World Footy News

The chances of an AFL match being held in the US next year are considered better than ever.

Rumours have circulated for several years now that an AFL match will be staged in Los Angeles. In 2004 the successful Australia Week festival was held, coinciding with Australia Day on January 26th. Many celebrities attended, including Australians Bryan Brown, Cate Blanchette, Julian McMahon, Greg Norman and Kieren Perkins, as well as high profile guests from the United States. Plans had been underway for a match between North Melbourne and Adelaide, but the latter decided not to attend. A match between the US national side, the Revolution, was played against a Californian side instead, in front of a crowd of several thousand at the UCLA campus.

Following on from the 2004 event, Australia Week 2005 is expected to be even bigger and better, and organisers are again working to get two AFL teams to appear. The Kangaroos are the driving force, and several other clubs are believed to have registered their interest with the AFL. It is possible that there may even be competition for the right to play in the match, which will be a refreshing change compared with many years of perceived intransience to push the game beyond Australia's shores. The California Australian Football League President recently rated this game as a 75% chance of taking place. Although many people will remain rightfully sceptical, 2005 is looking like the best chance yet for Australian football, at the highest level, to return to North America.