When Kelli Underwood stepped into the commentary box to call an AFL match for the first time, she broke a barrier and became one of Australia’s most recognisable sports broadcasters. She received the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2025 Australia Day Honours for service to broadcast media.
First woman to commentate AFL: Kelli Underwood is the first woman to commentate an Australian Football League match. ·
Seasons covered in men’s game: 25 seasons ·
Award received: Order of Australia Medal (OAM) ·
Sports covered: Australian rules football, netball, and tennis
Quick snapshot
- First woman to call an AFL match on television and radio in Australia (ABC News (Australian public broadcaster))
- Awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2025 Australia Day Honours (Governor-General of Australia (official honours site))
- Exact identity of her father is not publicly confirmed
- Whether she is married or has a partner is not listed in official sources
- Specific reason for leaving the ABC program Offsiders has not been stated
- Year of birth (Wikipedia says 1977, but not independently verified)
- Seasons covered (25 seasons – cited only from local publication)
- 1990s: Began her career in South Australia (according to Wikipedia (crowdsourced encyclopedia))
- 2009: Became first woman to call an AFL match on television (AdelaideAZ (local South Australian publication))
- 2025: Awarded OAM for service to broadcast media (Governor-General of Australia)
- Continues commentating AFL for Fox Footy and ABC Sport (ABC Sport Facebook (ABC Sport social media))
- Active on Instagram as @kel_underwood (ABC Sport Facebook (ABC Sport social media))
- Returned to Offsiders for its 20th anniversary show in February 2026 (ABC Sport Facebook (ABC Sport social media))
Six facts that define Kelli Underwood’s profile, drawn from official and media sources:
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Kelli Underwood |
| Profession | Sports journalist and sportscaster |
| First AFL commentary | First woman to call an AFL match |
| Seasons covered | 25 |
| Award | Order of Australia Medal (OAM) |
| Origin | South Australia |
The implication: Underwood’s career milestones are well-documented, but personal details remain private.
What happened to Kelli Underwood?
Kelli Underwood is still actively working as a radio and television sports broadcaster. She continues to commentate Australian rules football for Fox Footy and ABC Sport, and has not left AFL commentary. In 2025 she received the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the Australia Day Honours for service to broadcast media (Governor-General of Australia (official honours announcement)).
Where is Kelli Underwood now?
- She is based in Melbourne and calls AFL matches for Fox Footy and ABC Grandstand.
- She also appears on ABC TV’s Offsiders, having returned for the show’s 20th anniversary in February 2026 (ABC Sport Facebook post).
- Her Instagram profile (@kel_underwood) shows frequent posts about her commentary work and sports events.
Is Kelli Underwood still commentating in 2025?
Yes. According to her public biographical listings, she has been active as a sports commentator since 2001 (Wikipedia (crowdsourced encyclopedia)) and continues to cover multiple sports in 2025. A 2024 interview described her as “one of the biggest sports journalists in Australia” (Missing Perspectives (independent feminist media)).
Underwood’s career is not winding down — she remains a fixture in Australian sports broadcasting, with the OAM honour solidifying her status.
The takeaway: her trajectory shows steady influence, not a decline.
Is Kelli Underwood still commentating AFL?
She remains one of the most recognisable voices on AFL coverage. Underwood was the first woman to call an AFL match on television in Australia and also the first to call AFL on radio (ABC News).
How many seasons has she covered?
She has covered 25 seasons of men’s AFL football. Her first televised AFL match was the 2009 NAB Cup game between Geelong and the Western Bulldogs (AdelaideAZ).
What sports does Kelli Underwood commentate?
- Australian rules football (AFL) – primary sport
- Netball – regular commentary
- Tennis – occasional coverage
She is also listed on IMDb for On The Mark, Saturday Afternoon AFL, and Offsiders (IMDb (film and TV database)).
Underwood’s versatility across three major sports – footy, netball, tennis – shows she’s not a one-sport specialist but a broad-cast professional who earned her place in a male-dominated field.
What this means: her range reinforces her standing as a multifaceted commentator.
What is Kelli Underwood’s background?
A South Australian sports journalist and sportscaster, Underwood grew up in Adelaide and attended the University of South Australia (Wikipedia). Her early career involved radio and television work in Adelaide before moving to national coverage.
How did Kelli Underwood start in sports?
She began her broadcasting career in the 1990s in South Australia. The AdelaideAZ profile notes that her South Australian sporting life set her up to become the first female to call an AFL game (AdelaideAZ).
What is Kelli Underwood’s nationality?
She is Australian. Her nationality is consistently listed as Australian across all official sources (Governor-General of Australia).
The pattern: a local Adelaide start, then a national breakthrough as a female pioneer in AFL commentary.
Who is Kelli Underwood’s father?
The identity of her father is not publicly named in major sources. This question is frequently searched online, but no confirmed information appears on Wikipedia, official honours pages, or media profiles. It remains an area of uncertainty.
Is Kelli Underwood related to a sports figure?
There is no publicly available evidence linking her to a well-known sports figure. The absence of data suggests her family background is not a matter of public record.
Public curiosity about Underwood’s father highlights how female public figures often face more scrutiny about family origins than male counterparts – yet the lack of information doesn’t detract from her professional achievements.
The implication: the gap reflects societal double standards, not a missing biography.
Why did Kelli Underwood leave Offsiders?
The exact reason for her departure from the ABC panel show Offsiders has not been clearly stated. She remains a broadcaster for Fox Footy and ABC Sport, so the move appears to be a professional shift rather than a retirement. A February 2026 ABC Sport post referenced her return to Offsiders for a 20th anniversary show, suggesting the departure was not permanent (ABC Sport Facebook).
Is Kelli Underwood leaving her ABC role?
No indication of leaving ABC Sport entirely. As of 2025, she continues to appear on ABC Grandstand and other ABC platforms.
What this means: the “leaving Offsiders” narrative is overblown – she stepped back from one program but remains embedded in the network’s sports coverage.
What is Kelli Underwood’s personal life?
Personal details are scarce. Her partner is not publicly listed on Wikipedia or official sources. She is known to be from Geelong (based on social media hints) and is active on Instagram.
Who is Kelli Underwood’s partner?
She likely keeps her private life separate from her public profile. No name or occupation has been confirmed in any reliable source.
Is Kelli Underwood married?
Her marital status is not disclosed. The lack of public information should be respected as a personal boundary.
Underwood’s decision to keep her personal life private means fans know less about that side – but it also allows her work to speak for itself, a choice many public figures make to avoid tabloid intrusion.
The consequence: the public gets a clear focus on her professional legacy.
Career timeline
Key milestones in the career of the first female AFL commentator:
| Period | Event |
|---|---|
| 1990s | Began her broadcasting career in South Australia (Wikipedia (crowdsourced encyclopedia)) |
| 2009 | First woman to call an AFL match on television (NAB Cup: Geelong vs Western Bulldogs) (AdelaideAZ (local South Australian publication)) |
| 2025 | Received Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in Australia Day Honours (Governor-General of Australia (official honours site)) |
| 2026 | Returned to Offsiders for 20th anniversary show (ABC Sport Facebook) |
The pattern: each phase built on the last, from local radio to national recognition.
What we know vs what isn’t clear
Given the limited documentation on Underwood’s private life, here’s a breakdown of confirmed facts and open questions.
Confirmed facts
- Australian sports broadcaster (Wikipedia (crowdsourced encyclopedia))
- First woman to commentate AFL on TV and radio (ABC News (Australian public broadcaster))
- Received OAM in 2025 (Governor-General of Australia (official honours site))
What’s unclear
- Identity of her father
- Marital status and partner details
- Exact reason for stepping back from Offsiders
- Year of birth (Wikipedia says 1977, but not independently verified)
- Seasons covered (25 seasons – cited only from local publication)
- Alma mater (University of South Australia – listed on Wikipedia but not independently confirmed)
The catch: the public record is strong on her achievements but thin on personal details, which is common for high-profile women in media.
Voices on Kelli Underwood
“Kelli Underwood was recognised with the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the Australia Day 2025 Honours List for service to broadcast media. She said the recognition came as a ‘pat on the back’ after 20 years since stepping out in her career.”
– Governor-General of Australia (official honours citation)
“Underwood was the first woman to call an AFL match on television and radio, and has been a trailblazer for female sports journalists and broadcasters.”
– ABC News Backstory (Australian public broadcaster feature)
The implication: both official and media voices underscore her pioneering role.
For aspiring female sports broadcasters in Australia, the lesson from Kelli Underwood’s career is clear: breaking a barrier is only the start. Sustaining a 25-season career across multiple sports while earning national recognition demands resilience that goes beyond the first headline. For Underwood herself, the path forward continues to be one of steady, high-profile work – not retirement or retreat.
Related reading
- Barrie Robran Dies at 77: SANFL Legend Remembered
- Alex Fevola: Family, Career, and Reconciliation Story
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Frequently asked questions
What is Kelli Underwood known for?
She is known as the first woman to commentate an Australian Football League match on television and radio, and for covering 25 seasons of men’s AFL football.
Has Kelli Underwood won any awards?
Yes, she received the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2025 Australia Day Honours for service to broadcast media.
Is Kelli Underwood the first female AFL commentator?
Yes, she was the first woman to call an AFL match on television (2009) and on radio.
Where is Kelli Underwood from?
She is from South Australia and grew up in Adelaide.
What is Kelli Underwood’s Instagram handle?
Her public Instagram handle is @kel_underwood.
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Sophie Ellis covers business, markets and economic policy for Australia Watch.