Canada prepares for its 1st World Cup in 36 years
Dylan Edwards-Boulding
The Australian Football League (AFL) is preparing to stage its first-ever World Cup finals series in 36 years as reigning premiers Hawthorn AFL team and Hawthorn FC seek to secure their first premiership since 1965.
The Australian Football League (AFL) is preparing to stage its first-ever World Cup finals series in 36 years as reigning premiers Hawthorn AFL team and Hawthorn FC seek to secure their first premiership since 1965.
The two clubs will compete in a preliminary qualifying final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), where they will be joined by an invited team from the other eight AFL city states.
The preliminary qualifying final will be played in November and will determine which city from the eight AFL city states – which are New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, United States, Fiji, Thailand, Nigeria and Guam – will join the competition as full participants.
The AFL has announced a preliminary qualifying final will be staged at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), where it will be jointly contested by Hawthorn AFL team and Hawthorn FC, and an invited team from the other eight AFL city states.
The preliminary qualifying final will be played in November before the eight city states will join the competition as full participants.
The AFL is planning to stage the qualifying final at the MCG, where Hawthorn and Hawthorn FC will compete in either a double or a triple-header.
“The AFL has identified the Melbourne Cricket Ground as a venue that is capable of playing four matches, as well as three or four days of matches leading to the first finals game,” AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou said.
“I am sure we will be able to play an expanded finals series for Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth and play finals games in Victoria and South Australia.”
Demetriou also said the AFL has identified the MCG as a venue that can host up to 100