The professional version of Australian Rules Football is played in the Australian Football League (AFL), the sport’s premier men’s competition. Its women’s counterpart is the AFL Women’s (AFLW) competition. Both use the familiar oval ball, high marks, tackles and goal-and-behind scoring of Australian rules football; they are elite competitions, not separate sports.
If you are trying to find the equivalent of a top professional league in another sport, the AFL is the main answer. It brings together clubs from across Australia and draws the sport’s largest crowds and audiences. AFLW provides the top-level national competition for women, while state leagues and community clubs offer other levels of play.
What makes the AFL the professional level?
The AFL is a national competition for elite players who are contracted to professional clubs. Those clubs provide coaching, medical care, training facilities and support staff, and players prepare for a demanding season of matches. The competition is run by the Australian Football League, which also oversees key parts of the game’s rules and development.
The league has 18 clubs, including well-known teams such as Collingwood, Richmond, Carlton, Essendon, Sydney Swans and West Coast Eagles. Most clubs are based in Victoria, but the competition also has teams in South Australia, Western Australia, New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory.
The AFL season builds toward the finals series and the Grand Final, one of the biggest events on Australia’s sporting calendar. Clubs compete for the premiership, and the best players can earn individual honours such as the Brownlow Medal, awarded to the fairest and best player in the home-and-away season.
Is AFL a different sport from Australian rules football?
No. “AFL” is often used casually to mean Australian rules football, but strictly speaking it is the name of the national league and its governing organisation. The professional game follows the same basic code you will see in local and state competitions. The pace, fitness and skill level are higher, but the central rules remain familiar.
Each team has 18 players on the field. Players move the ball by handballing or kicking, and they can run with it if they bounce it or touch it to the ground at least once every 15 metres. A clean catch from a kick that travels at least 15 metres is called a mark, allowing the player to stop and take an unimpeded kick.
At either end of the ground, a kick between the two taller goalposts scores six points. A ball that passes between a goalpost and a shorter behind post, or crosses the scoring line in certain other ways, scores one point. A typical scoreboard might show a team’s goals and behinds separately, as well as its total score.
That mix of long kicks, contested marks, handball chains and pressure tackling is what gives the professional game its distinct rhythm. For example, a team may win the ball in a tackle, handball through the centre and kick long to a forward who tries to mark near goal. If the catch is clean, the mark can set up a shot; if not, the contest continues.
AFL and AFLW: the professional competitions
The AFL is the premier men’s competition. AFLW is the national women’s competition, featuring teams linked to all 18 AFL clubs. Players compete under the Australian rules code, with the same broad goals of moving the ball forward, winning possession and scoring more than the opposition.
The two competitions have their own seasons and formats, and their match schedules and playing conditions can differ. They share the sport’s key skills and tactical ideas, though. In both, teams need to spread across the ground, create space for their forwards and work together to win the ball back after a turnover.
| Competition | What it is | Who plays |
|---|---|---|
| AFL | Australia’s premier national men’s competition | Elite men’s players contracted to AFL clubs |
| AFLW | Australia’s premier national women’s competition | Elite women’s players contracted to AFLW clubs |
| State leagues | Strong state-level competitions, with different levels of professionalism | Professional, semi-professional and developing players |
| Community football | Local competitions and club football | Players across a wide range of ages and abilities |
Where do state leagues fit in?
State competitions such as the Victorian Football League (VFL), South Australian National Football League (SANFL) and West Australian Football League (WAFL) sit below the AFL in the national landscape. They are important leagues in their own right, with strong histories and passionate supporters. Depending on the competition and player, football at this level may be professional, semi-professional or combined with work or study.
State leagues also help develop players. AFL club reserves players may get match time there, while talented prospects can use strong performances to earn an AFL opportunity. Many former AFL players also continue their careers in state football.
Below that are regional and community leagues, where most people first learn the game or play for fun. So if someone asks for the professional version, name the AFL for the men’s competition and AFLW for the women’s competition. If they ask where a particular player or club competes, check the league: the name of a club alone does not always tell you its level.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does AFL stand for?
AFL stands for Australian Football League. It is the name of the national professional men’s competition and the organisation that administers the sport at the top level.
Is AFL the same as Australian rules football?
The sport played in the AFL is Australian rules football. People often say “AFL” when they mean the sport, but the term properly refers to the league and its organisation.
What is the professional women’s league called?
It is called AFLW, short for the Australian Football League Women’s competition. It is the national elite competition for women’s Australian rules football.
Are the VFL, SANFL and WAFL professional leagues?
They are high-level state competitions, but the level of professionalism varies by league, club and player. They are generally not the same national top tier as the AFL or AFLW.
Final Thoughts
The professional version of Australian Rules Football is the AFL, with AFLW as the sport’s premier women’s competition. The professional leagues use the same core game played at lower levels: 18 players per side, an oval ground, marks, tackles, handballs, kicks and a scoring system of goals and behinds. State leagues such as the VFL, SANFL and WAFL are important steps in the wider football pathway, but the AFL and AFLW are the national competitions to watch for the sport’s highest level.
Aiden Cross is a sports writer and editor at BeliveSports, covering a broad range of sports with a focus on clear, accurate, and practical information. His work covers rules, techniques, player roles, competitions, equipment, statistics, and the details that help readers better understand how different sports are played. Aiden takes a research-driven approach to sports writing, using reliable sources and established sporting information to provide context rather than simply repeating surface-level facts. His goal is to make complex topics accessible while maintaining the accuracy and depth expected by knowledgeable sports fans. At BeliveSports, Aiden contributes to the site’s editorial standards by focusing on accuracy, clarity, useful context, and reader-first explanations.