AFL Club Memberships Reach Historic High

The AFL has announced a new all-time club membership record, surpassing 1,268,403 members for the first time in its history. This surpasses the previous record of 1,198,833 set in 2023, marking a 6% increase.

One in 22 Australians is now a member of an AFL club. Notably, Carlton, Collingwood, and West Coast Eagles each have over 100,000 members. Additionally, the northern market clubs—Brisbane Lions, Gold Coast SUNS, GWS GIANTS, and Sydney Swans—have all seen double-digit growth in membership revenue.

The cut-off for 2024 membership is August 31, with final numbers to be announced in September.

AFL CEO Andrew Dillon praised the dedication of fans and the efforts of the clubs in engaging their communities. “With more than 1.26 million members and 6.45 million fans attending matches across the first 20 rounds of the home and away season, our fans are like none other in world sport,” he said. “The dedication our fans have to our game is unmatched, and I am incredibly proud of the work that goes into delivering our game to homes all across the country.”

As the AFL Finals approach, along with the start of the new 2024 AFLW Season and community football finals, Dillon expressed excitement for the upcoming events. “The best of football is ahead of us,” he noted. “On behalf of the AFL, I’d like to thank all our fans and every club member whose passion and support continue to make footy the greatest game in the world.”

Seven clubs, including Brisbane Lions, Carlton, Geelong Cats, Gold Coast SUNS, GWS GIANTS, Sydney Swans, and Western Bulldogs, have announced all-time membership records. Leading the 2024 membership tallies are Collingwood, Carlton, West Coast Eagles, and Richmond, while Sydney Swans, Brisbane Lions, Gold Coast SUNS, and GWS GIANTS have shown the highest percentage increase in membership growth.

Attendance for the 2024 Toyota AFL Premiership Season is on track to break records, with 6,458,859 fans attending the first 20 rounds. Participation in Australian Rules Football has also reached an all-time high, surpassing 530,000 nationally.

This season has seen the top three highest-attended rounds of all time, including Round One (413,405), Round Seven (408,433), and Round Eight (403,452). Only four home and away rounds in history have exceeded 400,000 fans, with the other occurring in Round One, 2017 (400,401).

The AFL’s achievement in breaking membership records reflects the league’s success in capturing fan support and leveraging it to grow the game, setting a strong foundation for the future of Australian Rules football.