Australian Football International Cup

The Australian Football International Cup (also known as the AFL International Cup) is an international sport competition in Australian rules football, currently contested by amateur players only. It is currently co-ordinated by the Australian Football League's game development arm and has been run every three years since 2002.

Australian Football International Cup
Most recent season or competition:
2017 AFL International Cup
SportAustralian rules football
Inaugural season2002
No. of teams2017: 18 men's & 8 women's
CountryHost: Australia
Most recent
champion(s)		Men's:
Papua New Guinea
(3rd title)
Women's:
Ireland
(2nd title)
Most titlesMen's:
Papua New Guinea
(3 titles)
Women's:
Ireland
(2 titles)
TV partner(s)YouTube[1]
Official websiteafl.com.au/internationalcup
Tournaments

The tournament is the largest international Australian rules football event and the only one that is open to worldwide senior competition, except for Australia in the men's tournament: since Australia is the only nation where the sport is played professionally, the difference in skill level between an Australian national team and the nearest competitor would currently be far too large for any contest to be competitive.

As such, the tournament is geared towards development of the sport outside Australia and expatriate Australians are ineligible to compete, with the exception of the women's OzIM team, which is composed of indigenous and multicultural Australians.

The inaugural tournament was the 2002 Australian Football International Cup run by the International Australian Football Council under the auspices of the Australian Football League, which then assumed full control with the winding up of the IAFC.

The Cup was originally for male participants only, but in 2011 a women's competition was established.[2] After some suggestions the tournament would be run every four years, the AFL is currently maintaining the three-year cycle.

The 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.

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. Grant Williams[3]

History
Ireland has won the tournament in 2002 and 2011.

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 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. Ireland defeated Papua New Guinea in the final.

The second cup was held between 3 August and 13 August 2005 in Australia. Canada, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States competed. Denmark and Nauru competed in 2002 but withdrew from the 2005 tournament for financial reasons. Papua New Guinea were again runners up, this time defeated by New Zealand by 7.8 (50) to 5.2 (32).

PNG celebrating their 2008 Australian Football International Cup victory

The third cup was held in August and September 2008. Sixteen nations competed; all teams from the 2002 competition returned, joined by debutants China, India, Sweden, Finland and the Peres Peace Team (Israel-Palestine).[4] Tonga competed as a seventeenth team, but as they were unable to commit to the full draw they played a series of matches against Team Asia and Team Africa, sides drawn from Melbourne's migrant communities.

The fourth tournament, the 2011 Australian Football International Cup was held in Melbourne and Sydney[5] in August 2011 with 18 nations competing,[6] and a Women's International Cup will be competed for alongside the men's competition for the first time.[7][2]

The 2020 International Cup, scheduled for July 21 - August 8 in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, was postponed until 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [8]

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 Knights - - - - - 11th
Denmark Vikings 4th W/D 11th 8th - -
Fiji Tribe - - - 13th 10th 8th
Finland Icebreakers - - 14th - 15th -
France Les Coqs - - - 14th 11th 10th
Germany Eagles - - - - - 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[9] 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 Bulls - 10th - - - -
Sri Lanka Lions - - - - - 15th
Sweden Elks - - 12th 11th 13th -
Timor-Leste Crocs - - - 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.[10][11]

Grand final & 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
2002
Details		 Melbourne[12]
Ireland[13]		 7.9 (51) - 2.7 (19)
Papua New Guinea
New Zealand		 3.7 (25) - 2.4 (16)
Denmark		 11
2005
Details		 Melbourne, Wangaratta[14]
New Zealand[15]		 7.8 (50) - 5.2 (32)
Papua New Guinea
United States		 10.5 (65) - 4.6 (30)
Ireland		 10
2008
Details		 Melbourne, Warrnambool[16]
Papua New Guinea[17]		 7.12 (54) - 7.4 (46)
New Zealand
South Africa		 4.9 (33) - 5.2 (32)
Ireland		 16
2011
Details		 Melbourne, Sydney[5]
Ireland[18]		 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

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 3328502536711356.6811284.85
2 Papua New Guinea 3227502404852282.1610884.38
3 Croatia 541033472463.891680
4 Ireland 3326701840810227.1610078.79
5 United States 332112020101050191.438463.64
6 Nauru 261610016711056158.246461.54
7 Germany 5320230143160.841260
8 Tonga 11650697450154.892454.55
9 Samoa 17980783652120.093652.94
10 South Africa 32161601372150391.286450
11 Canada 331518013321043127.716045.45
12 Fiji 16790899538167.102843.75
13 Denmark 1679069972896.022843.75
14 Great Britain 32141801219133491.385643.75
15 Sri Lanka 523015322767.40840
16 China 218130490148832.933238.10
17 Sweden 166100448108641.252437.5
18 Israel-Palestinian territories 1147034474446.241636.36
19 Japan 32112101001180655.434434.38
20 France 16511058996261.232031.25
21 Pakistan 1037025965139.781230
22 Indonesia 1037027485432.081230
23 Finland 1028014878618.83820
24 India 211200279183115.2444.76
25 East Timor 606010752920.2300
26 Spain 60605839114.8300
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 & 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

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 151410800163490.795693.33
2 Canada - Northern Lights 151230838177473.444880
3 United States - Freedom 15960659285231.223660
4 Great Britain 5320225106212.261260
5 Papua New Guinea 10460343290118.271640
6 Fiji 1046030230698.691640
7 Canada - Midnight Suns 52308728130.96840
8 European Crusaders (see European Crusaders) 51406533619.34420
9 Tonga 50503231210.2500
10 United States - Liberty 4040222777.9400
11 Australia 4040202886.9400
12 Pakistan 505067360.8100
^ 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 addition the 2014 Division Two was not decide by finals by rather ladder positions.

Grand final & 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
Croatia		 11.8 (74) - 1.2 (8)
Germany
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)
 Croatia 1 (2017)
4th  Japan 1 (2014) 1 (2017)
5th  France 1 (2011)
 Germany 1 (2017)
7th  China 2 (2014, 2017)
8th Peres Team for Peace 1 (2011)
9th  India 1 (2011)
 Finland 1 (2014)

See also

References
  1. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVNIihETzsAGXnyN0pnJHDA AFL International Cup (Live and on-demand coverage from the 2017 AFL International Cup held in Melbourne, Australia.)
  2. "About AFL International Cup". Australian Football League. 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.
  3. http://www.afl.com.au/internationalcup ABOUT THE 2017 AFL INTERNATIONAL CUP
  4. "AFL International Cup History". Australian Football League. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. "About AFL International Cup". Australian Football League. 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.
  7. "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.
  8. https://www.afl.com.au/news/386077/statement-afl-postpones-auskick-international-cup-more
  9. http://www.aflnz.co.nz
  10. http://www.worldfootynews.com/index.php?topic=IC2005 2005 withdraws
  11. http://www.worldfootynews.com/article.php/20080519131052904 2008 possible teams
  12. 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.
  13. 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.
  14. 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.
  15. 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.
  16. 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.
  17. 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.
  18. 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.
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