AFLW 2026 Fixture - RELEASED

[Teen Wolf]

Another training venue becomes a matchday venue. On the plus side, this one is actually near a train station.

But will they have any improvements in place for spectators by the time the season rolls around? And if they don't, will anybody be there to notice? It's not like I've only ever heard glowing praise for the setup at Fremantle Oval, that said.

 

[Teen Wolf]

Wowww so the SCG double-header does in fact come at the cost of one of their Henson Park (or NSO) games.

Though maybe, for the first time ever, they'll play as the away team vs GWS which would make up for it. Otherwise, horrendous self sabotaging.

 

[The Victorian]

O

Wowww so the SCG double-header does in fact come at the cost of one of their Henson Park (or NSO) games.

Though maybe, for the first time ever, they'll play as the away team vs GWS which would make up for it. Otherwise, horrendous self sabotaging.

Of course the SCG game would replace on of the home games at Henson/NSO.. you can’t expect an extra home game just because they are playing in a home DH

 

[Teen Wolf]

Of course the SCG game would replace on of the home games at Henson/NSO.. you can’t expect an extra home game just because they are playing in a home DH

Who said anything about an extra home game?

There was no publicly available info, until 2 hours ago, that suggested their deal with Coffs Harbour was continuing this year.

After last year's debacle there, it would've made sense for them to pull the plug.

 

[Teen Wolf]

The announcement comes on the eve of the AFLW fixture release, with match dates and timings at Cockburn ARC Oval to be confirmed following the AFLW’s official schedule on Thursday, 21 May at 10am WST.

Fixture now supposed to drop this time tomorrow, according to Freo article. Wouldn't be surprised if each club gives a sneak peek this evening, as has often been the case previously.

 

[Teen Wolf]

...Well the only new bit of info I've seen come out today is Essendon v Richmond in Darwin on Sunday night. Round 3, which corresponds with wildcard weekend in the men's.

6k crowd to the game last year which was on a Friday night, so they'll do well to get half that this time around.

 

[pattymalone00]

Fixture comes out 12pm vic bias time per

 

[Teen Wolf]

First takeaway: for the Richmond and Collingwood supporters thinking this could be the year their club takes AFLW seriously... well, you're playing home games at Windy Hill.

Ahh the marketing genius of Craig Kelly, does it know no limits?

 

[Teen Wolf]

Hawthorn, Richmond, Essendon and Fremantle all hosting R1 games on the same weekend their men's team are playing home games at the biggest ground in their state.

And all 4 of those men's teams are playing away the week prior. Given you're already doing a split round, probably would've made sense to also bring at least a couple of those games forward a week.

 

[Teen Wolf]

Most overdue match-ups, and whether they've been rectified this year:

Last time these clubs met

Adelaide v Carlton – 2022 S6
North Melb. v West Coast – 2022 S6

Brisbane v GWS Giants – 2022 S7
Carlton v Melbourne – 2022 S7
Essendon v Port Adelaide – 2022 S7
Geelong v St Kilda – 2022 S7

Adelaide v W. Bulldogs – 2023
Collingwood v Essendon – 2023
Collingwood v Fremantle – 2023
Collingwood v Geelong – 2023
Fremantle v Gold Coast – 2023
GWS Giants v North Melb. – 2023
Hawthorn v Sydney – 2023
Port Adelaide v Sydney – 2023


Change of scenery required
Adelaide v W. Bulldogs – last 5 in SA
Collingwood v GWS Giants – all 5 in VIC play at Victoria Park in Round 7
Geelong v Gold Coast – all 4 in QLD play at Carrara in Round 2
North Melb. v Port Adelaide – last 4 in VIC
Port Adelaide v West Coast – all 4 in WA play at Alberton in Round 9

 

[CURVE]

This is North’s ninth season in the AFLW and we still don’t get to play Melbourne at home, although playing it them at Princes Park it does feel like it will be a home game for us.

 

[parano1a]

I wonder why the AFL even sanctioned it. Hidden away in a not AFL state, on a suburban undersized ground, with no FTA TV. Maybe they don't want people to watch for some reason.

It's a "soft launch", in case Australia thrashes Ireland by 100 points. If its successful it will be on FTA the following year

 

[Teen Wolf]

Top 5 inexcusable decisions:

• Collingwood are the only team to avoid both North Melbourne and Brisbane. Buuuut Essendon, who managed 1 more 2025 win than the Pies, will play both NM and BL.
• West Coast and Port Adelaide each play a game during business hours... on a weekday that is only a public holiday in Vic.
• Daisy's Eagles, despite making finals last year, avoid North Melbourne yet again.
• No communication from the AFL about which games will be on free-to-air tv (some clubs have released that info, but only for their own games).
• Lack of Marvel for all-women's double (or triple/quadruple) headers. First concert isn't until 9 Oct.

Top 5 good things:

• Never before had this many matchups + times, dates and venues confirmed this far in advance.
• Comp getting hype mileage out of the m/w double-headers (even though we've had a dozen or so previously).
• Despite the timings of the double-headers being done poorly, I will still gladly take the opportunity to watch AFLW at Marvel any day.
• The first 2 games of the season feature 4 finalists from last year. Quite a contrast to the past few seasons.
• Fewer far-too-skinny grounds being used.

 

[troybe]

GC Suns coming to Melbourne once in R6 v Essendon @ Windy Hill.

Double Header @ WH in R10 Coll v SS (12.30) then Ess v NM (3.05)

 

[The Victorian]

GC Suns coming to Melbourne once in R6 v Essendon @ Windy Hill.

Double Header @ WH in R10 Coll v SS (12.30) then Ess v NM (3.05)

Very annoying only one vic game

 

[Teen Wolf]

Yesterday Laura Kane reiterated the league's desire to cut down on venues used, particularly in Victoria.

11 grounds in the state will host at least 1 game each for 2026, albeit including Marvel which isn't a given in the future, but not including Punt Road which will return next year.

The AFL communicated their interest in a new Melbourne boutique stadium about 9 months ago. This is needed to replace the venues plagued by limited seating, poor access to public transport, or issues with local councils and other tenants.

Pursuing this option, and ensuring it is a quality neutral venue in a prime city location, will be the only way they'll get at least 5 clubs to shift all AFLW home games (thereby significantly cutting down on venues used). Main reason being no club will ever embrace playing full-time at another club's training ground.

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The 4 options I've identified exist between the many original homes of VFL clubs, as seen in the map below for those unfamiliar with the historical Melburnian football coalface:



Option 1 - Gosch's Paddock
Could fit a 130x160 oval with a 25k horseshoe seating bowl and still leave room for the rectangular training pitch. As with all these options, the transformation of prime real estate would be done in recognition of women deserving the same opportunities as men (a principle the last remaining major political party is supposed to believe in).

Option 2 - Albert Park
The home of women's footy in the backyard of an eminent girls school? Would be fitting. Parks Victoria had plans ~8 years ago to overhaul the north-east corner of the precinct with a "major events area". Of course the selfish golfers threw a tantrum, but the main reason it didn't go ahead was a simple lack of drive, pun intended. Asleep at the wheel back then, now both the AFL and F1 would kill to have an arena there to share, 500m from a new underground train station.

Option 3 - E-Gate Stadium
Failed proposal from 15+ years ago which would've got more hate than Docklands imo.

Option 4 - Jolimont Railyards / "Fed Square Garden"
It would cost billions to build over the tracks, and you'd only be able to fit a narrow 150m-long ground. But 300m away from Flinders Street (and Town Hall) Station... it would be awesome. Nevertheless, I'm really just adding it into the mix for some perspective, because options 1-3 look like a piece of cake by comparison!

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Farfetched these options may seem, it has to be something like 1, 2 or 4 to make a new ~20k venue viable year round, because then many other uses come into play like concerts, cricket, big events like the AO or GP, and of course it'd be perfect for 8-12 men's AFL games each year.

Crucially though, AFLW would be the primary tenant, secured by the AFL (assuming all profit isn't spent on new offices) and Vic government funding bundled up with the next MCG redevelopment and GF contract extension. But I'm guessing we won't hear anything about all that until post-election.

Here's what the target should be in terms of AFLW ground rationalisation:



There's no way the AFLPA will accept less than 14 rounds in the next CBA, so that means 7 home games each soon enough. If you have 3 AFLW games per week at the new venue, that's 42 in total which is what I've got there.

As for Vic clubs selling home games, that would defeat the entire purpose of a new 3rd Melbourne venue, and thus would be outlawed (for both men's and women's teams). But for games in say Ballarat, by all means let there always be scope for the league to negotiate opportunities in the form of Gather Round.

 

[troybe]

Gosch’s Paddock would be No 1 for me, right in the Arena Precinct and PT. A dedicated AFLW stadium would be magnificent, partnering with Melbourne as their training base would be a little controversial but the Dees need their HQ in where the action is. No 2 AP location would be a good choice, calling it Alberti Park would be a nice accolade for a key stakeholder.