Fixture set for 2024 V/Line Cup in Ballarat
The fixture for the 2024 V/Line Cup has been released with around 600 of the best under 15 boys and girls footballers from country Victoria to unite in Ballarat for the annual three-day event in September.
The 75th edition of the V/Line Cup will take place in AFL Grand Final week, from Monday 23 to Wednesday 25 September, with Ballarat hosting the carnival for the first time.
Mars Stadium, Marty Busch Recreation Reserve and Learmonth Reserve are the three venues that will host games.
The V/Line Cup comprises three divisions – two boys divisions and a girls division – and features representative teams from seven regions, playing in a total of 21 matches. Each team will contest two matches over the three days, with 70 emerging umpires to officiate the competition.
The V/Line Cup is Victoria's premier under 15 representative footy carnival for country boys and girls, with a rich history dating back to 1949. A girls division has been part of the program since 2010.
V/Line has been the carnival’s long-standing naming rights sponsor since 2004 and AFL Victoria recently announced an extension of its V/Line partnership.
This tournament is an important part of the Victoria’s talent pathway system, providing aspiring young footballers with an opportunity to showcase their skills and put forward a case for selection for Coates Talent League lists in years to come.
The City of Ballarat is eager to welcome V/Line Cup participants and spectators to the city. With some of the finest sporting facilities in regional Victoria, Ballarat has established itself as a destination for sporting events. The event is expected to have a significant positive impact on the local economy, with around 600 of Victoria’s top regional under 15 footballers and their families to visit Ballarat over the three-day carnival.
Players and their families will travel from across the state to be involved. There will be free entry to all match days, and all games will be live streamed.
The first edition of the event 75 years ago was won by Goulburn Valley. The 2024 carnival will feature boys and girls teams representing the following regions:
- Bendigo Pioneers
- Geelong Falcons
- Gippsland Power
- Goulburn Murray Bushrangers
- Greater Western Victoria Rebels
- North East Border Bushrangers
- South East Stingrays
Head of AFL Victoria, Greg Madigan, said: “We are thrilled to bring the V/Line Cup to Ballarat for this year’s carnival. We are looking forward to welcoming over 600 players as well as hundreds of officials and family members to the city to come together for what is a true celebration of junior country footy.
“We thank V/Line for their ongoing support of country footy in Victoria. The V/Line Cup is one of the most exciting events on the AFL Victoria calendar, with a rich history that we are determined to preserve and continue to build upon. Many talented AFL and AFLW players have participated in the V/Line Cup in their youth, which is a testament to not only the competition but the quality of Victorian country footy more broadly.
“I also want to thank the City of Ballarat and the wonderful people of the region for welcoming the V/Line Cup to their town.
“It promises to be a fantastic carnival and I wish all those involved the very best.”
Useful links:
- V/Line Cup hub: https://www.aflvic.com.au/vline-cup
- V/Line Cup fixture and results on PlayHQ: https://www.playhq.com/afl/org/worksafe-afl-victoria-representative-games/v-line-cup-2024/0d9e09d9
