The Mandarin-speaking website - www.51afl.com (translates to 'I want AFL') - has already attracted more than 12,000 visitors in its first two weeks, with more than 10,000 visitors from mainland China.
The website will be used to help promote the Kaspersky Cup - AFL Shanghai Showdown between the Lions and Melbourne at Jiangwan Stadium on Sunday 17 October.
Up to 10,000 people are expected to attend the match which coincides with the World Expo.
The website features promotion of the Lions-Melbourne clash, information on the rules, general news content and a section that focuses on information about Australia. It also promotes human interest stories written by local people who have experienced the game, and encourages viewers to comment and ask questions.
The AFL has engaged Shanghai-based social media company Mailman to develop the site which is believed to be a first for sport in Australia.
Mailman CEO Andrew Collins said it would use Chinese social network sites to help drive visitors to www.51afl.com and generate interest in Australian football in the lead-up to October.
"We create content, put it on the website and then we feed the content through social websites in China. Instead of pushing the game at them, we are creating conversations to connect with our audience,” he said.
The AFL has already launched a development program in schools in Shanghai to teach children the basic skills of the game and is in talks with the Shanghai Media Group about a live broadcast of the Kaspersky Cup in China.
More than 2,500 international students attended the Melbourne-Brisbane Lions match at the MCG back in April which was also broadcast live in Mandarin on local Chinese radio station 3CW.
The Lions will face the Demons again on Saturday night 31 July at the Gabba in what promises to be another exciting preview ahead of October's Shanghai Showdown.
Please click here to find out more about the Lions' Shanghai Showdown China Tour travel packages.
