View source for Asian Australian Football Championships

{{Short description|Annual tournament of Australian rules football}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
{{Infobox sports league
| title = Asian Australian Football Championships
| current_season = 2023 Asian Australian Football Championships
| logo =
| pixels = 
| sport = Australian rules football
| inaugural = 2000 
| teams = 
| champion = {{flagicon|Papua New Guinea}} [[PNG Muruks]] (men)<br /> {{flagicon|Singapore}} [[Singapore Wombats|Singapore Wombettes]] (women)
| most_champs = {{flagicon|Hong Kong}} [[Hong Kong Dragons]]<br />(men; 6 titles)<br /> {{flagicon|Vietnam}} Vietnam Swans (women; 2 titles)
| country = '''Host:''' [[Bangkok]], [[Thailand]]
| TV = [[YouTube]]<ref>https://www.youtube.com/@aflasia473/featured AFL Asian Championships (Live and on-demand coverage)</ref>
| website = [https://aflasia.com/asian-championships/ AFL Asia Australian Football Championships]
}}

The '''Asian Australian Football Championships''', also known as the AFL Asian Championships or Asian Champs is an annual tournament of [[Australian rules football]] between [[AFL Asia]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.afl-asia.com/ |title=Home |website=afl-asia.com}}</ref> member clubs.

The tournament is considered the pinnacle of Asian Australian football calendar and is challenged by a growing number of teams from over a dozen Asian countries.

The competition consists of 3 open men's divisions, 1 women's division and a juniors division. A record 21 teams from 13 countries competed in 2018.

The 2023 event will be contested in [[Bangkok]], [[Thailand]] on 9 September at the Thai Polo and Equestrian Club, [[Chon Buri]].

==Format==
The tournament is played over one day with all teams playing shortened games between 20 and 24 minutes duration, with reduced numbers and smaller field sizes. In each division, each team plays each other once then there is a knock-out finals series including Semi-Finals, Preliminary Final and Grand Final.

First division is played as a 16-a-side format.
Second division is played in a 12-a-side format.

There are 3 Men's Divisions, Women's Division and an All-Asia Cup (only local players allowed).

===Teams===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Team
! Home/city
! Province/Country
! Debut
! Men's Div 1 Titles
! Women's Div 1 Titles
|-
| Bali Geckos
| [[Bali]]
| {{flag|Indonesia}}
| 2006
| 
| 
|-
| Cambodian Eagles
| [[Phnom Penh]]
| {{flag|Cambodia}}
| 2015
| 
| 
|-
| China Blues
| 
| {{flag|China}}
| 2002
| 
| 
|-
| China Reds
| 
| {{flag|China}}
| 2000
| 
| 
|-
| [[Dubai Heat]]
| [[Dubai]]
| {{flag|United Arab Emirates}}
| 2007
| 3
| 
|-
| [[Hong Kong Dragons]]
| [[Hong Kong]]
| {{flag|Hong Kong}}
| 2000
| 6
|
|-
| Indonesian Bintangs
| [[Jakarta]]
| {{flag|Indonesia}}
| 2000
| 2
| 
|-
| Indonesian Volcanoes
| [[Jakarta]]
| {{flag|Indonesia}}
| 2018
| 1
| 
|-
| Jakarta Bintangs
| [[Jakarta]]
| {{flag|Indonesia}}
| 2005
| 
| 
|-
| [[Tokyo Goannas|Japan Goannas]]
| [[Tokyo]]
| {{flag|Japan}} 
| 2005
| 
| 
|-
| Lao Elephants
| [[Vientiane]]
| {{flag|Laos}}
| 2008
| 
|
|-
| Macau Lightning
| [[Macau]]
| {{flag|Macau}}
| 2010
| 
|  
|-
| Malaysian Warriors
| [[Kuala Lumpur]]
| {{flag|Malaysia}}
| 2009
| 1
| 1
|-
| Myanmar Fighting Cocks
| [[Yangon]]
| {{flag|Myanmar}}
| 2015
| 
| 
|-
| Pakistan Markhoors
|
| {{flag|Pakistan}}
| 2022
| 
| 
|-
| Philippine Eagles
| [[Manila]]
| {{flag|Philippines}}
| 2013
| 1
| 
|-
| [[PNG Muruks]]
| [[Port Moresby]]
| {{flag|Papua New Guinea}}
| 2018
| 4
| 
|-
| [[Singapore Wombats]] 
| [[Singapore]]
| {{flag|Singapore}} 
| 2000
| 4
| 2
|-
| Thailand Tigers
| [[Bangkok]]
| {{flag|Thailand}}
| 2007
| 
| 
|-
| Vietnam Swans
|
| {{flag|Vietnam}} 
| 2000
| 
| 2
|}

==History==
[[File:Asian cup.jpg|thumb|right|Hong Kong Dragons after winning the 2007 Championship in Bangkok, Thailand]]
[[File:2014 Malaysian Warriors Australian Rules Football.jpg|thumb|Malaysian Warriors team pictured from the 2014 event at [[Clark Field]], [[Philippines]]]]
The Asian Australian Football Championships were first held in 2000, although a precursor tournament named the Four Nations Cup was held in [[Bangkok]], [[Thailand]] in 1999.

There was an offer in 2005 to make the championships part of the [[Arafura Games]], in [[Darwin, Northern Territory|Darwin]], [[Australia]], but this was turned down by Asian clubs.

In 2008 a junior division was introduced, however this was short-lived.

While traditionally the tournament has been dominated by expat-Australian players, local players are becoming more prominent with 40 local players from China, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam competing in an East Asia vs South East Asia local player exhibition game in 2015.<ref name="afl-asia.com">{{Cite web|url=http://www.afl-asia.com/hk_win_asianchamps2015/|title = HK Dragons win their 6th Asian Champs| work=AFL Asia |date = 19 October 2015}}</ref> In 2016 an All-Asian Cup was held the day before the Asian Championships with three all-local player teams. In 2017 a local player quota of 2-players per team was introduced. In 2015 the tournament was expanded to two divisions, with a 16-a-side first division and a 12-a-side second division.

In 2018 the tournament also included a women's division, with a record 21 teams from 13 countries competing.

==Tournament Details==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Date
! Venue
! Men's Div 1 Champions
! Women's Div 1 Champions
! Men's Div 2 Champions
! Men's Div 3 Champions
! All-Asia Cup Winners*
! Div 2 Plate Winners
! Junior Champions
|-
| 2000
|
| [[Jakarta]], [[Indonesia]]
| Indonesian Bintangs
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
|-
| 2001
|
| [[Bangkok]], [[Thailand]]
| Singapore Wombats
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
|-
| 2002
|
| [[Singapore]]
| Indonesian Bintangs
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
|-
| 2003
|
| [[Hong Kong]]
| Hong Kong Dragons
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
|-
| 2004
|
| [[Kuala Lumpur]], [[Malaysia]]
| Hong Kong Dragons
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
|-
| 2005
|
| [[Manila]], [[Philippines]]
| Singapore Wombats
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
|-
| 2006
|
| [[Jakarta]], [[Indonesia]]
| Singapore Wombats
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
|-
| 2007
|
| [[Bangkok]], [[Thailand]]
| Hong Kong Dragons
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
|-
| 2008
|
| [[Singapore]]
| Dubai Heat
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| Jakarta Bulldogs<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.worldfootynews.com/article.php/20080923134540422?query=slay|title=Under 16s Asian Championships - Bulldogs maul Wombats, slay Dragons and club Cubs - World Footy News|website=www.worldfootynews.com|access-date=2019-11-30}}</ref>
|-
| 2009
|
| [[Kuala Lumpur]], [[Malaysia]]
| Dubai Heat
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| Jakarta Bulldogs<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.worldfootynews.com/article.php/20090910175135879|title=2009 Asian Championships - Full Results - World Footy News|website=www.worldfootynews.com|access-date=2019-11-30}}</ref>
|-
| 2010
|
| [[Shanghai]], [[China]]
| Dubai Heat
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
|-
| 2011
|
| [[Bangkok]], [[Thailand]]
| Singapore Wombats
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
|-
| 2012
|
| [[Pattaya]], [[Thailand]]
| Hong Kong Dragons
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
|-
| 2013
| 17 August
| [[Pattaya]], [[Thailand]]
| Hong Kong Dragons
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
|-
| 2014
| 11 October
| [[Angeles City]], [[Philippines]]
| Singapore Wombats <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.afl-asia.com/singapore-wombats-win-2014-asian-championships/|title = Singapore Wombats win 2014 Asian Championships|date = 29 October 2014}}</ref>
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
|-
| 2015
| 17 October
| [[Bangkok]], [[Thailand]]
| Hong Kong Dragons <ref name="afl-asia.com"/>
| -
| Lao Elephants
| -
| -
| -
| -
|-
| 2016
| 14–15 October
| [[Ho Chi Minh City]], [[Vietnam]]
| Philippine Eagles <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.worldfootynews.com/article.php/20161019150245952|title = Phillipine &#91;sic&#93; Eagles win 'Best Ever' Asian Championship - World Footy News}}</ref>
| -
| [[Bali Geckos]]
| -
| Indonesia Garudas
| -
| -
|-
| 2017
| 21 October
| [[Manila]], [[Philippines]]
| Malaysian Warriors
| -
| [[Bali Geckos]]
| -
| China Dragons
| -
| -
|-
| 2018
| 13 October
| [[Kuala Lumpur]], [[Malaysia]]
| Indonesian Volcanoes
| Vietnam Swans
| PNG Muruks
| -
| China Dragons
| China Reds
| -
|-
|2019
| 31 August
|[[Pattaya]], [[Thailand]]
|PNG Muruks<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.afl-asia.com/awards-champions-of-asia/|title=Awards & Champions of Asia -|work=AFL Asia |date=2019-09-10|language=en-CA|access-date=2019-11-30}}</ref>
|Malaysian Warriors
|Vietnam Swans
| Japan Goannas
| -
| -
| -
|-
|-
|-
|-
|2020
| Cancelled (due to [[COVID-19 pandemic]])<ref>[https://www.afl-asia.com/afl-asia-statement-2020-asian-championships-cancelled/ Statement: 2020 Asian Championships cancelled] September 3, 2020</ref>
|[[Thailand]]
|-
|2021
| Cancelled (due to [[COVID-19 pandemic]])<ref>[https://www.afl-asia.com/statement-2021-asian-championships-cancelled/ Statement: 2021 Asian Championships cancelled] August 16, 2021</ref>
|[[Thailand]]
|-
| 2022
| 22 October<ref>[https://www.playhq.com/afl/org/afl-asia-championships/afl-asia-championships-2022/aa8e93a5 Play HQ results AFL Asia Championships 2022]</ref>
| [[Bangkok Patana School]] Sport Complex, [[Bangkok]], [[Thailand]]
| PNG Muruks
| Singapore Wombettes
| Thailand Tigers
| Pakistan Markhors
| -
| -
| -
|-
|-
| 2023
| 9 September
| Thai Polo and Equestrian Club, [[Chon Buri]] [[Bangkok]], [[Thailand]]<ref>[https://aflasia.com/asian-championships-locked-in-for-2023/ Asian Championships locked in for 2023] AFL Asia 9 March 2023</ref>
| PNG Muruks
| Vietnam Swans
| Malaysian Warriors
| Philippine Eagles
| -
| -
| -
|-
|-
| 2024
| 31 August<ref name="AC2024">[https://aflasia.com/2024-asian-championships-locked-in Asian Championships locked in for 2024] AFL Asia 27 February 2024</ref>
| Thai Polo and Equestrian Club, [[Chon Buri]] [[Bangkok]], [[Thailand]]<ref name="AC2024" />
| PNG Muruks
| Singapore Wombettes
| Singapore Wombats
| Japan Goannas
| -<ref>All-Asia title deferred until AFL's Asia Cup in December 2024</ref>
| -
| -
|-<ref>[https://www.playhq.com/afl/org/asian-championships/2024/bdde920b Asian Championships 2024 PlayHQ]</ref>
|}
*All-Asia Cup - 2016: All-local player tournament played between Indonesia, China and Indo-China, 2017 and 2018: China vs AFL Asia Lions all-local player match played at the Shanghai AFL game.

==See also==
{{Portal||Sports|Australia}}
* [[Australian rules football in Asia]]
* [[AFL Asia]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Australian rules football competitions]]
[[Category:Australian rules football in Asia]]