What does footy mean in Australia?
In Australia, footy means football, but the code depends on where you live. In Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania it usually means Australian rules football, while in NSW and Queensland it often means rugby league.
Australians follow several football codes: Australian rules (AFL), rugby league (NRL), rugby union and soccer. The word footy is used for whichever code is most popular locally.
The dividing line between AFL and rugby league regions is sometimes called the Barassi Line, after AFL legend Ron Barassi. It runs roughly through southern New South Wales.
Footy culture
Footy is central to winter weekends in Australia. Fans follow local clubs, play in amateur leagues and gather for grand finals, often with barbecues and meat pies.
Children play junior footy from a young age, through school teams and Auskick programs for Australian rules, or junior rugby league clubs in the north.
Big matches attract huge crowds, and grand finals and State of Origin games are among the most watched television events of the year. Footy tipping competitions, where friends and workmates predict match results, are a popular pastime. Many Australians also kick a footy in parks and backyards all year round.
Did You Know?
Victoria has a public holiday on the Friday before the AFL Grand Final, which is usually played at the MCG on the last Saturday of September.