World Footy News

International students across Victoria will be given an opportunity to experience Australian Football through a unique ticket offer announced by the AFL.

The AFL, in partnership with Monash University and La Trobe University, will make 5000 tickets available to international students for the Melbourne-Brisbane game at the MCG on April 24.

Melbourne and Brisbane will also play the first AFL game in China later this year, battling it out for the Kaspersky AFL Cup (otherwise known as the `Shanghai Showdown’) at Jiangwan Sports Centre in Shanghai on October 17.

AFL General Manager National and International Development, David Matthews, said the ticket offer to next month’s game was a great chance for international students to experience AFL.

“Many of them would never have been to an AFL game before and we want them to come along and experience all the colour and excitement of Australian football,” he said.

The AFL was joined at Sunday’s announcement by the Victorian Minister for Sport , James Merlino, who commended the AFL on its initiative and its multicultural program.

"Victorians are proud of our rich multicultural heritage - we come from over 200 countries, speak more than 230 languages and dialects and follow more than 120 different faiths,” he said.

"Footy is also our indigenous game and what better way for our newly arrived and migrant communities to settle into their new home than by enjoying the benefits of footy.

"AFL is entrenched in Victorian communities and the game is proudly multicultural - I commend the AFL on this great initiative."

Mr Merlino said the Victorian Government was a proud supporter of multiculturalism and football and had provided more than $800,000 for the Multicultural Australian Football Program for a range of projects since 2005.

Eligible students will be able to register for a ticket to next month’s game through Monash University and La Trobe University, with details to be announced shortly.

“La Trobe is delighted to be part of this is a tremendous initiative, which is introducing international students to our unique Aussie footy culture and enriching their educational experience,” said Professor John Rosenberg, Deputy Vice Chancellor International and Future Students.

Monash University said it was also pleased to support the AFL’s match in Shanghai in October and believed this was a good way of introducing the game to international students in Melbourne.

To mark Harmony Day, it was announced that AFL Victoria will also offer two tickets to any international student who wants to attend a VFL match during the course of the 2010 season.