Women expand Australia’s sport in London
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London-born Iona Williams is among a growing number of women playing Australian Rules Football, despite limited experience with the sport or travel to Australia.
Williams discovered the game through friends and now plays for the West London Wildcats, highlighting the welcoming and supportive environment within the league. Though women in Australia began playing professionally in 2017, the sport has gained international traction, with an estimated 75,000 women and girls participating outside of Australia.
The London Australian Football League has teams competing across two divisions, offering a community for Australians living in the city and a social outlet for all players. League organisers require teams in the Women’s Prem division to field at least four players who are not Australian, encouraging British participation and fostering new friendships. Beyond the sport itself, players enjoy social events like pub crawls and barbecues, embracing Australian culture and slang.
The league also serves as a pathway to professional play in Australia, as demonstrated by Kate Shierlaw, who played for Wimbledon Hawks before being recruited to North Melbourne. The AFL London women’s competition has expanded from four teams in 2015 to ten teams across two divisions, and the sport has seen approximately 35% growth in female participation internationally between 2023 and 2025, particularly in Papua New Guinea, South Africa, and Fiji.
