Kickstart your career at the AFL and make an impact felt by millions. From day one, you’ll work on real projects, build future-ready skills, and help shape the game, our fans and our communities. No footy knowledge required.

The AFL Grad Program

The AFL is an extraordinary force in Australia’s sporting, social and cultural landscape. Our game touches the hearts and souls of communities across the country and forges strong connections from the grass roots to the elite. 

Our people are passionate, united by a common purpose to progress the game so everyone can share in its heritage and possibilities and are guided by our vision for everyone to love and connect with our game.

As a values-based, ambitious organisation, we focus on creating an inclusive environment where all our team can thrive. Our values play a pivotal role in bringing to life a culture that cultivates curiosity, innovation, and high performance.

The AFL is committed to developing talent to be the future leaders of our industry, and the AFL Grad Program is a key part of this mission. Following three highly successful consecutive years of running our program, we’re proud to be listed as a Seek-Grad Top 100 Employer and are thrilled to welcome a fourth cohort in 2027!

The opportunity

Based at AFL House in Melbourne, you’ll join an energetic and collaborative environment that promises to give you the very best grad experience and allows you to contribute to the success of this iconic organisation.

The AFL Grad Program is designed to fast-track your development through hands-on experience, structured learning, and industry-wide exposure. You don’t need to understand the rules of the game to join the AFL Grad Program. You do however need to be able to work well in a team environment, have a passion for learning, a deep motivation to pursue excellence, and an aspiration for professional growth. 

With the AFL Grad Program set to commence in late January 2027, we want to ensure your development will be catapulted in a purpose driven way. So, in the application process we will ask for your preferences in areas of work, so we can appropriately place successful candidates.  

We welcome a range of applicants from diverse educational backgrounds to the AFL Grad Program – it might be law, arts, engineering, marketing and communications, sports management, finance, commerce, data, technology, AI, HR, health and wellbeing – the list goes on.  

Our grad roles are gamechangers, on and off the field – so join the team shaping the future!

What you can expect

Through a structured and supportive induction and development program, you’ll experience all the AFL has to offer, including: 

• A supportive community of like-minded future leaders 
• Insights from our AFL Grad Program Alumni 
• Industry immersions and access to uniquely AFL experiences 
• Access to on-the-job training, coaching, mentoring, and dedicated learning and development opportunities 
• Flexible and hybrid working opportunities – including collaborative office connect days 
• Access to Play Well, the AFL’s health and wellbeing program to help you thrive in and out of work 
• A range of benefits, perks exclusive opportunities through our AFL corporate partners and friends 
• Flex cultural leave to support our team members to participate in culturally specific activities 

More on our Grad Program and to hear from some of our Alumni click here. 

Why you’ll love being on our team

The AFL offers a unique opportunity for grads of this program to build close working relationships, develop valuable skills and experiences and build an exciting career pathway in a speciality area of study/ interest.  

You’ll develop a deep understanding into the administration of Australia’s game and witness first-hand the excitement and dedication that goes into supporting football pathways, filling stadiums with fans of sport, music and entertainment, broadcasting our game and ensuring everyone can see themselves in it!   

This program will see you working on meaningful projects, from ideation to deployment in a truly supportive environment where your team and leaders will provide continuous guidance throughout this year-long journey.  

Ready to play on?

To apply, you’ll need to:

• Be a 2025 university grad or soon to be 2026 grad
• Be ready to commence full time in Melbourne in early 2027
• Hold a bachelor’s degree (or greater) and have a minimum of a credit average (should you progress through our recruitment process you will be asked to supply your transcript) 
• Have Australian or New Zealand Citizenship, Australian permanent residency (at the time of application), or hold valid unrestricted working rights until at least 2028
• Be available to attend an in-person assessment day in Melbourne in late August 2026 
• Have balanced your studies with previous work experience in the capacities of; part time, casual, volunteer roles and/ or internship programs 
• Identify as being of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent  
• Include a written cover letter that tells us a bit more about you, including your cultural background (your letter can include an optional short character reference – max 500 words e.g. lecturer, employer, coach, community Elder).

First Nations Grad Program Pathway

Our game brings people together, and we want our workplace to do the same. We are committed to building a culture of belonging and an environment where people feel respected and included, and where diversity of background, experience and perspective makes us stronger.

We’re proud of the role our game plays in connecting and celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities. The AFL has a deep commitment to developing career pathways for First Nations peoples as part of our First Nations Employment & Engagement Strategy. This First Nations Grad pathway provides a culturally supported entry point to the AFL Grad Program. Throughout the application process, eligible applicants will receive guidance and support from the AFL’s First Nations Team. 

If successful, First Nations grads will then receive ongoing support and professional learning and development through the AFL’s First Nations Employee Network.  

The AFL is committed to promoting and protecting the safety and wellbeing of children and young people in our care. Please note, we undertake several screening processes to ensure this commitment is upheld, this includes ensuring the successful candidate to this position holds a valid employee Working with Children/ Vulnerable People check and a satisfactory criminal history record check.

 APPLICATIONS CLOSE SUNDAY 28 JUNE 2026.