The Eastern Football Netball League (EFNL) and Outer East Football Netball (OEFN) have announced they are exploring a unified competition aimed at strengthening community football and netball across Melbourne’s east.
The announcement follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two organisations to investigate how a single competition structure could better support clubs, participants and volunteers across the region.
The proposal is being explored with a target 2028 launch in mind.
AFL Victoria has welcomed the collaborative approach and reflects a shared commitment to building strong, sustainable and inclusive community sporting environments.
Head of AFL Victoria, Greg Madigan, said the proposal demonstrated strong leadership from both leagues.
“Community football and netball are strongest when organisations work together with the future in mind.
“The willingness of the EFNL and OEFN to explore new opportunities reflects a shared commitment to ensuring clubs, participants and volunteers continue to thrive for generations to come.”
A unified competition has the potential to deliver a range of benefits for community sport across the region, including stronger participation pathways, greater opportunities for women and girls, improved support for clubs and a stronger collective voice when advocating for infrastructure investment and facility upgrades.
The model could also help align resources and development opportunities across football, netball and umpiring, while supporting participation growth at all levels.
Madigan said any future model must continue to place clubs and communities at its centre.
“Most importantly, this process is focused on creating more opportunities across football, netball and umpiring while protecting the local club identities and community connections that make our game so special.”
The leagues have committed to ongoing consultation with clubs and stakeholders as discussions continue, with AFL Victoria supporting the process and the long-term growth of community football and netball in the region.