It is the largest community Australian rules football competition in Western Australia.

[1] The competition began in 1922 with five teams as the Mercantile Football Association (MFA).

It changed to Western Australian Amateur Football League (WAAFL) in 1971.

[2][3] University are the most successful club, with 20 A-grade premierships and 96 overall, as of the conclusion of the 2020 season.

The league continues to grow with new clubs joining in most years, and an A Reserves added to the women's competition for 2024.