The South African Lions in action against Ireland during the 2008 Australian Football International Cup in Melbourne

Australian rules football in Africa is most organised in South Africa, although there are programs under development in many African nations including Botswana, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya and Zimbabwe and there are plans to introduce the sport into more African countries.

Immigration to Australia saw a rise in the number of Africans playing in the Australian Football League, among the first were African-Americans like Tom Banks and South Africans including Aubrey MacKenzie and Damien Cupido.

Kevin Sheedy predicted an African future for the AFL when he recruited Ethiopian Goaner Tutlan in 2004. The success of Majak Daw saw a rise in the popularity of AFL among South Sudanese migrants[1] which have attracted the attention of AFL recruiters in search for the combination of height and athleticism.[2] An increasing number of players descended from the Indigenous peoples of Africa have played professionally in the Australian Football League, holding African Australian identity.

Botswana

The government of Botswana approached the AFL in 2009 with a view to extending the FootyWILD program from South Africa across the border into Botswana. Australian football in South Africa began in the North West Province, an area bordering Botswana and with numerous cultural, linguistic and historical ties to the neighboring country.[3]

Ethiopia

While the sport hasn't been played in Ethiopia, the country is notable for producing AFL players from the migrant community in Australia.

Notable players

PlayerAFL/AFLW Years*AFL/AFLW Matches*AFL/AFLW Goals*Connections to Ethiopia, References
Changkuoth Jiath2018-452Born Mekelle[4]
Goaner Tutlan2004--Born[5]

Egypt

Australian rules football was played by the ANZACs in Egypt during World War I. The sport has since been revived by Australian expats, with an Auskick program being started in Cairo.[6] The Australian Embassy in Cairo has backed the program.[7]

Notable players

PlayerAFL/AFLW Years*AFL/AFLW Matches*AFL/AFLW Goals*Connections to Egypt, References
James Borlase2023-10Born Cairo[8][9]
Mac Andrew2022-100Born Cairo[10]
Ahmed Saad2012-20153348Parents[11]

Ghana

Australian football was played on a non-organised level in Ghana in 2007, where traveling Australians played with children.[12]

In early 2009, AFL club the Western Bulldogs announced that they were in talks with Azumah Nelson regarding the introduction of Australian rules football at the Azumah Nelson Foundation (AZNEF) Sports Academy.[13] Nelson was quoted as saying "Once we become familiar with handling the oval shaped ball, I am sure that Ghana will produce many champions for the AFL Clubs in Australia"[14] The Bulldogs also stated that they may travel to Ghana to visit the AZNEF Sports Academy in future.[14]

Notable players

Connor Idun
Joel Amartey
PlayerAFL/AFLW Years*AFL/AFLW Matches*AFL/AFLW Goals*Connections to Ghana, References
Brandon Walker2021-371Born[15]
Connor Idun2019-390Father[16]
Isaac Quaynor2019-713Father[17][18]
Joel Amartey2018-1716Father[19]

Kenya

There have been efforts to start the sport at junior level since 2004.[20] Gus Horsey from the Baltimore Washington Eagles from the United States Australian Football League visited the country in February and September, running several footy clinics and organising a grand final between four local teams in Nairobi. During Horsey's second visit to Kenya to coach Australian rules, he regularly trained over 100 children after school with help from local soccer coaches,[21] although plans through USFooty Kids to continue the clinics in the future did not go ahead.

The AFL reported in 2009 that junior clinics were being conducted in Kenya under the same model as FootyWILD in South Africa.[3]

In 2015, schoolboys international matches were held on the Kenya-Tanzania border.[22]

Notable players

Bigoa Nyuon
PlayerAFL/AFLW Years*AFL/AFLW Matches*AFL/AFLW Goals*Connections to Kenya, References
Leek Aleer2022-30Born[23]
Bigoa Nyuon2022-10Born Nairobi[24]
Sophie McDonald2020-260Parent[25]
Tony Olango2017--Born[26]
Aliir Aliir2014-1145Born Kakuma[27]

Malawi

Educaring Africa ran clinics Ntakataka Village in Monkey Bay in 2019.[28]

Nigeria

While the sport hasn't been played in Nigeria, some AFL players from the migrant community in Australia have strong connections to the country.

Notable players

Joel Wilkinson
PlayerAFL/AFLW Years*AFL/AFLW Matches*AFL/AFLW Goals*Connections to Nigeria, References
Stefan Okunbor2023---Parents[25]
Joel Wilkinson2011-2013261Father[29]

Senegal

Australian rules football was played sporadically in Senegal during the 1990s, after Darwin-based Mark Moretti visited Dakar for two months in 1991. Moretti had introduced the sport to local children originally as an example of overseas culture, but there was interest from both the children and some local soccer administrators in continuing the sport. When Moretti returned in 1997 there had not been any progress, so he organised some footballs and other material to be sent to Senegal and the country was represented at the International Australian Football Council AGM in Darwin in 1999.[30] Around this time, two teams were established, named the Crocodiles and the Hares, but the sport has since disappeared in the country.

A team representing Senegal appeared at the "World 9s" in Catalonia in 2008, consisting of Senegalese nationals resident in Spain and competing in the Catalan AFL.

Collingwood FC recruited 202cm Senegalese basketballer Bassirou Faye as an international rookie in 2021.

South Africa

The Witwatersrand Gold Rush brought miners from Australia to South Africa and records indicate that it was played from the 1880s to 1909 and was for a time during 1904, the most popular football code in the colony. It was reintroduced by the Australian Defence Force in 1997 and in the 2000s became one of the fastest growing places for the sport outside of Australia, becoming widely played in the North West Province with tens of thousands of players. The governing body is AFL South Africa.

Sudan

While the sport hasn't been played in Sudan, the country is notable for producing AFL players from the migrant community in Australia.

Notable players

Majak Daw
PlayerAFL/AFLW Years*AFL/AFLW Matches*AFL/AFLW Goals*Connections to Sudan, References
Domanic Akuei2022---Born[31]
Bigoa Nyuon2022-10Parents[32]
Mac Andrew2022-100Parents[33]
Tarir Bayok2020--Born[34]
Buku Khamis2019-96Born[35]
Tony Olango2017--Parents[36]
Majak Daw2011-20225443Born Khartoum[37]

South Sudan

While the sport hasn't been played in South Sudan, the country is notable for producing many AFL players from the migrant community in Australia. A team representing South Sudan has won the World 9s twice most recently in 2021.[38]

Notable players

Akec Makur Chuot
PlayerAFL/AFLW Years*AFL/AFLW Matches*AFL/AFLW Goals*Connections to South Sudan, References
Bigoa Nyuon2022-10Parents[39]
Mac Andrew2022-100Parents[40]
Leek Aleer2022-30Parents[23]
Martin Frederick2021-142Parents[41]
Michael Frederick2020-4858Parents[41]
Tom Jok2019-10Born Nasir[42]
Changkuoth Jiath2018-452Parents[43]
Akec Makur Chuot2017-332Born Yirol[44]
Mabior Chol2016-5675Born[45]
Reuben William2016-201730Born Wau[46]
Gach Nyuon2016-2017--Born, parents[47]
Aliir Aliir2014-1145Parents[48]

Uganda

Non-organised Australian football at junior level featuring locals has been played in Uganda in 2006.[49]

Western Sahara

Australian football was played on an informal basis in Western Sahara in 2008.[50]

Zimbabwe

The sport of Australian rules football is in its early stages of development in Zimbabwe,[51] with Australian Football Zimbabwe[51] in the planning stage, with its main aims being to combine Aussie rules football as a developing sport, with health clinics and information sessions to be run to assist disadvantaged and sick children.

In 2020, AFL Zimbabwe was formed as the governing body for the sport in Zimbabwe.[52]

Notable players

Tendai Mzungu
PlayerAFL/AFLW Years*AFL/AFLW Matches*AFL/AFLW Goals*Connections to Zimbabwe, References
Tendai Mzungu2011-201710555Father[53]
Ian Perrie1998-2007116129Born

Other AFL nationalities

An increasing number of players descended from the Indigenous peoples of Africa have played professionally in the Australian Football League, holding African Australian identity. The successful career of Majak Daw in the AFL is credited as having inspired many children from the South Sudanese migrant community in Australia to take up the sport.[54]

Héritier Lumumba
PlayerAFL/AFLW Years*AFL/AFLW Matches*AFL/AFLW Goals*Connections to Africa, References
Héritier Lumumba2005-201622330Congolese-Angolan father[55]

Team Africa at the International Cup

A team known as Team Africa, drawn from various Melbourne African communities, competed in the 2008 Australian Football International Cup's Multicultural Challenge, playing matches against South Africa, Tonga and an Asian community side dubbed Team Asia.[56]

Team Africa's players were from countries including Somalia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Djibouti.[56]

References

  1. ↑ Daw-inspiring feats bring Sudan into the heart of Aussie sport The Australian 20 Apr 2013
  2. ↑ Neil Cordy for Code Sports 24 October 2022
  3. 1 2 "FootyWILD set to take Africa by storm? - World Footy News". WorldFootyNews.com. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  4. ↑ "Hawks debutant 'rattled' after getting call-up". The West Australian. 8 August 2019. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  5. ↑ "Ethiopian hopes to make mark for Africa - World Footy News". WorldFootyNews.com. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  6. ↑ "AFL revival in Egypt century after Anzacs". 17 August 2018.
  7. ↑ "Australian Embassy in Cairo Gets Footys into Egypt - World Footy News".
  8. ↑ James BORLASE from Adelaide Crows
  9. ↑ Crows' Next Generation Academy prospect James Borlase from The Advertiser 3 December 2020
  10. ↑ Suns to unleash the Mac attack: Prized No.5 pick to debut By Callum Twomey 28 July 2022
  11. ↑ Ahmed Saad. "Ahmed Saad". saints.com.au. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
  12. ↑ "West African kids kick the Aussie Footy in soccer's heartland - World Footy News". WorldFootyNews.com. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  13. ↑ "Ghana and Azumah Nelson look to AFL and Bulldogs - World Footy News". WorldFootyNews.com. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  14. 1 2 Bulldogs look to forge ties in Ghana – Herald Sun
  15. ↑ "Fremantle Dockers NGA players". fremantlefc.com.au. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  16. ↑ Cool Connor standing out down back from the Geelong Advertiser 12 July 2018
  17. ↑ A taste of Richmond, but Collingwood looms for Quaynor by Daniel Cherny for The Age 16 November 2018
  18. ↑ ‘Not OK’: Collingwood seek to correct dearth of Indigenous players by Michael Gleeson for The Age 1 February 2021
  19. ↑ "How racial abuse led Joel Amartey to his AFL debut". Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  20. ↑ Aussie Rules International – Kenya Archived 9 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  21. ↑ "Footy a welcome hit in Kenya - World Footy News". WorldFootyNews.com. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  22. ↑ Dust to dust: footy takes off in Africa Conor Walsh on Aug 23, 2015
  23. 1 2 "Leek Aleer". gwsgiants.com.au. 5 December 2019. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
  24. ↑ Mum's journey inspires Sudanese refugee Biggie Nyuon towards AFL dream Sean Sowerby 7NEWS 20th November 2019
  25. 1 2 "2021 AFL Players Association Multicultural Map". AFLPA. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
  26. ↑ pposites attract for Kenyan-born ruck talent By Marc McGowan 27 November 2017
  27. ↑ "Aliir's incredible journey from Kakuma to AFL". ESPN.com. 8 August 2017. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  28. ↑ Educaring Africa – Kicking Goals in Malawi 14 November 2019
  29. ↑ "Joel Wilkinson still making his stand against racism - AFL.com.au". afl.com.au. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  30. ↑ Footy Kicks Off in West Africa Archived 9 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  31. ↑ Sudan, Egypt, Carlton: Why Dom is always daring to dream By Cristian Filippo, Carlton Media 24 May 2023
  32. ↑ Mum's journey inspires Sudanese refugee Biggie Nyuon towards AFL dream Sean Sowerby 7NEWS 20th November 2019
  33. ↑ Suns to unleash the Mac attack: Prized No.5 pick to debut By Callum Twomey 28 July 2022
  34. ↑ Tarir Bayok West Coast Eagles draftee
  35. ↑ Dinham, Abby (2 May 2017). "From South Sudanese refugee to the 2018 AFL draft: Buku Khamis is making his mark". SBS World News. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  36. ↑ pposites attract for Kenyan-born ruck talent By Marc McGowan 27 November 2017
  37. ↑ McFarlane, Glenn (20 February 2011). "Majak Daw's big move". Sunday Herald Sun. Retrieved 22 April 2011.
  38. ↑ South Sudan AFL International
  39. ↑ Mum's journey inspires Sudanese refugee Biggie Nyuon towards AFL dream Sean Sowerby 7NEWS 20th November 2019
  40. ↑ Suns to unleash the Mac attack: Prized No.5 pick to debut By Callum Twomey 28 July 2022
  41. 1 2 Leonard, Owen (30 April 2021). "Family and football in Frederick Brothers' DNA". fremantlefc.com.au. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  42. ↑ Rookie pick: Tom Jok By Julian Trantino for Essendon FC 23 November 2018
  43. ↑ "Hawks debutant 'rattled' after getting call-up". The West Australian. 8 August 2019. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  44. ↑ Fee, Tom. "Meet Freo's most unlikely footballer". Freemantle Dockers website. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  45. ↑ Quayle, Emma (1 July 2014). "From Sudan to the AFL: three teenagers hoping to make the big time". The Age. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
  46. ↑ Wiles, Andrew (11 November 2015). "13 days until draft: Reuben William". AFLQ.com.au. Fox Sports Pulse. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  47. ↑ Sudanese rookie marks new era for Essendon 22 December 2015
  48. ↑ "Aliir's incredible journey from Kakuma to AFL". ESPN.com. 8 August 2017. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  49. ↑ "Footy Shorts - Footy in Uganda ? - World Footy News". WorldFootyNews.com. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  50. ↑ "Aussie Rules in Western Sahara - World Footy News". WorldFootyNews.com. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  51. 1 2 "zimfooty.com - Registered at Namecheap.com". ZimFooty.com. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  52. ↑ "Zimbabwe Footy Rising Above Challenges - World Footy News".
  53. ↑ Who is… Tendai Mzungu?
  54. ↑ Daw-inspiring feats bring Sudan into the heart of Aussie sport The Australian 20 Apr 2013
  55. ↑ Gleeson, Michael (12 February 2008). "African journey helps O'Brien". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 12 February 2008.
  56. 1 2 "Australian Football International Cup 2008 – Official tournament program" (PDF). AFL.com.au. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
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