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Health & Wellbeing

Care for our community

AFL is Australia’s Game. We are passionate about ensuring everyone in our game plays safe, happy and healthy. On this page, you will find essential health and safety information for players and parents. Head to ClubHelp for further information for club officials and sports trainers.

Play Safe - General Health

Our commitment to our players, coaches, umpires and volunteers is to create the safest possible environment for people to train and play. The priority is, and always will be, the short and long-term welfare of every player who participates in our great game at any level.

Concussion

Struggling to understand concussion? Don’t know how to spot one – or what to do next? And how about recovery? Whether you're a club, player or parent; our Concussion Hub has you covered.
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Injury Prevention

Injury prevention is a crucial part of every player’s journey. Many common injuries can be avoided, or the severity reduced, by adopting smart training habits and protective strategies.
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Injury Management

The AFL expects that Australian Football, at all levels, is played in a safe environment. To assist in the prevention of, and prompt attention to, injuries in Australian Football, it is important that adequate and timely first aid is delivered. AFL First Aid Providers play a key role in player preparation and safety at all levels.
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Women's Health

Women’s footy offers a range of physical & mental health benefits. However, some health considerations unique to women can affect performance and wellbeing. With the right education, support, and medical care, these challenges can be effectively managed.
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Environment & Weather

Environmental conditions can impact the safe conduct of footy. In cases of extreme weather, matches or training may be postponed, cancelled, or other measures implemented to protect the wellbeing of players and officials. Safety always comes first.
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Anti-Doping & Nutrition

Players and officials should understand the risks of performance-enhancing substances. Good nutrition is a safer, more effective way to support performance, recovery, and long-term health – without compromising integrity or wellbeing.
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Play Well - Mental Health

Our commitment to mental health and wellbeing is for every participant’s mental fitness to be protected and promoted through footy. Staying mentally fit requires knowledge and skills to protect and promote wellbeing. Mental fitness helps us cope with stress, navigate challenges and stay connected to what matters to us, on and off the field.

Mental Fitness

Mental fitness is a skill that can be strengthened, just like physical fitness, and helps us perform, connect and thrive on and off the field.
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Mental Health Programs

Football clubs can play an important role in promoting and supporting the mental health and wellbeing of their members and communities.
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First Nations Wellbeing

Social, Emotional and Cultural Wellbeing (SECWB) is the foundation of physical and mental health for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
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Finding Help

Managing your mental health is important at all stages of the mental health continuum.
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Play Fair - Safety & Inclusion

There is no place for antisocial behaviour, racism or vilification in the sport of AFL. Together with our local clubs and volunteers, we are committed to ensuring that we immediately eradicate any behaviour that goes against this commitment. The AFL is committed to creating a safe, fun and friendly environment for all our participants.

Child Safeguarding

All children and young people who participate in footy have the right to be safe, feel safe and play safe.
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Cultural Diversity

To achieve our vision, we aspire to meaningfully connect with increasingly multicultural communities across Australia.
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Pride

The AFL is committed to embracing diversity and ensuring the sport is welcoming and safe for everyone who wants to participate, including people within the LGBTQI+ community.
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First Nations

To achieve our vision, we aspire to continue to showcase the contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people within Australian Rules Football and to connect with Indigenous communities across Australia.
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Inclusion

The AFL is committed to making our great game accessible and open to everyone, establishing clear pathways for players with disability to develop and compete – from grassroots to elite
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Vilification & Discrimination

The AFL has zero tolerance for racism and other forms of vilification - it’s not hard, it’s out of bounds. Australian Rules Football is for everyone, no matter who you are, where you’re from, or how you identify. Inclusion isn’t optional. It’s who we are, both on and off the field.
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