Overview
- The AFL unveiled the strategy on Friday at the Melbourne Cricket Ground during Prime Ministers Albanese and Modi's visit, tying the announcement to deeper Australia–India sporting ties.
- The plan sets an ambition to grow registered participation in India to more than 100,000 over coming years and begins with a staged, community‑first approach focused on youth and schools.
- Initial investments will fund an AFL India Talent Academy, coaching and umpire development, strengthened national competitions and tens of thousands of Sherrins and other equipment for local communities.
- The league explicitly ruled out immediate exhibition or premiership matches in India and said the approach reflects lessons from its China experiment, which lacked sustainable community participation.
- The strategy will deepen engagement with the Australian Indian diaspora and local programs such as AFL Khel and School Connect, a move that could broaden girls' participation, expand pathways into representative teams, and create conditions for future commercial events.