Australian Football League Discusses Possibility Of Staging League Fixture In Dubai

Leading administrators in Australian rules football "are expected to meet next week to discuss the possibility of extending their domestic season, which could increase the prospect of staging a competitive fixture in Dubai," according to Paul Radley of THE NATIONAL. Australian Football League side Collingwood, the club with the biggest supporter base in the sport, hopes to return to the UAE "to play a match, possibly as soon as next season." Club President Eddie McGuire "has raised the idea of returning to Dubai to play a regular-season fixture as a way of showcasing both the sport and his club to an international audience." He acknowledges the proposal is "in its infancy" at present, not least because of the upheaval it would cause the AFL calendar. However, he insisted that "it is feasible." McGuire, "There is very much an appetite to take the game internationally" (THE NATIONAL, 5/8).