What Australia plays, watches, and what's next.
pokies-au.org tracks the country's sporting landscape in one place: which codes draw the biggest crowds, which activities are growing fastest at grassroots level, and the major events on the horizon. No betting odds, no tips — just the facts.
National Fan & Participation Ladder
SnapshotHow Australia Measures Sport
There's no single way to rank sport in Australia — fandom, TV audiences, and grassroots participation each tell a different story. AFL leads on supporter numbers, the NRL leads on broadcast reach, and soccer leads on the number of people actually playing.
Measured by Fandom
AFL holds the largest supporter base nationally, with the Grand Final drawing the highest attendance of any club championship game in the world, played each September at the MCG.
Measured by Broadcast Reach
The NRL leads on cumulative television audiences, with rugby league drawing some of the most loyal, tribal viewing numbers in the country, concentrated in NSW and Queensland.
Measured by Participation
Soccer is the most-played team sport across all age groups, while swimming tops individual participation — almost half of Australian children aged 6–13 have played one or the other.
Measured by Growth
Women's sport is the fastest-moving story of the decade: the Matildas' World Cup run, the WBBL, and Super Netball have all driven record attendance and new fan bases.
Mainstream Sport vs. The Fast Movers
Some codes have been part of Australian life for over a century. Others have gone from unknown to nationwide in less than a decade. Here's the line-up.
Australian Rules Football
MainstreamThe country's most-supported code, played across 18 AFL clubs spanning six states. The Grand Final is a Victorian public holiday and one of the best-attended club championship events on the planet.
Rugby League (NRL)
MainstreamDominant across New South Wales and Queensland, the NRL leads the country on cumulative television viewership, with storied rivalries between clubs like the Rabbitohs, Broncos and Roosters.
Cricket
MainstreamAustralia's national summer sport, anchored by the Boxing Day Test and the Ashes. The Big Bash League has brought a shorter, high-attendance format to a sport with deep historical roots.
Soccer (Football)
MainstreamThe most participated team sport in the country across every age group, with nearly half of children aged 6–13 having played. The Socceroos and Matildas both compete on the world stage.
Netball
MainstreamOne of the country's strongest women's sporting competitions, anchored by Suncorp Super Netball. The national team, the Diamonds, are consistent contenders at global tournaments.
Swimming
MainstreamA near-universal activity given Australia's coastline and climate. Most children learn through swim schools, and the country has produced some of the most decorated Olympians in the sport's history.
Pickleball
Fast-GrowingWidely described as the fastest-growing sport in the country. Easy to learn, low-impact, and quick to set up on converted tennis courts — community centres and retirement villages have adopted it nationwide.
Basketball
Fast-GrowingNow the second-highest team participation sport in the country, fuelled by the NBL's profile and Australian success in the NBA and WNBA. Girls' and women's participation has risen sharply in recent years.
Women's Soccer
Fast-GrowingThe Matildas' World Cup run reshaped how the sport is followed nationally, driving record junior sign-ups for girls and pushing women's football into the cultural mainstream.
Padel
Fast-GrowingA doubles racquet sport played on an enclosed court, blending elements of tennis and squash. Still niche compared to pickleball, but new courts are appearing in major cities at pace.
Women's Cricket (WBBL)
Fast-GrowingThe Women's Big Bash League has built a genuine attendance base of its own, separate from the men's competition, and is a major driver of new junior participation among girls.
Functional Fitness & Running
Fast-GrowingOutside organised club sport, informal fitness — running, gym training, and group fitness classes — continues to be the activity category with the broadest reach across adult Australians.
Why Your Postcode Shapes Your Code
Australia's football codes split along what's known as the Barassi Line — a rough boundary between states where Australian Rules dominates and states where rugby league holds the same place in local culture.
AFL Heartland
Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania are traditionally Australian Rules territory, with suburban and regional leagues feeding into the 18-club national competition.
Rugby League Heartland
New South Wales and Queensland are the historical home of rugby league, where the NRL draws fierce local loyalty and junior pathways are deeply embedded in school sport.
A Genuinely National Game
Cricket and soccer cut across every state and territory, played in summer and avoiding direct competition with the two dominant winter football codes for spectator attention.
The ACT Outlier
The Australian Capital Territory consistently records the highest sport participation rate of any state or territory in national surveys, ahead of the larger population centres.
What's Coming Up for Australian Sport
From a home World Cup campaign to a home Olympics six years out, here's what's shaping the next chapter.
Socceroos & Matildas on the World Stage
The Socceroos are competing at the FIFA World Cup 2026 in North America, while the Matildas compete on home soil at the AFC Women's Asian Cup — a year Football Australia has called a powerful link between grassroots participation and the global game.
Australian Athletes at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games
Victoria withdrew as host of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in 2023 over rising costs, with Glasgow stepping in as replacement host. Australian teams, including athletics, are still competing under Commonwealth Games Australia.
Women's Leagues Continue to Scale
Super Netball, the WBBL, and women's soccer are all entering new broadcast cycles, with Netball Australia's new free-to-air partnership starting in 2026 — a strong signal of where investment is heading.
Brisbane Hosts the Summer Olympics
Australia returns as Olympic host for the third time, following Melbourne 1956 and Sydney 2000. Infrastructure and participation programs across multiple codes are already being framed around the lead-up to Brisbane 2032.
What is pokies-au.org
An independent information resource covering sport in Australia.
pokies-au.org is a reference site about the Australian sporting landscape: which codes draw the biggest fan bases, which activities are growing fastest at grassroots level, and which major events are coming up. Our goal is to give a clear, structured picture of Australian sport in one place — no advertising and no betting content.
Facts Only
We publish participation, attendance and viewership figures based on public sources including AusPlay, Roy Morgan, Cricket Australia, the AFL and Football Australia.
No Odds, No Betting Tips
The site contains no betting odds, no wagering recommendations, and no affiliate links to gambling operators of any kind.
Regular Updates
Participation figures and event details are refreshed as new official data and tournament schedules become available.
Accessibility
The site is built with basic accessibility in mind: visible keyboard focus, respect for reduced-motion settings, and clear, predictable navigation.
pokies-au.org is not affiliated with the AFL, NRL, Cricket Australia, Football Australia, Netball Australia, or any other sporting body, club, or league referenced on this site. Team, league, and event names are used solely for informational purposes.
If you spot an outdated figure — participation data is updated periodically by national sporting bodies — let us know and we'll review the section.
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