AFL Cairns is a semi-professional Australian rules football league that includes clubs from the Cairns region in Queensland, Australia. It is widely regarded as the strongest regional Australian rules football league in Queensland and has a large base at Cazalys Stadium which has staged Australian Football League matches.

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AFL Cairns

Current season, competition or edition: 2023
Formerly	Cairns AFL
Sport	Australian rules football
Founded	1956; 68 years ago (1956)
CEO	Craig Lees
President	David Williams
No. of teams	10 [1] (7 Senior and Junior, 3 Junior Only)
Most recent champion(s)	Cairns City Lions (2022)
Most titles	Cairns Saints (13)
Promotion to	(none)
Relegation to	(none)
Official website	aflcairns.com.au

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The league has significant coverage in local media such as The Cairns Post. Each year the Grand Final attracts between 2,500 and 3,500 spectators.

An article in the Cairns Post on 3 September 1885 on page 3 titled "Football Match" describes a game of football played at the then cricket grounds,^[2] believed to have been in the precinct around Munro Martin Park and the Civic Theatre. This game was between Cairns, led by Jack MacNamara (believed to have been a representative of Victoria at first intercolonial match) and Townsville, led by F Rendall. References are made of "Little Marks" and the final score after 2 hours was Cairns, 1 goal 7 behinds to Townsville, 1 goal 3 behinds. The Cairns umpire was AJ Draper.^[2]

The Cairns team was :- Michelle Burke, Leonie Burke, J Swallow, "Little" Draper, Reid, Crawford, Horse, Campbell, Warren, Harrison, McClelland, Oldham, Rev.Nobbs, Grcnsen, J.Loridan, Bulcock, Wood, Ärmstrong, C.Loridan, Johnstone, D. Wall, Middlebrook, Schumhronk, Dent, McCarthy, Hogarth.^[2]

T. H. LAKE was the secretary.^[2]

The modern league as we now know it formed in 1955^[3] as the Cairns Australian Football League and a local schoolboy competition was also formed resulting in a junior representative trip to Townsville by plane. In 1957 the ANFC, through Bruce Andrew, purchased land in Cairns for the first dedicated field in regional Queensland which became Cazalys Stadium. The initial Senior competition had only two teams, Norths and Souths. This has since expanded to seven teams.

Around 2000, the league affiliated with the Australian Football League and was re-branded AFL Cairns. The league has grown rapidly in recent years with the ongoing development of Cazalys Stadium, the success of the Queensland-based Brisbane Lions, and with Cairns hosting exhibition Australian Football League matches and later matches for premiership points.

The league introduced a Women's Footy competition in 2002.^[4]

Notable players from the AFL Cairns who went on to play at VFL/AFL level include

• Port Douglas Sporting Complex (Port Douglas Crocs)
• Fretwell Park (South Cairns Cutters)
• Cazalys Stadium (Manunda Hawks)
• Watsons Oval (North Cairns Tigers)
• Crathern Park (Centrals Bulldogs)
• Holloways Beach Sporting Complex (Cairns City Lions)
• Griffiths Park (Cairns Saints)
• Power Park (Pyramid Power)
• Redlynch State College Oval (Junior Training)
• Buchan Street (Eagles)

Below is the complete list of senior premiers in the AFL Cairns:^[9]

¹ The 2004 Senior Grade Grand Final was declared a "no result" and the Premiership Cup withheld.

• Australian rules football in Queensland