South Australian National Football League
The South Australian National Football League (SANFL) is an Australian rules football league based in the Australian state of South Australia. It is also the governing body for the sport of Australian rules football in South Australia.
Originally formed as the South Australian Football Association on 30 April 1877, the SANFL is the oldest surviving football league of any code in Australia and one of the oldest football competitions in the world, forming just a few years after the United Hospitals Challenge Cup (1874), the oldest rugby football competition, and over a decade before The Football League (soccer).
Consisting of a single division competition, the season is a 23 week "home-and-away" (regular) season from April to September. The top five teams play off in a final series culminating in the grand final for the Thomas Seymour Hill Premiership Trophy. The grand final is held at Football Park in October, generally the week after the AFL Grand Final.
The league also owns the sub-licences for South Australia's two AFL clubs - Adelaide Football Club and Port Adelaide Football Club. It is also responsible for the management of all levels of football in the state. This includes junior football, country football, amateur football and specific programs rolled out across schools, indigenous communities (including the APY Lands in the state's north) and newly-arrived migrant communities.
The SANFL owns the 51,240 seat Football Park, the largest stadium in South Australia. While the stadium is primarily used for Australian Football League matches, it is also used for SANFL games. The SANFL is the second highest attended Australian rules football league behind the AFL.
Read more about South Australian National Football League: Current Clubs, Former Clubs, Jumpers, League Administration, SANFL Ladder, Audience, Interteam Wins
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