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(Sports)Teams revealed for China's historic Australian Football League match

Xinhua, April 22, 2016 Adjust font size:

The two teams for the historic Australian Football League (AFL) game in China in 2017 have been revealed.

Port Adelaide, which has championed the move to play a game in Shanghai next year, has selected Queensland side Gold Coast to join them for the competition's first regular season fixture played in the northern hemisphere.

Last week, the South Australian (SA) club signed a Memorandum of Understanding with real estate group Shanghai Cred to bring the game to the world's most populous nation.

However, due to contractual obligations with Adelaide Oval and the SA government, Port Adelaide's opponent, as well as the venue, was left unnamed with the club attempting to broker an agreement for one of the AFL's other 17 teams to give up a home game.

Gold Coast will reportedly be paid compensation of almost 500,000 U.S. dollars for giving up their home game and making the journey to Shanghai, according to News Corp.

"It's time to put this club in the limelight, and what better way than to be involved with China, and the fastest-growing Chinese tourist destination in Australia," Gold Coast Chairman Tony Cochrane, who was responsible for bringing Australia's V8 Supercars to Shanghai in his previous role with the motor-sport competition, said on Friday.

"We are not here to make up the numbers. We're open for business and we want to be big players and we see China as part of that strategy."

The Gold Coast Suns, which only entered the AFL five years ago, are hoping to expand their commercial interests in Asia through their Chinese appearance.

It already has a five-year sponsorship deal in place with Chinese technology giant Huawei Australia.

The Suns reportedly beat out three other teams (Melbourne, Collingwood and Greater Western Sydney) vying to participate in the clash.

According to the News Corp report, a 50,000-seat stadium in Shanghai has been chosen for the fixture, but the league will need to improve the venue's turf before it's officially announced. Endit