AFL CHIEF executive Andrew Dillon will travel to India this weekend as the League continues its push to establish a foothold in one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing sporting markets.
The trip is part of the AFL’s long-term strategy to expand its international presence, with India viewed as a key growth opportunity due to its massive population, demographic and increasing appetite for global sports.
Dillon will hold meetings with a range of sports commissioners and business leaders, with the AFL’s head of strategy Walter Lee also on the trip, which will include a visit to Mumbai.
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The week-long visit is a key step in fostering more focus on India as a place of potential for the AFL.
There has been significant growth in people playing Australian Rules in India, jumping from 150 across the country to more than 20,000 across 11 states, with India central to the next phase of making footy global.
The AFL has made growing its Indian market a priority, establishing its AFL Desi content handle last year and forging a connection between South Asian countries and the game. It also is keen to build on the huge Indian community in Australia through the game.
At last year’s draft, Collingwood selected Next Generation Academy player Jai Saxena, making him just the second player of full Indian heritage to be drafted in the AFL, while there are also two current AFLW players with Indian backgrounds.
The league has kept an eye on expanding its market and last year brought back both its US Draft Combine, which was attended by numerous clubs, as well as its overseas trip with the Marsh AFL Academy in December for camps in New Zealand.
Last year, a game in both the men’s and women’s seasons were broadcast with Hindi commentary and there are plans to do the same in 2026.
