Global InformationEssendon District Football League information
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (June 2012) |
| Sport | Australian rules football |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1930 |
| First season | 1930 |
| CEO | Andrew Johnston |
| President | Bernie Shinners |
| Country | Australia |
| Most recent champion(s) | Keilor (2023) |
| Most titles | Essendon Doutta Stars (20) |
| Sponsor(s) | Strathmore Community Bank |
| Official website | essendondfl.com.au |
The Essendon District Football League (EDFL) is a semi-professional Australian rules football league competition based in Essendon, Victoria, consisting of teams based in the north-west suburbs of Melbourne. Founded in 1930, the men's competition consists of three leagues: Premier Division, Division 1 and Division 2, with 10 clubs in the Premier Division, 11 clubs in Division 1 and 9 clubs in Division 2. Ahead of the 2025 competition, two teams will be relegated from Division 1 to Division 2 to ensure that there are 10 teams across each of the top three divisions.
Promotion and relegation between these divisions occurs, with the lowest-placed clubs in the Premier Division and Division 1 being relegated at the end of each season replaced in their respective divisions by the winners of Division 1 and Division 2 premierships respectively[1] Each men's team also fields a reserves side and an under-18 side that play fixtures mirroring that of the senior side.
Since 2017, the League has also run a competition for women's Australian rules football. In its inaugural year, this was a joint competition featuring teams from the EDFL as well as the Western Region Football League (WRFL).[2] In 2018, 13 teams competed in a single division season, expanding to 19 teams and two divisions in 2019.
The league consists of clubs spanning as far north as Sunbury (East Sunbury Football Club), as far south as Deer Park (Deer Park Football Club), as far east as Fawkner (Northern Saints Football Club) and as far west as Hillside (Hillside Football Club). The furthest distance between two clubs is Moonee Valley Football Club and Sunbury Kangaroos totalling a travel distance of 35.2 km.
A number of junior players from the EDFL play for Calder Cannons in the Coates Talent League due to the geography of being based at Highgate Recreation Reserve, Craigieburn and consequently receiving the majority of players from teams in the Northern and North-West Suburbs. A smaller number of players represent Western Jets, being based at Burbank Oval, Williamstown which receive a number of players from clubs based in the western suburbs of Melbourne.
- ^ "Statement of By-Laws" (PDF). Essendon District Football League Incorporated. pp. 6–7. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
- ^ Murphy, Tara (14 March 2016). "EDFL plays its part as women's footy takes off". Brimbank & North West Star Weekly. Retrieved 29 October 2019.