Victorian Football League

The Victorian Football League (VFL), established in 1897, was a top-tier Australian rules football competition in Victoria, Australia. It unified several regional teams into a professional league, becoming the premier competition for the sport in the region. The VFL featured intense rivalries, a passionate fan base, and played a key role in popularizing Australian rules football. In 1990, it expanded beyond Victoria and rebranded as the Australian Football League (AFL), which is now the national professional league overseeing the sport across Australia. The VFL's legacy endures as a foundational or secondary competition linked to the AFL system.