Australian Rules Football en route to China

Global Business

Australian Rules Football en route to China

While Rugby is most popular in the southern hemisphere in countries like Australia, another sport that draws a lot of attention is Australian Rules Football, and it is now coming to China.

CCTV’s Greg Navarro reports the story.

The country’s professional league – the AFL – said it will play an official premiership season match in Shanghai next year, between the Port Adelaide Power and the Gold Coast Suns. The league said the multi-million dollar project is aimed at increasing the sport’s fan base and revenue – and strengthening cultural ties between the two countries.

Melbourne’s Chinese Museum served as the backdrop to unveil an ambitious plan, which Australian Football League officials said has never been done before.

The plan to play a match in China isn’t cheap, costing up to $3 million – because the AFL will have to transform an existing stadium currently used as a driving range – into an official Australian Football League venue.