Asian Australian Football Championships

Last updated

Asian Australian Football Championships
Current season, competition or edition:
AFL current event.svg 2023 Asian Australian Football Championships
Sport Australian rules football
First season2000
CountryHost: Bangkok, Thailand
Most recent
champion(s)
Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg PNG Muruks (men)
Flag of Singapore.svg Singapore Wombettes (women)
Most titles Flag of Hong Kong.svg Hong Kong Dragons
(men; 6 titles)
Flag of Vietnam.svg Vietnam Swans (women; 2 titles)
TV partner(s) YouTube [1]
Official website AFL Asia Australian Football Championships

The Asian Australian Football Championships, also known as the AFL Asian Championships or Asian Champs is an annual tournament of Australian rules football between AFL Asia [2] member clubs.

Contents

The tournament is considered the pinnacle of Asian Australian football calendar and is challenged by a growing number of teams from over a dozen Asian countries.

The competition consists of 3 open men's divisions, 1 women's division and a juniors division. A record 21 teams from 13 countries competed in 2018.

The 2023 event will be contested in Bangkok, Thailand on 9 September at the Thai Polo and Equestrian Club, Chon Buri.

Format

The tournament is played over one day with all teams playing shortened games between 20 and 24 minutes duration, with reduced numbers and smaller field sizes. In each division, each team plays each other once then there is a knock-out finals series including Semi-Finals, Preliminary Final and Grand Final.

First division is played as a 16-a-side format. Second division is played in a 12-a-side format.

There are 3 Men's Divisions, Women's Division and an All-Asia Cup (only local players allowed).

Teams

TeamHome/cityProvince/CountryDebutMen's Div 1 TitlesWomen's Div 1 Titles
Bali Geckos Bali Flag of Indonesia.svg  Indonesia 2006
Cambodian Eagles Phnom Penh Flag of Cambodia.svg  Cambodia 2015
China BluesFlag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China 2002
China RedsFlag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China 2000
Dubai Heat Dubai Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg  United Arab Emirates 20073
Hong Kong Dragons Hong Kong Flag of Hong Kong.svg  Hong Kong 20006
Indonesian Bintangs Jakarta Flag of Indonesia.svg  Indonesia 20002
Indonesian Volcanoes Jakarta Flag of Indonesia.svg  Indonesia 20181
Jakarta Bintangs Jakarta Flag of Indonesia.svg  Indonesia 2005
Japan Goannas Tokyo Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 2005
Lao Elephants Vientiane Flag of Laos.svg  Laos 2008
Macau Lightning Macau Flag of Macau.svg  Macau 2010
Malaysian Warriors Kuala Lumpur Flag of Malaysia.svg  Malaysia 200911
Myanmar Fighting Cocks Yangon Flag of Myanmar.svg  Myanmar 2015
Pakistan MarkhoorsFlag of Pakistan.svg  Pakistan 2022
Philippine Eagles Manila Flag of the Philippines.svg  Philippines 20131
PNG Muruks Port Moresby Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg  Papua New Guinea 20183
Singapore Wombats Singapore Flag of Singapore.svg  Singapore 200041
Thailand Tigers Bangkok Flag of Thailand.svg  Thailand 2007
Vietnam SwansFlag of Vietnam.svg  Vietnam 20002

History

Hong Kong Dragons after winning the 2007 Championship in Bangkok, Thailand Asian cup.jpg
Hong Kong Dragons after winning the 2007 Championship in Bangkok, Thailand
Malaysian Warriors team pictured from the 2014 event at Clark Field, Philippines 2014 Malaysian Warriors Australian Rules Football.jpg
Malaysian Warriors team pictured from the 2014 event at Clark Field, Philippines

The Asian Australian Football Championships were first held in 2000, although a precursor tournament named the Four Nations Cup was held in Bangkok, Thailand in 1999.

There was an offer in 2005 to make the championships part of the Arafura Games, in Darwin, Australia, but this was turned down by Asian clubs.

In 2008 a junior division was introduced, however this was short-lived.

While traditionally the tournament has been dominated by expat-Australian players, local players are becoming more prominent with 40 local players from China, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam competing in an East Asia vs South East Asia local player exhibition game in 2015. [3] In 2016 an All-Asian Cup was held the day before the Asian Championships with three all-local player teams. In 2017 a local player quota of 2-players per team was introduced. In 2015 the tournament was expanded to two divisions, with a 16-a-side first division and a 12-a-side second division.

In 2018 the tournament also included a women's division, with a record 21 teams from 13 countries competing.

Tournament Details

YearDateVenueMen's Div 1 ChampionsWomen's Div 1 ChampionsMen's Div 2 ChampionsMen's Div 3 ChampionsAll-Asia Cup Winners*Div 2 Plate WinnersJunior Champions
2000 Jakarta, Indonesia Indonesian Bintangs------
2001 Bangkok, Thailand Singapore Wombats-----
2002 Singapore Indonesian Bintangs------
2003 Hong Kong Hong Kong Dragons------
2004 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Hong Kong Dragons------
2005 Manila, Philippines Singapore Wombats------
2006 Jakarta, Indonesia Singapore Wombats------
2007 Bangkok, Thailand Hong Kong Dragons------
2008 Singapore Dubai Heat-----Jakarta Bulldogs [4]
2009 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Dubai Heat-----Jakarta Bulldogs [5]
2010 Shanghai, China Dubai Heat------
2011 Bangkok, Thailand Singapore Wombats------
2012 Pattaya, Thailand Hong Kong Dragons------
201317 August Pattaya, Thailand Hong Kong Dragons------
201411 October Angeles City, Philippines Singapore Wombats [6] ------
201517 October Bangkok, Thailand Hong Kong Dragons [3] -Lao Elephants----
201614–15 October Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Philippine Eagles [7] - Bali Geckos -Indonesia Garudas--
201721 October Manila, Philippines Malaysian Warriors- Bali Geckos -China Dragons--
201813 October Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Indonesian VolcanoesVietnam SwansPNG Muruks-China DragonsChina Reds-
201931 August Pattaya, Thailand PNG Muruks [8] Malaysian WarriorsVietnam SwansJapan Goannas---
2020Cancelled (due to COVID-19 pandemic) [9] Thailand
2021Cancelled (due to COVID-19 pandemic) [10] Thailand
202222 October [11] Bangkok Patana School Sport Complex, Bangkok, Thailand PNG MuruksSingapore WombettesThailand TigersPakistan Markhors---
20239 SeptemberThai Polo and Equestrian Club, Chon Buri Bangkok, Thailand [12] PNG MuruksVietnam SwansMalaysian WarriorsPhilippine Eagles---
202431 August [13] Thai Polo and Equestrian Club, Chon Buri Bangkok, Thailand [13] ---

See also

Related Research Articles

The Australian Football International Cup is a triennial international tournament in Australian rules football. It is the biggest international tournament in the sport that is open to all nations. More than 26 nations have participated and the competition has expanded into multiple pools and both men and women's divisions. At the time of the last tournament in 2017, the sport had a record 170,744 registered players outside Australia growing at a rate of 25 per cent per annum.

AFL Japan is a league and governing body for Australian rules football in Japan. The Top League season runs from April to November, with a summer break during August. All teams including the University teams compete in the Top League. The most successful team has been the Tokyo Goannas, who have been premiers since the inaugural Top League season. In 2007, the Osaka Dingoes joined the Top League. Since then the league has expanded with the addition of 3 new teams with the Nagoya Redbacks joining in 2009, the R246 Lions joining in 2012 and just recently the Tokyo Bay Suns in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography of Australian rules football</span>

The Geography of Australian rules football describes the sport of Australian rules football played in more than 60 countries around the world. By 2017 more than 26 nations had contested the Australian Football International Cup, the highest level of worldwide competition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canada national Australian rules football team</span>

The Canada national Australian rules football team represents Canada in Australian rules football. The men's side is known as the Northwind while the women's side is known as the Northern Lights. The national team is selected by AFL Canada the governing body for Australian rules football in Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ireland national Australian rules football team</span>

The Irish national Australian rules football team represent Ireland in Australian rules football and is selected from the best Irish born and raised players primarily from the clubs of the Australian Rules Football League of Ireland but also playing abroad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nauru national Australian rules football team</span>

The Nauru national Australian rules football team, nicknamed the Chiefs, represents Nauru in Australian rules football. Despite its small size and population, Nauru, which is the only country with AFL as its national sport, consistently ranks among the top eight teams in the world.

Australian rules football in Japan describes the development of the team sport which dates back to 1910, but found its roots in the late 1980s mainly due to the influence of Australian Football appearing on Japanese television.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian rules football in Papua New Guinea</span>

Australian rules football in Papua New Guinea (PNG) is a developing team sport which was initially introduced by Australian servicemen during World War II. The governing body for the sport is the PNG Rules Football Council, with the development body being AFL PNG. The junior development version is known locally as Niukick. Regionally, AFL PNG is affiliated with AFL Oceania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 Australian Football International Cup</span> International football competition

The 2008 Australian Football International Cup was the third time the Australian Football International Cup, an international Australian rules football competition, has been contested.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Countries playing Australian rules football</span>

Note: In order to be recognised as a true national team and not simply expatriates, the list is subject to International Cup eligibility rules.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian rules football in China</span>

Australian rules football in China has been played since the 1989 and grew in popularity in the 2010s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian rules football in Oceania</span>

Australian rules football in Oceania is the sport of Australian rules football as it is watched and played in the Oceanian continent. The regional governing and development body is AFL South Pacific it is affiliated to the AFL Commission and was formed in 2008.

Australian rules football in Asia dates back to 1910 but was only sporadically played until the 1980s after which it has boomed. Clubs have begun in most Asian countries and a governing body for the region, AFL Asia was formed in 2008 to coordinate the Asian Championship and promote its affiliated leagues. AFL Asia estimates that there are now more than 10,000 Australian Football players across the continent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian rules football in Europe</span>

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.

Australian rules football in the Middle East describes the minority sport of Australian rules football as it is watched and played in the Middle East region.

AFL Canada is the governing body for Women's Australian rules football competition in Canada. The primary competition is centred in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec and the national team is known as the "Northern Lights".

Australian Rules Football was played by three clubs in Iceland, with the Andspyrnusamband Íslands being the main league and controlling body for the sport. The IceAFL was founded in 2009, and regular competition commenced in 2010. The league was the world's most northerly Australian Rules Football league. Since the inaugural Arctic Cup competition Australian Rules Football hasn't been played in Iceland.

Paul Sharry is a Gaelic footballer who plays for the Westmeath county team.

The 2017 Australian Football International Cup was the sixth edition of the Australian Football International Cup, a triennial international Australian rules football competition run by the Australian Football League (AFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philippines national Australian rules football team</span>

The Philippines national Australian rules football team, nicknamed the Philippine Eagles represents the Philippines internationally in Australian rules football.

References

  1. https://www.youtube.com/@aflasia473/featured AFL Asian Championships (Live and on-demand coverage)
  2. "Home". afl-asia.com.
  3. 1 2 "HK Dragons win their 6th Asian Champs". 19 October 2015.
  4. "Under 16s Asian Championships - Bulldogs maul Wombats, slay Dragons and club Cubs - World Footy News". www.worldfootynews.com. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  5. "2009 Asian Championships - Full Results - World Footy News". www.worldfootynews.com. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  6. "Singapore Wombats win 2014 Asian Championships". 29 October 2014.
  7. "Phillipine [sic] Eagles win 'Best Ever' Asian Championship - World Footy News".
  8. "Awards & Champions of Asia -". 10 September 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  9. Statement: 2020 Asian Championships cancelled September 3, 2020
  10. Statement: 2021 Asian Championships cancelled August 16, 2021
  11. Play HQ results AFL Asia Championships 2022
  12. Asian Championships locked in for 2023 AFL Asia 9 March 2023
  13. 1 2 Asian Championships locked in for 2024 AFL Asia 27 February 2024