dresden, the Dresden Wolves in Germany.

Denmark

Australian rules football in Denmark is governed by the Danish Australian Football League (DAFL). The league has grown to over 300 senior players and has one of the most successful junior programs outside Australia with a few hundred young players playing regular club football annually. The DAFL is often considered the largest Australian rules football competition outside the English speaking world.

The national team, the Denmark Vikings, competed at the 2002 International Cup, finishing in fourth place. They withdrew in 2005 due to financial reasons, but returned for the 2008 event.

The large acceptance of Australian Football by Denmark has seen Australian Football spread to neighbours Sweden, Finland, Iceland and Norway.

Finland

Australian rules football in Finland is controlled by the Finland AFL, who formed in 2006 after the creation of Finland's first Australian football club around a year earlier. Domestic matches began in 2007 with two teams, the Helsinki Heatseekers and Salo Juggernauts. A third team, the Espoo Roos was created in 2008.

In 2009, the Finland AFL saw a three team domestic competition kick off (as the Espoo Roos combined with the Helsinki heatseekers), with the creation of the Turku Dockers. The Finland AFL hopes to have a team from Tampere or other larger cities to commence in future with a team being developed in Vaasa.

2010 saw three teams once again battle out for the season, with the once powerhouse Helsinki going winless for the year, the grand final was played between Salo and 2009 winners, Turku. Once again, Turku was too strong for its opposition on the day and ran out comfortable winners 19.17 131 to 8.4 52.

The Finland Icebreakers are the representative Australian rules football team of Finland, formerly known as the Finnish Lions. They have twice won the Central European AFL Championships, going back-to-back in 2006 and 2007. While the team was started by Australian expatriates, it has been captained by a Finn ever since the 2nd match with different captains including Kimmo Heikkilä, Jani Saarinen, Fredi Romar and Ville Voivunen. The Icebreakers are now almost exclusively Finns.

The Icebreakers have appeared at the EU Cup in 2007, 2008 and 2009 as well as making their first trip to Australian for the 2008 Australian Football International Cup. Finland also appeared in the first ever 16 a side tournament held in copenhagen and Malmö in 2010.

France

As of 2008, Australian rules football was played in France by four clubs in Strasbourg, Paris, Montpellier and Bordeaux, with the Paris Cockerels winning the inaugural national club championship tournament that year.

The national league commenced on 28 March 2009 with those four clubs, although new sides are also under formation in Perpignan, Toulouse and Aix en Provence. The newly formed Perpignan Tigers will compete in the Catalan league in 2009.

The French national team has competed at the EU Cup, and made their Australian Football International Cup debut in 2011.

In 2013 there are six clubs that play in the national super league and compete for the Coup de France and three clubs that play in the developmental league and play for the Coup de Sud.

As of the 2016/2017 season, there are 8 teams competing in the national league. These teams are based in Paris (two teams), Bordeaux, Toulouse, Perpignan, Blagnac, Cergy- Pontoise and Lyon. As of 2017 there are also teams in Strasbourg, Lille, Antony, Montpellier and Bayonne that are in the process of formation.

Germany

The Australian Football League Germany plays a home-and-away season featuring clubs based in Berlin, Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Hamburg. The official German national team (the Black Eagles) first appeared in the EU Cup 2005 in London, although ad hoc German representative teams had appeared at other events in the past.

In 2013 three of the six national league clubs run city metro leagues with one regional metro league being established.

Hungary

Hungary's first club, the Budapest Bats, was founded in June 2019. Trainings are every Monday night on Margaret Island in Budapest. The club plays in the Duna Cup organized by AFL Austria and AFL Hungary.

Iceland

Australian rules football has been played in Iceland since 20 May 2009, when Friðgeir Torfi Ásgeirsson, who had played in the Danish Australian Football League, rounded up friends in a local park to kick some footy. Before the first club was founded in Iceland, a national team, known as the Icelandic Ravens, was assembled for the 2009 EU Cup. The first teams were founded in April 2010 and are known as the Dragons, the Eagles and the Bulls. The team names come from Iceland's coat of arms. The 3 teams play in a 9-a-side league and finished their inaugural season on 18 May 2010 with the Bulls as the first premiers of the IceAFL (Icelandic Australian Football League).

Ireland

Australian rules football is a fairly recently introduced team sport in Ireland but the country has a long history of interaction with Australian rules leagues. There has been some awareness of Australian rules football in Ireland since the first International rules football tests took place in late 1967.

Since 1982, the Irish experiment has seen Irish players becoming professional Australian rules footballers in the Australian Football League. High-profile players include Jim Stynes, Tadhg Kennelly and Zach Tuohy among others. As GAA sports are primarily amateur competition and the AFL competition is professional, there is a strong financial lure.

Despite Irish players being recruited to the AFL, Aussie Rules was not officially played in Ireland until clubs were formed in Dublin and Belfast in 1999.

The Australian Rules Football League of Ireland was formed in October 2000.

The Irish national Australian rules football team, first appeared at the Atlantic Alliance Cup in 2001, going through the tournament undefeated. Their berth in the Grand Final created a small amount of interest in the Irish media. They then went on to win the 2002 Australian Football International Cup, and have since remained in the top four, despite not having kept the pace with other emerging nations.

The International Rules Series between the AFL and GAA generated a high amount of media interest in Ireland, although this is more due to the similarity between International rules football and Gaelic football than anything related to Aussie Rules. In terms of Australian rules football, the media has covered with interest the successful recruits of the Australian Football League. Television coverage of the sport has grown in Ireland and highlights and game packages are now regularly shown on the ESPN channel through British Sky Broadcasting and cable television operator UPC Ireland.

Italy

Australian rules football in Italy was first played in 2004 with an attempt to start a league based around the city of Naples, under the name Federazione Italiana di Football Australiano (FItAF). Four teams in Salerno, Naples, San Giorgio a Cremano and Barra were created, but the league ultimately did not get off the ground.

A new group started playing under the name AFL Italia in Milan in July 2009, who created the first national league in Italy in 2010, with the Rome Blues, Genoa Dockers, Milan Aussie Rulers and Lugano Steinbocks.

A friendly match between Rome and Milan in June 2010 became the first match played in Rome. The new league which also includes teams from Genoa and cross Switzerland border city Lugano was supported by prominent Australians Tim Fischer and Amanda Vanstone.

The 2010 AFL Italia premiership was won by the Rome Blues, who defeated Milan in the Grand Final, held in Rome.

Italian community in Australia

A large number of Italian Australians have played professionally in the Australian Football League, including Ron Barassi, Sergio Silvagni, Stephen Silvagni, Robert DiPierdomenico, Saverio Rocca and Peter Matera.

In recognition of the contribution made to the sport of Australian rules throughout its history by players of Italian background, the VFL/AFL Italian Team of the Century was named in June 2007.

A team representing the Melbourne Italian community also competed at the Australian Football Multicultural Cup in 2005.

Lithuania

Australian rules football in Lithuania was first played in 2009, with the creation of a club in Vilnius, the Vilnius Iron Wolves, in 2009 by a French fan of the sport. There are efforts to expand the game in Lithuania.

Perhaps the best-known AFL player of Lithuanian heritage is former Australian rules footballer Adam Ramanauskas, who played for the Essendon Bombers and was diagnosed with cancer.

Montenegro

Australian rules football in Montenegro was first played in 2017.

Netherlands

Australian rules football was first played in the Netherlands around 2003, with the creation of the Dutch Australian Football Association (DAFA). This organisation later disappeared but was re-formed in 2007. There was still no formal team or league in the Netherlands, but by late 2006 some steps had been taken with a group training and playing regularly in The Hague and the national team being nicknamed the Flying Dutchmen (de Vliegende Hollanders). 2009 saw the successful establishment of a four team league.

2009 saw the beginning of rapid growth for the DAFA, with 6 scheduled home and away international games, plus plans for the establishment of 4 domestic teams, in Utrecht, The Hague, Eindhoven

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