Think! Road Safety Country Football Championships to shine a light on Top Tourism Town

Victor Harbor is gearing up to host next month’s 2024 Think! Road Safety SA Country Football Championships, with Friday night footy set to kick off matches for the first time in the event’s 30-year history.

Around 250 of the State’s best male and female country players, together with 200-plus officials from regional leagues across the State, will descend on Victor Harbor from July 12-14 to represent their zone in matches at both Victor Harbor and Encounter Bay ovals.

With upgraded lighting installed at Victor Harbor Oval in 2022, a double-header between South East and Eyre Peninsula zones to kick off the men’s and women’s championships will be the feature of the opening night from 7:20pm.

The full fixture for the championships and online ticketing for the event were released by SANFL this week.

The Round 14 Hostplus SANFL League regional match is also expected to be an attraction, with South Adelaide to host North Adelaide in the Panthers’ regional zone at Victor Harbor Oval on Saturday afternoon.

SANFL Head of Community Football Shawn Ford said the Country Championships not only provides an opportunity to showcase the State’s best country footballers, but also gives a major boost to tourism in Victor Harbor and the Fleurieu region.

Ford also said the event could not have come at more appropriate time, with Victor Harbor earlier this month winning SA’s Top Tourism Town Award for the second consecutive year in recognition of the town’s amazing visitor experiences and commitment to developing tourism.

“The Think! Road Safety Country Championships are so much more than just a footy carnival,” Ford said.

“It is now regarded as one of the largest regional sporting events on the SA calendar, providing a fantastic social and economic boost for the entire host region, while also showcasing some of the best regional football facilities in the State.”

“The Championships are a great opportunity to celebrate all the great things we love about country footy and leave a lasting legacy for everyone involved.”

Ford also acknowledged the continuing support for community football of naming rights partner Think! Road Safety.

“SANFL has been a strong and committed road safety advocate for many years and the Country Championships event is a vital platform to increase awareness and drive home the vital message and education about road safety to our football community,” he said.

City of Victor Harbor Chief Executive Officer Victoria MacKirdy said Council is glad to see the championships returning.

“The countdown is on, and we are extremely excited to welcome the Country Football Championships back to Victor Harbor. The championships were last here in 2021, delivering an estimated economic impact of $1.25 million to our region,” MacKirdy said.

“While footy fanatics are visiting our stunning coastal city, I encourage them to explore the many wonderful things on offer across Victor Harbor. Our town has changed a lot in recent years, and there is plenty to discover.”

The SA Country Championships will see male and female representative teams from six regional zones – Central, Eastern, Eyre Peninsula, South East, Northern and Southern Districts – compete across the weekend.

Eastern will be hoping to defend its historic 2023 crown in the men’s championships, while Central will be seeking back-to-back glory after also taking out its first women’s championships last year.

Online tickets for the event are now on sale via the SANFL website, together with the full match schedule, at sanfl.com.au/communityfootball/sacfc

Every match from the carnival this year will be exclusively live streamed for free on SANFL’s streaming platform, SANFL Now

The South Adelaide v North Adelaide Hostplus SANFL League match at Victor Harbor Oval commences at 2:30pm and will be live streamed for subscribers on SANFL Now,  AFL.com.au and the AFL Live App.