All-time club membership record broken again

THIS year has been one for the record books with the AFL today announcing an all-time club membership record of 1,363,437 members, with one in 20 Australians a member of an AFL Club.

The all-time record set last year has been surpassed with a 3.26% increase, including over 240,000 new members to clubs.

Fourteen clubs broke their all-time membership record – Adelaide, Brisbane, Collingwood, Fremantle, Geelong, Gold Coast SUNS, GWS GIANTS, Hawthorn, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide, St Kilda, Sydney, West Coast and Western Bulldogs.

2025 also sees an AFLW membership record, with 79,309 members an increase of 15% year-on-year already with memberships on sale until the end of the 2025 NAB AFLW home and away season.

There were club members of all ages with members over 100 years of age to the youngest at less than one week old.  

AFL CEO Andrew Dillon thanked fans for their support and passion for the game.

"We have the greatest fans in the world, supporting the game week in and week out and backing their clubs by becoming members in records numbers," Dillon said.

"One in 20 Australians are a member of an AFL Club. The 18 clubs do an amazing job of driving the passion and commitment of all our fans, reflected with 14 clubs breaking their all-time membership record.

"From the AFL and the clubs, I thank all club members and the seven million plus fans who attended a game this season – the loyalty shown makes our game great.

"It’s shaping up to be a great month ahead with the Toyota AFL Finals, the NAB AFLW season underway and grassroots and community footy finals on across the country."

Three clubs once again surpassed 100,000 members – Collingwood, Carlton and West Coast – Carlton for the second time, Collingwood for the third year and West Coast for the sixth consecutive year.

Collingwood FC hit an all-time VFL/AFL Club Member record with the highest ever individual club membership tally of 112,491.

Reigning Premiers Brisbane Lions recorded a 18.7% increase in membership with Port Adelaide, North Melbourne and Gold Coast SUNS also recording growth of 10% or more in their membership base.

Furthermore, six clubs welcomed over 15,000 new members in 2025 – Brisbane, Adelaide, Geelong, Collingwood, Sydney and Port Adelaide.

The 2025 Toyota Premiership Home and Away season saw 7,652,682 fans attending matches this season, only the third time the AFL season has had over 7 million attendees.

Overall Membership Number = 1,363,437 (All-Time Record)