Western Bulldogs Highlight Indian-Australian Growth as Crucial to AFL Expansion

At the Australia-India Leaders Forum, Western Bulldogs chief executive Ameet Bains called on the AFL to rethink its multicultural outreach strategy, pointing to the rapidly expanding Indian-born population as a potential future cornerstone of the competition's growth.

Bains noted the swift demographic shift underway across major Australian cities, with India-born residents now representing one of the country's fastest-growing communities. He argued the AFL is well-placed to engage this group — particularly through culturally inclusive community events and outreach programmes — and suggested the league needs to act now rather than wait for the moment to pass.

The comments reflect a broader conversation across Australian sport: how codes traditionally associated with Anglo-Celtic Australia can authentically connect with the country's South and Southeast Asian diaspora. For Indian-Australians, the Western Bulldogs' public commitment offers an early signal that the AFL is listening.

For Desi families settling in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, the prospect of AFL clubs actively courting their communities marks a meaningful shift — and one that could make Australian rules football a shared cultural touchpoint across generations.