THE AFL has today officially launched the Cultural Heritage Series ahead of Round 2 of the 2026 Toyota AFL Premiership Season, announcing four Cultural Diversity Ambassadors who will help celebrate the diverse communities that shape Australian football.

Collingwood premiership defender Isaac Quaynor, AFLW trailblazer Akec Makur Chuot, Essendon young gun Jayden Nguyen and Western Bulldogs AFLW player Mua Laloifi have been appointed as Cultural Diversity Ambassadors for 2026, sharing their stories and connecting with communities across the season.

Delivered in partnership with all 18 clubs, the Cultural Heritage Series recognises the diverse cultural heritage of fans, players, participants and communities across the game.

It is expected that the Series will drive more than 10,000 first-time attendees to the 2026 Toyota AFL Premiership Season as the Cultural Heritage Series expands into a league-wide initiative.

With a focus on making the game more accessible for fans, the AFL in partnership with Fox Footy, on Kayo Sports, will deliver alternate Hindi and Mandarin commentary and graphics on two matches within the Series.

Hindi-speaking fans can enjoy West Coat Eagle’s clash between Sydney in Round Four, whilst an alternate feed will be produced for Mandarin-speaking audiences when Hawthorn take on Port Adelaide in Round Six.

The Many Cultures, One Game theme will be embedded across 18 scheduled matches, and brought to life through matchday experiences, players storytelling, and community engagement both on and off the field

AFL Chief Operating Officer Tom Harley said the series highlights the AFL’s commitment to ensuring Australian football continues to reflect and connect with communities across the country.

“At the AFL, our vision is clear - we want everyone to love and connect with our game,” said Harley.

“The Cultural Heritage Series recognises the many cultures that shape our players, our clubs and our fans, reinforcing the league’s commitment to ensuring Australian football continues to evolve alongside the communities around it.

“This Series is part of a broader long-term investment to ensure the game continues to grow alongside Australia’s communities, so that everyone can see themselves in football, whether that’s as players, fans, coaches or administrators within the industry.

“We’re expecting more than 10,000 first-time attendees at games throughout the Series this season, many of whom will be experiencing AFL for the first time. When people feel connected to football, they come back, they bring others and they become part of the game’s future.”

Collingwood’s Isaac Quaynor said he was proud to help represent multicultural communities through the ambassador program.

“This is a role I’ve been passionate about since I first entered the AFL,” Quaynor said.

“Growing up in Melbourne with Ghanaian heritage, I’ve always been proud of both sides of my culture and the role footy can play in bringing communities together.

“I have looked up to the players who paved the way before me, and it’s special to now help carry that forward and connect with the next generation.”

AFL Head of Cultural Diversity Engagement and Growth Belle Lim said: “The Cultural Heritage Series is a meaningful initiative to many people, especially among our culturally diverse AFL players, fans, participants and employees.

“To bring this Series to life, we collaborated with all AFL Clubs and AFL State Bodies across Australia to engage their local communities to shape the matchday activations and storytelling.

“We are pleased to work with Isaac, Akec, Jayden and Mua as AFL Cultural Diversity Ambassadors this year to co-design the Series with us. They are impressive individuals on and off the field who have taken on this role with pride and conviction.”

The Cultural Heritage Series forms part of the AFL’s broader Cultural Diversity Strategy, focused on growing the game by connecting with Australia’s diverse communities.

The strategy brings together initiatives from Game Development to the elite level, including the Cultural Heritage Series, Cultural Diversity Ambassadors, diverse community participation programs and pathways to increase multicultural representation across the game.

Since 2025, the AFL’s Community Connect and School Connect initiatives have engaged more than 6,000 participants from culturally diverse backgrounds across 21 local government areas nationwide, introducing Australian Football as a platform for connection, wellbeing and inclusion.

These programs sit alongside the talent pathway and the Next Generation Academies, expanded multicultural storytelling and new broadcast initiatives aimed at reaching more diverse audiences and strengthening the future of the game.

The AFL's new Cultural Diversity Plan - Many Cultures One Game, can be viewed here

To find out more about the 2026 Cultural Heritage Series and Cultural Diversity Ambassadors, visit: https://www.afl.com.au/Cultural-Heritage-Series