Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, is a variant of football played outdoors between two teams of 18 players, plus four interchange players, on large oval-shaped grass fields (often modified cricket fields), with a ball in the shape of a prolate spheroid. The game is commonly referred to as football, Aussie rules or (colloquially) as footy. In some regions, where the sport is in development, it is often known (erroneously) as AFL, after the Australian Football League, the only fully professional Australian rules football league.

The object of the game is to score by passing the ball between the goal posts, with the highest score being awarded for kicking the ball between the middle two posts. The team with the higher total score at the end of the match wins. Except for specific games, such as some final round matches, which may use either extra time or a rematch the following week is required to get a result, if the score is tied, a draw is declared.

Players may use any part of their body to advance the ball. The primary methods are kicking, handballing and running with the ball.