CANADA
THE CANADIAN Australian Football Association was established over 20 years ago, starting with two teams then known as the Mississauga Widows and the Toronto Panthers.

AFL football really began to kick off in Canada following an exhibition match between Melbourne and Geelong in 1989.

Canada now has one of the largest organised leagues outside of Australia with over 900 men and women who play the game across the nation.

Canada's national team Northwind play as many as four games annually in Canada and are expected to be in great form at the IC11, after finishing sixth in 2008.

Brett Kirk says: "I was really impressed by the competition in Canada. I took the Canadian team for training once. With bigger countries, it's really difficult to get all of the players together so that's one thing that will hold them back."

Canada Northwind Team List

CHINA
In 1908, Wally Koochew, whose father was Chinese, played four games for Carlton in the Victorian Football League. Koochew was most likely the first player of Chinese descent to make it to the big time.

More recently, the AFL, the City of Melbourne and Melbourne Football Club have worked together to bring the game to China. An exhibition match was held between Melbourne and Brisbane in 2010.

China's national squad the Red Demons will compete in their second International Cup. The team made its debut in 2008, finishing fifteenth on the ladder.

Brett Kirk says:  "Who knows off the back of the Shanghai exhibition game that some more athletes in China want to get involved in Aussie rules. Seeing what a player like Yao Ming can do in NBA, not only for his basketball prowess, but what it can actually do for the country and the sport."

China Red Demons Team List

DENMARK
AFL football first evolved in Denmark in 1989 in the capital Copenhagen, starting with a kick-to-kick in a local park which was initiated by an advertisement in a local paper.

Things have grown rapidly since and now there are six teams in the Premier League, with more than 300 seniors and 100 juniors who play across the nation.

Denmark will be represented for the third time by the Vikings. The team has participated in previous International Cups in 2002 and 2008, finishing tenth during their last visit.

The team played in the 2010 European Championship final, losing to favourites Ireland by only three goals.

Brett Kirk says: "The advantage the Danish team has is a bulk of their players come from the one footy club. I see them improving on their last result."

Denmark Vikings Team List

FIJI
AFL Fiji began recruiting and training for the International Cup in January. Around 80 players were strong contenders to make the team but the squad was eventually cut to 33.

The Fiji Tribe will make their debut at senior level, with a squad dominated by youth. The team has an average age of just 20 years.

Brett Kirk says:  "You've just got to look at a player like Nic Naitanui who has come out of the area and has a freakish talent. They'll be exciting to watch."

Fiji Tribe Team List

FRANCE
France will make its international debut in the International Cup in 2011, but 'Les Coqs' have been active since 2004 when they first played in the EU Cup. The first French team was established in 1995 close to Le Havre in Normandy with the first match played in Normandy in 2000.

In 2008 the first French Cup was played in Paris and there currently are seven teams playing across two leagues.

One of first the Australian football matches played outside Australia was in France in 1916 during World War I at the Somme. A feature in the French football calendar is the annual Anzac Cup played between French and Australian ex-pat teams in Villers-Bretonneux.

Brett Kirk says:  "France are an unknown quantity. I did see a few of their players, one guy in particular who is one of the best European players going around."

France Coqs Team List

GREAT BRITAIN
AFL Britain is fast developing with footy being played in all corners of England, Wales and Scotland. Some regional cities can boast clubs that have been around for five to 10 years.

Primary to the game's growth in Britain has been the creation of AFL London which eventually developed thanks to travelling Aussies with Sherrins in their backpacks.

The national squad, the Bulldogs, is aiming to challenge for a spot in the top eight at the International Cup after finishing ninth in the last tournament.

Brett Kirk says: "I saw Great Britain play Ireland and they've got some big lads. They might not have as much speed and agility as some of the Pacific teams which might catch them out a bit."

Great Britain Bulldogs Team List

INDIA
Australian football is a relatively new sport on the subcontinent, with training sessions beginning in 2008 in Kolkata with a squad of players of kabaddi, soccer and rugby backgrounds.

The best players were selected to play in the International Cup in 2008. The team nicknamed the Tigers, finished sixteenth.

Brett Kirk says: "India are relatively young with the growth of footy but they're just a nation that loves sport so the possibilities are endless."

India Tigers Team List

IRELAND
Australian football truly arrived in Ireland during late 1999, when two clubs were formed in Dublin and Belfast.

Eleven years on and the national team, nicknamed the Warriors, will compete in its fourth International Cup. The team will be hoping to improve on their fourth place performances in 2008 and 2005.

The 2011 Warriors squad is half based in Ireland and half in Australia with eight players coming from Sydney's UTS Bats.

The squad will include 2008 tournament best and fairest Mick Finn, as well as Joe Cunnane and David Stynes (younger brother of Melbourne FC President, Jim) who will be hoping to secure their second cup win having been part of the 2002 International Cup winning team.

Brett Kirk says: "I caught a game when I was with the AIS team and they looked pretty good. I know some of the Irish players have been playing in Australia in competitions so they'll be the ones to really push the Pacific teams I think."

Ireland Warriors Team List

JAPAN
For over two decades university students have been pioneering the passion for AFL football in Japan. The AFL code inspired the nation when an exhibition match between Hawthorn and Carlton played in Yokohama in 1986.

Japan's national team, nicknamed the Samurais, hasn't missed an International Cup.

The Samurais will be captained by Michito Sakaki who has previously trained with Essendon Football Club. The team is aiming to be a top four side, after they proved competitive in 2008 finishing eighth.

Brett Kirk says: "Unfortunately I didn't get to Japan. They're relatively young in terms of playing footy but I'm looking forward to meeting the guys."

Japan Samurais Team List

NAURU
Nauru is proud of the fact that it can claim to be the only country outside of Australia where the No.1 sport is Australian football.

Although there is virtually no recorded history of Australian football in Nauru, common consensus suggests that the game was first played in the 1930s by Nauruans who had been to school in Victoria.

Nauru made their International Cup debut in 2002 and returned in 2008 in ripper form. Despite an opening round loss to eventual winners PNG, the Chiefs didn't lose another game, finishing fifth overall.

This time around the Chiefs will be looking to break into the semi finals at Bendigo. We'll also get our first look at senior level of GWS Giants scholarship player Yoshi Harris.

Brett Kirk says: "I didn't get to Nauru but I know all areas of the Pacific have really been growing."

Nauru Chiefs Team List

NEW ZEALAND
It may come as a surprise but New Zealanders have been playing Australian football for just as long as Aussies, dating back to 1890's when former VFA and VFL players headed across the Tasman in search of work. Football clubs suffered during the World Wars and were only reformed in 1975.

New Zealand now boasts national under-16 and under-18 squads.

After winning the International Cup in 2005 and being the runner up in 2008 to PNG, the New Zealand team will be looking to regain the title.

Brett Kirk says: "Out of all of the countries that I went to they were probably the most talented group I was able to coach. I just love the spirit and heart of how Kiwis play sport."

New Zealand Hawks Team List

PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Papua New Guinea is Australia's closest neighbour and has a 40-year history in our game, producing Brisbane Lions' Premiership fullback player Mal Michael.

Recent steps have seen the formation of an AFL Academy in the capital Port Moresby and PNG's best players now fast tracked through the Queensland junior system.

The Mosquitoes will be looking to go back-to-back, after claiming victory at the International Cup in 2008.

The three-time finalists will field a youthful squad this tournament from across PNG and will be coached by David Lake. Ten players are under 19 with two 16 year-old boys from the AFL academy will put their elite training to the test.

Brett Kirk says: "Off the back of winning the tournament three years ago, the Pacifics continue to grow and I expect PNG to probably make the finals again."

PNG Mosquitoes Team List

PEACE TEAM
For the first time ever, The AFL Peace Team, a mixed Israeli-Palestinian side, took part in the International Cup in 2008, with the support of Jewish and Muslim communities. It was a historic union that made world headlines.

The Peace Team finished thirteenth and was coached by Hawthorn's legendary Robert "Dipper" DiPierdomenico.

They are back in 2011, with a mix of new players to the squad supported by some International Cup 'veterans'.

Brett Kirk says: "I just think this is what footy is all about."

Peace Team List

SOUTH AFRICA
Australian football was first played in South Africa back in 1899, when Australian Army troops were stationed in the country as part of their involvement in the Boer War.

These days there are over 15,000 participants playing footy in South Africa which makes the nation host to the world's third biggest AFL community outside of Australia and Papua New Guinea.

The national team, the South African Lions, haven't missed an International Cup, finishing third in the 2008 tournament.

Captained by former GWS Scholarship player Bayanda Sobwetwa, the 2011 squad are set to be a strong contender to take home the cup.

Brett Kirk says: "I'd expect them to be really pushing up into the finals this year. They've put a lot of work into their kids so I think they may be a bit of a dark horse of the competition."

South Africa Lions Team List

SWEDEN
The history of Australian football in Sweden began in 1993, when Ingmar 'Terry' Lundquist who grew up in Melbourne started the country's first club called the Helsingborg Saints.

Over a decade later and a national side made up of representatives from the nine clubs in Sweden went on to win EU Cup in Hamburg in 2007.

The Swedish Elks made their International Cup debut in 2008, finishing twelfth.

Brett Kirk says: "It's hard to gauge the Swedish team because I only saw competitions where there were expats involved but I was impressed by the standard and I think they'll continue to improve."

Sweden Elks Team List

TIMOR-LESTE
In 2007 the first Australian football match was played in Timor-Leste between the Australian Army and UN police, involving two Timorese players.

Within four years six teams were established in Dili and a national team, dubbed the Crocs, were formed in 2008.

The Crocs play in Bali twice a year and have toured Darwin.

This year will mark their International Cup debut.

Brett Kirk says: "It will be a great introduction for Timor Leste competing for the first time to see where they're at."

Timor-Leste Crocodiles Team List

TONGA
In 2008 Tonga attended the Cup but competed in the multicultural draw not the main international competition.

The side will be the first look at senior level of several of the young guns from their emerging youth teams and the average age is about 22.

Brett Kirk says: "If you look at Israel Folau coming out of Tonga, he's the type of athlete they produce. If you get some footys in kids' hands at an early age who knows how far they can go."

Tonga Tigers Team List

USA
Various cities in the USA have established Australian social organisations, and it was these clubs that provided the catalyst for the birth of Australian football in the US.

USAFL has now expanded to over 37 cities, with over 2300 games played since 1996.

The first American national team was introduced in 1999, with the Revolution playing its inaugural international match with Canada in Chicago, where, under the expert tutelage of AFL legend Paul Roos, it scored a memorable victory.

The 'Revos' haven't missed an International Cup. In 2008 they finished seventh and they will no doubt be aiming to be a top side at the IC11. Matthew Bishop is coaching the side.

Brett Kirk says: "The USA competition is run very professionally, there are 32 states in America playing footy now. So footy is in a lot of places and there are some real athletes. The US will be an outside chance."

USA Revolution Team List