The 1881 Victorian football season was the twelfth senior season of Australian rules football in the colony of Victoria. The season saw the formation of the Sandhurst Football Association in the Bendigo region, which followed the formation of the Victorian Football Association five years earlier in 1877.
won the Victorian Football Association (VFA) premiership for the first time, after finishing the season with seven wins from its eleven senior matches.
was the premier club in the junior competition. , , , , , , , , , , , , and were also mentioned as being among the top teams.
was the premier club in the Ballarat District competition, winning nine of its twelve matches.
was the premier club in the Geelong District competition, winning seven of its 17 matches. A representative Geelong District team played a match against South Australia at Corio Cricket Ground on 27 August, with Geelong District winning eight goals to zero.
The 1881 SFA season was the inaugural season of the Sandhurst Football Association (SFA), which was formed at a meeting on 10 June 1881. was the premier club, winning 11 of its 19 matches.