AFL salary cap 2025: state league caps and national context
Explore the AFL salary cap 2025 across Queensland state leagues and national football department spending, with state and industry comparisons using the Salary Index.
The QAFL total player payment cap of $84,000 per club is below the national average full-time earnings (index ~77.5), but it is a team limit, not individual pay.
What is the AFL salary cap 2025?
The term "AFL salary cap 2025" can refer to different limits depending on the level of competition. At the national level, the AFL sets a Total Player Payments (TPP) cap for each club, but the precise figure for 2025 was not available in the search results. However, the search did provide specific caps for Queensland state leagues under the AFL Queensland banner, as well as updates to the football department soft cap for AFL clubs. This article focuses on those figures and places them in the context of state and industry differences using the Salary Index.
State league salary caps in Queensland for 2025
AFL Queensland’s 2025 Total Player Payments Policy sets maximum total player payments (the "salary cap") for each club in its senior competitions. The caps are per club per season and apply to all payments and benefits to players, including match payments, sign-on fees, and certain reimbursements. The caps for 2025 are:
- QAFL (men’s top tier): $84,000 per club
- QAFLW (women’s top tier): $25,000 per club
- QFA Division 1: $33,000 per club
- QFA Division 2 North and South: $20,000 per club each
These are aggregate limits for the entire playing list. For example, a QAFL club can spread $84,000 across all its players in that competition. The policy notes that there is no individual cap, but the total must not exceed the limit. Certain payments, such as registration fees and reasonable relocation expenses, may be excluded from the cap calculation.
Industry differences: state leagues vs national AFL
The state league caps are a fraction of what AFL clubs spend on player salaries. While the national AFL TPP for 2025 is not given here, it is known to be in the millions per club. The search results also covered the AFL’s "soft cap" for football department spending, which is separate from player payments. The AFL announced that the soft cap will increase by $750,000 in 2026 and a further $350,000 in 2027, with additional allowances for senior coach marketing agreements and coaching director salaries. This highlights the different financial scales between the national competition and state leagues.
From an industry perspective, state league football sits closer to community sport than professional sport. Using the industries page, you can see that the average full-time worker in mining earns an index of 154.7, while retail trade is 75.9. The QAFL cap of $84,000 per club (not per player) is below the national line of 100, but it is a team budget, not an individual salary. If a QAFL player receives a few thousand dollars per season, that is a supplement to other income, reflecting the semi-professional nature of the competition.
How the salary index applies
The Salary Index compares gross annual earnings to the national line of $108,352 (index 100). For a club’s total player payment cap, the comparison is not direct because it is a team aggregate. However, it gives a sense of scale. The QAFL cap of $84,000 annualised gives an index of about 77.5. The QAFLW cap of $25,000 gives an index of about 23.1. These are well below the national minimum wage index of 48.2 ($52,255 annualised). This illustrates that state league players are typically not earning a living wage from football alone.
State and industry context
Queensland’s state index is 97.9, slightly below the national average. The QAFL cap of $84,000 is below that state average, but again, it is a team budget. The states page shows that Western Australia has the highest state index at 106.9, while Tasmania is lowest at 88.6. If similar state league caps existed in other states, they would likely be adjusted for local cost of living and revenue.
For a broader perspective, the pay guides page discusses how different awards and agreements set minimums. State league football is not covered by a modern award; payments are negotiated individually or via club policies. The AFL Queensland policy requires clubs to declare all payments, but the caps are relatively low compared to other industries.
Conclusion
The AFL salary cap 2025 means different things at different levels. For Queensland state leagues, the caps are modest and reflect the semi-professional status of those competitions. For the national AFL, the cap is much higher but not specified in the search results. The soft cap changes indicate growing investment in football departments. When using the Salary Index, remember that these caps are team limits, not individual pay, but they still show how state league football sits below the national average earnings line.
Questions people ask
What is the AFL salary cap 2025 for the national competition?
The search results did not provide a specific figure for the AFL national competition salary cap in 2025. However, they did include caps for Queensland state leagues (QAFL $84,000, QAFLW $25,000) and announced increases to the football department soft cap for 2026–2027.
How do state league salary caps compare to the national average earnings?
Using the Salary Index (100 = $108,352 annualised), the QAFL total player payment cap of $84,000 equates to an index of about 77.5, well below the national line. The QAFLW cap of $25,000 is even lower at index ~23.1. These are team limits, not individual pay, but they highlight the semi-professional nature of state leagues.
What is the difference between the AFL salary cap and the soft cap?
The AFL salary cap (or Total Player Payments) limits what clubs can pay players. The soft cap limits spending on football department staff, including coaches and support roles. In 2025, the soft cap is separate from player payments, and the AFL announced increases for 2026–2027 to allow more spending on coaching and development.