An AFL match for premiership points will be played by Port Adelaide and another team in Shanghai next season.

Malcolm Turnbull made the announcement on Thursday, accompanied by AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan at a press conference in Shanghai.

In a moment of self-deprecation, the prime minister described himself as “a mediocre rugby player” and declared “AFL is the most exciting football code”. He praised the athleticism of AFL players and described the homegrown brand of football as “the leaping, jumping, flying game”.

Port Adelaide will play a game for Premiership points in #China 🇨🇳 in 2017: https://t.co/FQtI4jTw42 #weareportadelaide — Port Adelaide FC (@PAFC) April 14, 2016

Turnbull said the match would be the first time an AFL match for premiership points had been played outside the Australasia region. The first premiership match outside Australia was a clash between Sydney and St Kilda in New Zealand in 2013.

Port Adelaide has already dipped a toe into the Chinese market, with the club broadcasting three matches this season into China on China Central Television. Turnbull said the matches would reach between one and two million people in the Chinese market.

At the event, Port Adelaide and the AFL signed a memorandum of understanding with Power’s new partner, Shanghai Cred Real Estate, to play the game next season.

On Tuesday the club signed a multi-million-dollar partnership with Shanghai Cred. Port Adelaide will become the key promotor of the game in China with the support of the AFL, including running Auskick programs in China and supporting university programs in Guangzhou.

Turnbull described China and Shanghai as “the most exciting place in the world”, and said the match would encourage the development of the game in China.

Port Adelaide chief executive Keith Thomas said: “I’m incredibly proud to have a signed a memorandum of understanding on behalf of the Port Adelaide Football Club that ensures we will do everything possible to play a game for premiership points here in Shanghai as early as next season”.