THE AFL has confirmed the dates and location for the 2024 Transatlantic Cup, the first of three regional championships to be played next year as part of the refreshed AFL-sanctioned international program.
Humber College in Toronto, Canada will host the Transatlantic Cup from August 2-11 in 2024. Invited nations include host country Canada, Colombia, USA and all affiliated AFL Europe countries, with the final list of participating countries to be confirmed.
The 2024 Transatlantic Cup will be the first AFL-sanctioned international championships since 2017 and will comprise open male and female divisions.
Around 400 players are expected to participate in the 10-day event, to be played in a round-robin format, culminating in Grand Finals on Sunday, August 11.
Players are picked based on performances in domestic competitions. Each team will manage their own selection processes, with AFL-mandated criteria being that each player must be a citizen of the country they are representing.
AFL Head of Participation and International, James Ceely, said: "As the first international championships event sanctioned by the AFL since 2017, the 2024 Transatlantic Cup is expected to generate a lot of colour and excitement from the teams participating from North and South America, as well as numerous teams making the trek from Europe.
"We're really excited to see the return of international competition and expect some fiercely contested match-ups in what will be a celebration of Australian rules football internationally.
"Colonel Samuel Smith Park at Humber College in Toronto is bound to be a fantastic venue – a purpose-build Australian rules football field with surrounding parklands that will make it feel like a true community football experience - and one we’re sure the players and spectators will enjoy.
"Toronto is a major international city with a lot to offer all involved and we're thrilled to work in partnership with AFL Canada to deliver the event."
The AFL International Cup was first staged in 2002 and held every three years through to 2017. The 2020 event was cancelled because of the pandemic and last year the AFL announced that the 2023 edition would not be held as the game continued its recovery from two years of disruption. The focus shifted to the best and most appropriate way to get international competition going again in 2024.
Earlier this year, the AFL announced plans for three international regional championships to be played next year as part of a refreshed international program. The other two events - the Pacific Cup and the Asia Cup – will both be held in November with further details to be announced once confirmed.
