The inaugural 2024 Toyota AFL Open will begin in Queensland next week as the AFL’s new national flagship event for elite footballers with intellectual disabilities and wheelchair players officially begins its new era.

Between Friday, November 22 and Tuesday, November 26, more than 300 players, coaches and support staff representing 17 teams in every state and territory will travel to the South Pine Sports Complex in Brisbane, ready to compete for the coveted national titles In :

• Toyota AFL Open 2024 – Wheelchair
• Toyota AFL Open 2024 – Inclusion

The Toyota AFL Open marks the first time these championships have been staged simultaneously in a major tournament, with 90 matches scheduled over five days.

Before the first day’s action, three-time Lions player Jonathan Brown will be a special guest at the event’s official welcome dinner on Thursday evening, with tunes provided by DJ Cooper Smith – an 18-year-old recording artist with cerebral palsy who recently performed at the Olympic and Paralympic Welcome Celebrations in Melbourne as well as Beyond The Valley (2023), Ability Fest (2023) and the Australian Open (2024).

Nine mixed teams will use the indoor courts to compete for the 2024 Toyota AFL Open – wheelchair crown, including reigning national champions Vic Metro, Vic Country, South Australia, Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales/ACT, Northern Territory, Tasmania and Return. and Services League (RSL).

On the grassy oval outside, eight men’s teams will compete for the 2024 Toyota AFL Open – Inclusion title, including last year’s winner Tasmania, Vic Country, Vic Metro, South Australia , Western Australia, Queensland, Northern Territory and New South Wales. /ACT.

In the wheelchair and inclusion divisions, the first two days of competition will consist of blitzkrieg rounds that will determine who advances to the division matches, culminating with the grand final on Tuesday, November 26.

An AFL All-Stars wheelchair match will take place on the final day of the Toyota AFL Open featuring Brisbane AFL opener Will Ashcroft, Richmond AFLW captain Katie Brennan and Paralympic flag bearer Brenden Hall Australian from Paris, to name just a few! An exhibition match for the inclusion of women and girls will also take place on the final day between Victoria and Queensland in a Nines format.

Aimed to elevate and strengthen the overall event experience and increase visibility of the disabled pathway system from grassroots to elite level, the 2024 Toyota AFL Open is FREE for all fans and both last days can be viewed live and free via AFL Play YouTube Or Kayo Gifts.

AFL Queensland will also host three additional activations including:

• Friday November 22: AFL Queensland Schools of Excellence: NINES Challenge
• Saturday November 23: School sports carnival for secondary school students with intellectual disabilities
• Monday November 25: Toyota AFL open capacities released (DSA and AFL)

Rob Auld, AFL executive general manager of game development said anticipation was growing ahead of the inaugural 2024 Toyota AFL Open.

“Putting the 2024 Toyota AFL Open on our national calendar is a landmark moment for Australian football and we can’t wait for the action to begin next week in Queensland,” Auld said.

“It’s a priority for us that football is accessible and open to all and that we have pathways for disabled players to develop and compete – from NAB AFL Auskick all the way up to the elite and being able to represent your state on the national scene.

“This will be the third year in a row that each state and territory has fielded a mixed AFL wheelchair team, demonstrating the strength and depth of the competition. Also hosting an exhibition match for the inclusion of women and girls, we hope to increase participation in this space to ensure that we can create a women’s division over the coming years.

“I would like to thank Toyota for their support and invaluable contribution to the creation of the Toyota AFL Open 2024. The commitment Toyota has shown over the years to our disability and inclusion events and players is the reflection of their passion for our game and making it accessible to all.

“I would also like to thank the City of Moreton Bay, South Pine Sports Complex, Maple Community Services and our AFL Queensland team for their support and the role they played in hosting the inaugural event.

“Good luck to everyone involved, I can’t wait to see all the action!”

Vin Naidoo, Toyota Australia Marketing Director highlighted Toyota’s pride in championing the inclusion and representation of people with disabilities within the AFL.

“Toyota is excited to see the AFL Open come to life in the coming days, providing people with disabilities the opportunity to play Australia’s favorite game and making it more accessible to everyone,” Mr Naidoo said.

“The AFL has a distinct way of bringing communities together and welcoming them all, and Toyota will continue to support programs like the AFL Open to help drive the continued growth and improvement of the game for people with disabilities .

“On behalf of Toyota, I congratulate every player, staff member, volunteer and supporter on what will be an exceptional competition and I wish good luck to all participating teams.”

The 2024 Toyota AFL Open is also supported by the City of Moreton Bay, Maple Community Services, Disability Sports Australia (DSA) and the Australian Defense Force.

City of Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery said it was delighted to host the Toyota AFL Open and it underlines the City of Moreton Bay’s commitment to providing world-class accessible and inclusive facilities.

“I am thrilled to host this prestigious national event at the popular South Pine Sports Complex. I am proud that our commitment to accessibility and our investment in purpose-built sports facilities to meet diverse needs allows us to attract and host events like this. ” said Mayor Flannery.

“I’m excited to welcome players, support staff and fans to the town of Moreton Bay and invite everyone to enjoy the wide variety of experiences we have to offer.”

For all Toyota AFL Open team announcements, visit play.afl and follow the AFL state and territory social media accounts for all the latest updates.

About the AFL Open

Previously held as part of two events known as the Toyota AFL National Inclusion Carnival and Toyota Wheelchair AFL National Championships, the Toyota AFL Open 2024 aims to elevate and strengthen the competitions by combining the two into one major tournament.

The new national event and the creation of the AFL Open brand mark the start of a new era for disability inclusion, as the AFL works to increase participation and facilitate pathways for people with disabilities from the rank and file to the elite.

Embodying the spirit, passion and commitment of players, the AFL Open is open to all. Open to those who are hungry for competition, open to the young, the seasoned and the new. AFL Open is the new home for participation in disability inclusion.

In Australia there are over 17,000 disability inclusion participants across the NAB AFL Auskick, NAB AFL Superkick, AFL Nines, junior, youth and senior divisions.