The AFL India 2026 National Championships are being held in Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand state from 23 – 25 January – and you have a chance to get involved.
The 2026 Championships will feature teams from 11 states across India, from Tamil Nadu in the south to Uttar Pradesh in the north, Maharashtra to the west, and Jharkhand in the east. In 2025 the Championships also included the first ever women’s zonal championship.
The Odisha Swans women’s team do their pre-game drills during the 2025 women’s zonal championship.
A once-in-a-lifetime experience has been put together for Australian volunteers to travel to India to support the championships, while enjoying an amazing cultural experience [see attached flyer].
Ranchi has become a hotspot for AFL development in India, with the Jharkhand Crows winning the last two national titles. Five districts in and around Ranchi play footy, which has created a tight-knit community and driven the state’s success.
The 2025 National Championships – the 10th held in India – featured a record number of teams, players and matches and wide media coverage including live streaming on AFL India’s YouTube channel, SPortVot and Centurion University’s YouTube page.
