The Victorian Football League (VFL) officially became the Australian Football League (AFL) in 1990. This change was made to reflect the league's transition to a national competition, expanding beyond Victoria to include teams from other Australian states starting in the 1980s. The VFL began this national expansion with the relocation of the South Melbourne club to Sydney in 1982 and the inclusion of teams from Western Australia and Brisbane in 1987, leading to the rename as the AFL in 1990 to represent its broader national scope.
