However, the League still plans to play a competition game in the Republic in the lead-up to the 2010 season.
AFL chief executive officer Andrew Demetriou said the impact of the global economic crisis had led to the AFL revising its timetable to play NAB Cup matches in developing overseas markets.
"Organisations everywhere are revising their plans due to the global economic crisis and we are not immune to what is happening in the broader community," Demetriou said
"In the current economic climate, we have not been able to generate the level of funding needed to stage the game. We are not prepared to take the financial risk in this climate.
"We will continue to invest in the game locally and we remain very strongly committed to on-going investment in the development of the game in South Africa which we believe has the potential to build a very large participation base during the next 10-20 years and perhaps within five years, be a new source of players for AFL clubs."
The Magpies were due to play the Eagles in the opening match of the 2009 NAB Cup at Sahara Park, Newlands in Cape Town in February next year.
Demetriou said the AFL would now take the match to South Africa 12 months later.
"The AFL and four of our clubs in the West Coast Eagles, Collingwood, Fremantle and Carlton have invested considerable development work into South Africa in recent years, in the first step to introduce people to our game," Demetriou said.
"The second stage of our development plans has been to take a full-scale match into South Africa, but we need to stage these games at a time when our current partners and potential new partners are able to join us."
Demetriou said the development work in South Africa, aimed at mass participation for children, and the initial talent identification of skilled junior athletes, would continue in 2009 to build on the current tally of more than 17,000 participants
The AIS-AFL Academy will also tour South Africa for the third successive year in April 2009.
The fixture between Collingwood and West Coast will now be re-scheduled at a date to be confirmed in early February.
