The number of women playing football has surged since the advent of AFLW, but the code still sits 12th on the nation's list of participation sports and recreational activities, according to a new study by Sport Australia.

The Ausplay survey of 20,000 Australians, the largest for sports and physical activity in Australia, also revealed the sports children play are still dictated by their gender from a very young age, and that Australians are favouring individual fitness activities over team sports.

Since the first AFLW game, which saw 24,500 in attendance, growth in women's footy has surged. Credit:Adam Trafford/AFL Media

Soccer and basketball were the only two team sports that cracked the top 10. And our obsession with AFL did not translate to playing footy, which came in at No.12.

The number of women over the age of 15 who participated in Australian rules football at least once a week has nearly doubled, from 32,000 in 2017 to 60,000 in 2018, according to the survey.