The AFL International Cup is like the World Cup of Footy, hosted, and graciously not contested, by Australia. It was started in 2002 with 11 countries participating in the tournament and is organised every 3 years and is all set to raise curtains on its 5th edition in August 2014. This time the number of participating nations is set to rise above 18, which was the count in IC11.
The International Cup is aimed at developing the sport outside Australia, an initiative which means the Australians themselves don’t participate due to the marked difference in ability they have over other nations by virtue of having a high-class professional league for decades. The tournament is organized on an invitational basis and the response has been steadily growing with every edition.
In the inaugural tournament featuring 11 teams, Ireland ran out victors defeating Papua New Guinea in the finals. The 2005 edition, Papua New Guinea again lost in the final to New Zealand but they avenged their defeat in 2008 beating New Zealand to the title. In the most recent edition in 2011, Ireland doubled their IC tally with another victory over Papua New Guinea. Starting in 2011, a women’s competition is also being organized, of which the Irish ladies were the champions in the inaugural edition.
India participated in the AFL International Cup 2008 for the very first time as ‘Indian Tigers’ putting up a brave fight as debutants as the tournament proceeded and tasted first international victory in the 2011 edition against Timor Leste (East Timor).
The International Cup has got immensely positive response from the participating nations and more countries are sitting up and taking notice of the sport and the excitement surrounding it. The AFL top honchos will be hoping the sport can soon hit the heights of other globally accepted sports.
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