Get set for Elks v Warriors

Chelsea Roffey
AFL website
July 16, 2008

THE AFL has released the fixture for the Australian Football International Cup, to be held from August 27 to September 6.

Matches will commence on Wednesday, August 27 in Royal Park, Melbourne and conclude with the grand final, to be played at the MCG on Saturday, September 6. Matches will also be played in Geelong and Warrnambool.

The 16 participating nations have been divided into four pools headed by top-ranked sides, the New Zealand Falcons, Papua New Guinea Mosquitoes, US Revolution and Irish Warriors.

Matches will commence on Wednesday, August 27 in Royal Park, Melbourne, when Ireland plays Sweden, New Zealand takes on Japan and Canada goes head-to-head with Finland.

The combined Israeli-Palestinian Peace Team will make its International Cup debut against Great Britain in the second group of matches played from 1pm. Sweden, China, Finland and India will also compete for the first time.

Teams will travel to Warrnambool for games on Monday, September 1 and the first round of finals on Wednesday, September 3, before playing off against other pools leading into the grand final.

AFL Talent and International Manager Kevin Sheehan said the tournament has continued to grow after 11 nations competed in 2005.

“There are currently over 35,000 international players in over 35 countries. In the year we celebrate 150 years of Australian Football, the International Cup is an opportunity to celebrate the game as it grows internationally,” he said.

“The past two tournaments were played in great spirit. This is set to continue with the Peace Team, a team of both Israeli and Palestinian players, featuring in this competition.”

Participating nations in 2008 are Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, Great Britain, Ireland, India, Japan, Nauru, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peace Team, Samoa, South Africa, Sweden, and the USA. Previous winners are Ireland (2002) and New Zealand (2005).

No expatriate Australian is eligible to play in the tournament. Teams are comprised solely of amateurs who must be nationals of the country they represent. All players must have lived the majority of the years aged between 10 and 16 as a citizen of their nation.

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