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12.11.2025
Gather Round…A Festival of Footy fixture released
The AFL, in partnership with the South Australian Government, is pleased to confirm the fixture for Gather Round…A Festival of Footy, which returns in Round 5 of the 2026 Toyota AFL Premiership Season.
The Round will feature matches across Adelaide Oval, Norwood Oval and a return to Barossa Park – again giving interstate visitors an opportunity to experience the best of Barossa Valley food and wine.
Running from 9-12 April, during the school holidays, the Adelaide Crows will open the round on Thursday night playing Carlton at the Adelaide Oval, followed by Collingwood taking on Fremantle on Friday night.
The Adelaide Oval will host two matches on Saturday, with Essendon playing Melbourne in the early afternoon before the stadium resets for the evening, where Hawthorn and the Western Bulldogs will match up, with both games to be ticketed separately.
The action returns to the picturesque Barossa Park on Saturday afternoon where North Melbourne will line up against the Brisbane Lions before a twilight fixture at Norwood Oval between the Sydney Swans and the Gold Coast SUNS.
On Sunday, Norwood Oval will host the Geelong Cats and West Coast Eagles, ahead of the GWS GIANTS and Richmond playing at Barossa Park before the final Gather Round fixture is played at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday evening between Port Adelaide and St Kilda.
AFL CEO Andrew Dillon said Gather Round and its festivities around the state delivers like no other.
“We are thrilled to be returning to South Australia for our third Gather Round, it truly is the best of our game and it gets bigger and better each year,” said Mr Dillon.
“Gather Round has become more than a weekend of footy, it’s a celebration of community, connection, and everything we love about the game. Fans don’t want to miss a moment of it.
“Barossa Park delivered a magnificent experience last year, showcasing the best of what the region has to offer and this time around it is set to deliver another two big games.
“We know visitors travel from all over Australia to experience the buzz of Gather Round with fans not wanting to miss out and everyone wanting to be a part of it.”
Quotes attributable to South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas:
“The Gather Round phenomenon continues to grow and deliver for our State.
“This fixture, the start of school holidays in South Australia and NSW, and middle of school holidays in other states, presents the perfect platform for visitors and locals alike to experience the best SA has to offer.
“We encourage everyone to come, and experience Gather Round, be it in the city, or the stunning Barossa Valley.
“Gather Round this year delivered almost $114m in economic benefits, but the event is also driving new investment in our state, including at major hotels like the Mayfair.”
The Women’s and Children's Hospital Foundation is confirmed as the Official Charity Partner of Gather Round again in 2026.
Tickets go on sale for members on Wednesday, 3 December with general public on sale on Thursday, 4 December.
As the Official Airline Partner of the AFL and Gather Round, Virgin Australia is focused on offering value and choice for footy fans travelling to the event.
To book your flight to 2026 Gather Round, visit www.virginaustralia.com
Official Accommodation Partner ALL Accor offers fans access to a variety of options to suit all tastes and budgets with more than 10 hotels and apartments across Adelaide. Travelling fans can choose from brands like Sofitel, Pullman, Peppers, Ibis and more. Visit ALL.com to book, plus unlock a special member rate by joining Accor’s loyalty program, ALL, for free.
Gather Round…A Festival of Footy fixture released
The AFL, in partnership with the South Australian Government, is pleased to confirm the fixture for Gather Round…A Festival of Footy, which returns in Round 5 of the 2026 Toyota AFL Premiership Season.
The Round will feature matches across Adelaide Oval, Norwood Oval and a return to Barossa Park – again giving interstate visitors an opportunity to experience the best of Barossa Valley food and wine.
Running from 9-12 April, during the school holidays, the Adelaide Crows will open the round on Thursday night playing Carlton at the Adelaide Oval, followed by Collingwood taking on Fremantle on Friday night.
The Adelaide Oval will host two matches on Saturday, with Essendon playing Melbourne in the early afternoon before the stadium resets for the evening, where Hawthorn and the Western Bulldogs will match up, with both games to be ticketed separately.
The action returns to the picturesque Barossa Park on Saturday afternoon where North Melbourne will line up against the Brisbane Lions before a twilight fixture at Norwood Oval between the Sydney Swans and the Gold Coast SUNS.
On Sunday, Norwood Oval will host the Geelong Cats and West Coast Eagles, ahead of the GWS GIANTS and Richmond playing at Barossa Park before the final Gather Round fixture is played at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday evening between Port Adelaide and St Kilda.
AFL CEO Andrew Dillon said Gather Round and its festivities around the state delivers like no other.
“We are thrilled to be returning to South Australia for our third Gather Round, it truly is the best of our game and it gets bigger and better each year,” said Mr Dillon.
“Gather Round has become more than a weekend of footy, it’s a celebration of community, connection, and everything we love about the game. Fans don’t want to miss a moment of it.
“Barossa Park delivered a magnificent experience last year, showcasing the best of what the region has to offer and this time around it is set to deliver another two big games.
“We know visitors travel from all over Australia to experience the buzz of Gather Round with fans not wanting to miss out and everyone wanting to be a part of it.”
Quotes attributable to South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas:
“The Gather Round phenomenon continues to grow and deliver for our State.
“This fixture, the start of school holidays in South Australia and NSW, and middle of school holidays in other states, presents the perfect platform for visitors and locals alike to experience the best SA has to offer.
“We encourage everyone to come, and experience Gather Round, be it in the city, or the stunning Barossa Valley.
“Gather Round this year delivered almost $114m in economic benefits, but the event is also driving new investment in our state, including at major hotels like the Mayfair.”
The Women’s and Children's Hospital Foundation is confirmed as the Official Charity Partner of Gather Round again in 2026.
Tickets go on sale for members on Wednesday, 3 December with general public on sale on Thursday, 4 December.
As the Official Airline Partner of the AFL and Gather Round, Virgin Australia is focused on offering value and choice for footy fans travelling to the event.
To book your flight to 2026 Gather Round, visit www.virginaustralia.com
Official Accommodation Partner ALL Accor offers fans access to a variety of options to suit all tastes and budgets with more than 10 hotels and apartments across Adelaide. Travelling fans can choose from brands like Sofitel, Pullman, Peppers, Ibis and more. Visit ALL.com to book, plus unlock a special member rate by joining Accor’s loyalty program, ALL, for free.
