Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. The state of Victoria, Australia, is known for its sporting culture. The Victorian capital, Melbourne is often referred to as the sporting capital of the world. The most popular sports to play in the state are Basketball, soccer, Australian rules football, Cricket and netball whilst horse racing joins that list as the most popular spectator sports. In terms of attendance, Australian rules football is the most popular sport in the state. The participation rate of 4% is the third highest in the country with 223,999 players counted in 2004. Australian rules football is claimed by many to have originated in Melbourne in 1858. Ten of the seventeen Australian Football League clubs are based in Victoria, and the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) is held by many to be the spiritual home of the game. Victoria hosted the 2002, 2005 and 2008 Australian Football International Cup competitions.