Taking a Punt on China: Understanding the AFL’s Global Ambitions

Late in 2018, AFL team Port Adelaide sealed a deal to take on St Kilda in the most heavily populated city in China, Shanghai. The deal cements an AFL match in China until 2021 off the back of Port Adelaide playing the Gold Coast Suns in Shanghai in both 2017 and 2018.

China has long been an important relationship for Australia on the political and business front, but what relevance does it have for sport and why has the AFL singled out China as a region to focus on in terms of developing a following?