Written by Rhea Alison, Sports reporter, covering international sports since 2020

The Western Bulldogs' push to help bring an AFL match to India has received strong backing from coach Luke Beveridge, who believes the idea could open new opportunities for Australian football. Speaking on Thursday, Beveridge welcomed discussions about staging a historic AFL game in India, a move that could help the league reach one of the world's largest populations while strengthening ties with the growing South Asian community in Australia.

Beveridge Excited by India Opportunity

The idea gained momentum after AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon visited India earlier this year. While moving home matches away from Melbourne often sparks debate among supporters, Beveridge said the potential benefits make it worth considering.

"You'd probably have to time it maybe before a bye, that'd be ideal," Beveridge said.

"When you think about the Indian passion for cricket, and then the groundswell of attention that's coming towards our game.

"They've got the grounds to be able to pull it off too. It'd be pretty exciting."

Bulldogs Eye Global Growth

Bulldogs chief executive Ameet Bains has long focused on building stronger connections with multicultural communities, particularly among Australians with South Asian heritage.

"It'd be an exciting adventure, a huge performance challenge to be able to go over there, play, come back, and either side of that be able to win and stay on top of things," Beveridge said.

The AFL previously staged premiership matches in New Zealand and China, while exhibition games have been played in London and South Africa.