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        Sweden        


This page is a quick snapshot of the status of Australian Football in Sweden. For further information, browse our news items or use the search facility. If you wish to contact football officials from the country, please search our site for links to their leagues or clubs, including in our Atlas. If unsuccessful, we can normally assist with putting people in touch.

Approx population (2009):   9.3 million

National side:   Swedish Elks

Governing body:   AFL Sweden / Svenska Australiensiska Fotbollsförbundet

Domestic clubs:

Stockholm region    WesternSouthern (Skåne/Blekinge)
Södermalm BluesKarlstad EaglesHelsingborg Saints (DAFL)
Bromma VikingsGöteborg BeserkersPort Malmö Maulers (DAFL)
Solna AxemenOslo Crows (Norway)    Karlskrona Magpies
Årsta Swans
Falun Diggers


Primary contact / link:   AFL Sweden

WFN Census (2004):   7 teams, 161 seniors, 0 juniors

WFN World Ranking (2008):   13th

History:   The early history of Australian football in Sweden revolves around the emergence of teams in southern Sweden (Scania) to play in the nearby Danish Australian Football League, starting in 1993 with the creation of the Helsingborg Saints. In 2002 three clubs were created from Helsingborg - the Port Malmö Maulers, Helsingborg West Raptors and Lund Magpies.

In 2003 a new club was formed, the Göteborg Berserkers, followed by the Stockholm Dynamite in 2004. The three centres for footy in Sweden continued to operate largely independently of each other, with the Dynamite creating its own three team local league, the Stockholm region Australian Football Federation (SAFF).

A loose federation calling itself the Swedish Australian Football Association was created, but no real governing body was in place until the formation of AFL Sweden in 2007. The national side, the Swedish Elks, competed at the International Cup series for the first time in 2008, finishing a solid 12th of 16 nations.

Outlook (2010):   After many years in which the only growth in Sweden was gradual and confined to the south, there has been a lot of progress in the last few years, and if early efforts to introduce children to the game continue, the future looks bright.

Other points of interest:   -

Last Updated: Friday, April 29 2011 @ 10:07 pm ACST| Hits: 5,179 View Printable Version