The 2026 AFL fixture has landed, with three of last year’s top-six finishers to feature prominently in prime time slots as the league goes all-in on Friday night double-headers.
AFL fans can officially plan their 2026 activities after the league on Thursday released its official fixture for next year. See the round-by-round fixture below.
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After confirming Gather Round times and dates on Wednesday, the AFL on Thursday released full match details for Opening Round and the first 15 rounds. Times and dates for games from Round 16 onwards will be confirmed midway through the 2026 season.
All 207 home and away games for the year will be live on Fox Footy — via Foxtel and Kayo Sports — with Fox Footy commentary and graphics on every match. Fox Footy will again be the home of Super Saturday LIVE, which will be the only way to watch every Saturday game live nationally until Round 10.
The season will begin with Opening Round on the first Thursday in March, with Sydney to host Carlton at the SCG. While all four northern state clubs will again host matches, a fifth game has been added to the round, with the new-look St Kilda to host Collingwood at the MCG in a Sunday night blockbuster.
After scheduling four Friday night double-headers across the final eight weeks of the 2025 season, the AFL has doubled down on the timeslot, with six Friday double-headers locked in across the first 15 rounds of next season.
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The first one will occur on Good Friday in Round 4, with North Melbourne to again host Carlton (3.15pm) at Marvel Stadium before attention swings to Adelaide where the Crows will take on the Dockers (7.15pm). But it’s the only time the two Friday games that doesn’t overlap, with the remaining five double-headers — which will take place between Rounds 6 and 11 — to all clash in the prime time slot.
The AFL earlier this year said its main reasoning for scheduling Friday double-headers was to maximise prime time audience while also managing team travel and breaks between games.
Adelaide, Geelong and Hawthorn — who all made at least the semi-final stage in 2025 — has been handed the most prime time exposure, with each team to feature on a Thursday or Friday night game eight times across the first 15 rounds. Intriguingly, Carlton has been slotted into seven prime time games — the same number as the Western Bulldogs — while reigning premiers Brisbane only has three and Essendon one.
The increase in Friday matches, as well as the spread of early-season and mid-season byes, has led to a decrease in the number of Sunday games. Only five rounds — Rounds 1, 5, 6, 7 and 10 — will feature three games on a Sunday across the first 15 rounds.
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The AFL, too, has permanently brought the start time of late afternoon games forward by five minutes, with Sunday arvo matches to now begin at 3.15pm.
Anzac Day, which lands on a Saturday in 2026, will see four AFL matches played. The day will begin with Hawthorn hosting Gold Coast at UTAS Stadium at 12.15pm before the traditional Essendon-Collingwood afternoon match at the MCG. There’ll then be two night matches: Port Adelaide-Geelong at Adelaide Oval (6.35pm) and Fremantle-Carlton at Optus Stadium (8.15pm).
The Grand Final rematch between Brisbane and Geelong has been scheduled for Round 10, with the Cats to travel up to the Gabba for a Thursday night clash.
A host of intriguing grudge matches have also been locked in.
Norm Smith Medallist Christian Petracca’s first match against his old side will come on Easter Sunday, with his Gold Coast Suns to take on Melbourne at the MCG in Round 4. Meanwhile, Essendon star Zach Merrett will face Hawthorn — the club the on-baller was almost traded to last month — on the Friday night of Round 1.
Games will also return to Canberra, Darwin, Alice Springs, Hobart, Launceston and Bunbury — with the latter match between North Melbourne and Fremantle to occur within hours of an Eagles-Power clash at Optus Stadium.
The AFL has stuck with its same bye structure as last season, with five bye weeks to take place over Rounds 12 to 16, allowing for seven games on each weekend. No team who has had two byes (due to Opening Round) will play against a team who hasn’t had their bye yet.
“This fixture aims to build momentum throughout the year and gives fans consistency to help strengthen rituals and traditions at games with family and friends, as well as
building on the success of Sunday nights,” AFL Head of Strategy and Scheduling Josh Bowler said
“Taking on fan feedback, for the first time a standalone Opening Round match will be played at the MCG on the Sunday night of Labour Day long weekend in Melbourne –
which will kick start the Premiership Season in Victoria, ahead of the traditional Thursday night Tigers vs Blues match up four nights later.”
FULL AFL FIXTURE 2026: ROUND-BY-ROUND
Note: All times AEDT until Saturday April 4, then AEST from Sunday April 5 onwards.
OPENING ROUND
Thursday March 5
Sydney Swans v Carlton, SCG (7.30pm)
Friday March 6
Gold Coast Suns v Geelong Cats, People First Stadium (8.05pm)
Saturday March 7
GWS Giants v Hawthorn, ENGIE Stadium (4.15pm)
Brisbane Lions v Western Bulldogs, The Gabba (7.35pm)
Sunday March 8
St Kilda v Collingwood, MCG (7.20pm)
ROUND 1
Thursday March 12
Carlton v Richmond, MCG (7.30pm)
Friday March 13
Essendon v Hawthorn, MCG (7.40pm)
Saturday March 14
Western Bulldogs v GWS Giants, Marvel Stadium (1.15pm)
Geelong Cats v Fremantle, GMHBA Stadium (4.15pm)
Sydney Swans v Brisbane Lions, SCG (7.10pm)
Collingwood v Adelaide Crows, MCG (7.35pm)
Sunday March 15
North Melbourne v Port Adelaide, Marvel Stadium (1.10pm)
Melbourne v St Kilda, MCG (3.15pm)
Gold Coast Suns v West Coast Eagles, People First Stadium (6.10pm)
ROUND 2
Thursday March 19
Hawthorn v Sydney Swans, MCG (7.30pm)
Friday March 20
Adelaide Crows v Western Bulldogs, Adelaide Oval (7.40pm)
Saturday March 21
Richmond v Gold Coast Suns, MCG (1.15pm)
GWS Giants v St Kilda, ENGIE Stadium (4.15pm)
Fremantle v Melbourne, Optus Stadium (7.35pm)
Sunday March 22
Port Adelaide v Essendon, Adelaide Oval (3.15pm)
West Coast Eagles v North Melbourne, Optus Stadium (6.10pm)
Byes: Brisbane Lions, Carlton, Collingwood, Geelong Cats
ROUND 3
Thursday March 26
Geelong Cats v Adelaide Crows, GMHBA Stadium (7.30pm)
Friday March 27
Collingwood v GWS Giants, Marvel Stadium (7.40pm)
Saturday March 28
St Kilda v Brisbane Lions, Marvel Stadium (1.15pm)
Fremantle v Richmond, Optus Stadium (4.15pm)
Essendon v North Melbourne, Marvel Stadium (7.35pm)
Sunday March 29
Port Adelaide v West Coast Eagles, Adelaide Oval (12.30pm)
Carlton v Melbourne, MCG (3.15pm)
Byes: Gold Coast Suns, Hawthorn, Sydney Swans, Western Bulldogs
ROUND 4
Thursday April 2
Brisbane Lions v Collingwood, The Gabba (7.30pm)
Friday April 3
North Melbourne v Carlton, Marvel Stadium (3.15pm)
Adelaide Crows v Fremantle, Adelaide Oval (7.15pm)
Saturday April 4
Richmond v Port Adelaide, MCG (4.15pm)
West Coast Eagles v Sydney Swans, Optus Stadium (7.35pm)
Sunday April 5
Melbourne v Gold Coast Suns, MCG (3.15pm)
Western Bulldogs v Essendon, Marvel Stadium (7.20pm)
Monday April 6
Hawthorn v Geelong Cats, MCG (3.15pm)
Byes: GWS Giants, St Kilda
ROUND 5
Thursday April 9
Adelaide Crows v Carlton, Adelaide Oval (7.40pm)
Friday April 10
Collingwood v Fremantle, Adelaide Oval (7.40pm)
Saturday April 11
North Melbourne v Brisbane Lions, Barossa Park (12.35pm)
Essendon v Melbourne, Adelaide Oval (1.15pm)
Sydney Swans v Gold Coast Suns, Norwood Oval (4.15pm)
Hawthorn v Western Bulldogs, Adelaide Oval (7.35pm)
Sunday April 12
Geelong Cats v West Coast Eagles, Norwood Oval (12.30pm)
GWS Giants v Richmond, Barossa Park (3.15pm)
Port Adelaide v St Kilda, Adelaide Oval (7.15pm)
ROUND 6
Thursday April 16
Carlton v Collingwood, MCG (7.30pm)
Friday April 17
Geelong Cats v Western Bulldogs, GMHBA Stadium (7.20pm)
Sydney Swans v GWS Giants, SCG (7.50pm)
Saturday April 18
Gold Coast Suns v Essendon, People First Stadium (1.15pm)
Hawthorn v Port Adelaide, Marvel Stadium (4.15pm)
Adelaide Crows v St Kilda, Adelaide Oval (7.35pm)
Sunday April 19
North Melbourne v Richmond, Marvel Stadium (1.10pm)
Melbourne v Brisbane Lions, MCG (3.15pm)
West Coast Eagles v Fremantle, Optus Stadium (5.10pm)
ROUND 7
Thursday April 23
Western Bulldogs v Sydney Swans, Marvel Stadium (7.30pm)
Friday April 24
Richmond v Melbourne, MCG (7.40pm)
Saturday April 25
Hawthorn v Gold Coast Suns, UTAS Stadium (12.15pm)
Essendon v Collingwood, MCG (3.15pm)
Port Adelaide v Geelong Cats, Adelaide Oval (6.35pm)
Fremantle v Carlton, Optus Stadium (8.15pm)
Sunday April 26
St Kilda v West Coast Eagles, Marvel Stadium (1.10pm)
Brisbane Lions v Adelaide Crows, The Gabba (3.15pm)
GWS Giants v North Melbourne, Corroboree Group Oval Manuka (4.40pm)
ROUND 8
Thursday April 30
Collingwood v Hawthorn, MCG (7.30pm)
Friday May 1
Western Bulldogs v Fremantle, Marvel Stadium (7.20pm)
Adelaide Crows v Port Adelaide, Adelaide Oval (8.10pm)
Saturday May 2
Essendon v Brisbane Lions, Marvel Stadium (1.15pm)
West Coast Eagles v Richmond, Optus Stadium (4.15pm)
Geelong Cats v North Melbourne, GMHBA Stadium (4.35pm)
Carlton v St Kilda, Marvel Stadium (7.35pm)
Sunday May 3
Sydney Swans v Melbourne, SCG (3.15pm)
Gold Coast Suns v GWS Giants, People First Stadium (7.20pm)
ROUND 9
Thursday May 7
Fremantle v Hawthorn, Optus Stadium (7.30pm)
Friday May 8
Brisbane Lions v Carlton, The Gabba (7.20pm)
Port Adelaide v Western Bulldogs, Adelaide Oval (8.10pm)
Saturday May 9
North Melbourne v Sydney Swans, Marvel Stadium (1.15pm)
GWS Giants v Essendon, ENGIE Stadium (4.15pm)
Gold Coast Suns v St Kilda, TIO Stadium (7.10pm)
Geelong Cats v Collingwood, MCG (7.35pm)
Sunday May 10
Melbourne v West Coast Eagles, Marvel Stadium (1.10pm)
Richmond v Adelaide Crows, MCG (3.15pm)
ROUND 10
Thursday May 14
Brisbane Lions v Geelong Cats, The Gabba (7.30pm)
Friday May 15
Sydney Swans v Collingwood, SCG (7.20pm)
Gold Coast Suns v Port Adelaide, TIO Stadium (8.10pm)
Saturday May 16
Adelaide Crows v North Melbourne, Adelaide Oval (1.15pm)
Melbourne v Hawthorn, MCG (4.15pm)
Carlton v Western Bulldogs, Marvel Stadium (7.35pm)
Sunday May 17
Essendon v Fremantle, MCG (1.10pm)
St Kilda v Richmond, Marvel Stadium (3.15pm)
West Coast Eagles v GWS Giants, Optus Stadium (6.15pm)
ROUND 11
Thursday May 21
Hawthorn v Adelaide Crows, UTAS Stadium (7.30pm)
Friday May 22
Richmond v Essendon, MCG (7.40pm)
Fremantle v St Kilda, Optus Stadium (8.30pm)
Saturday May 23
North Melbourne v Gold Coast Suns, Marvel Stadium (1.15pm)
Geelong Cats v Sydney Swans, GMHBA Stadium (4.15pm)
Collingwood v West Coast Eagles, MCG (4.35pm)
Port Adelaide v Carlton, Adelaide Oval (7.35pm)
Sunday May 24
GWS Giants v Brisbane Lions, ENGIE Stadium (12.30pm)
Western Bulldogs v Melbourne, Marvel Stadium (3.15pm)
ROUND 12
Thursday May 28
St Kilda v Hawthorn, Marvel Stadium (7.30pm)
Friday May 29
Carlton v Geelong Cats, MCG (7.40pm)
Saturday May 30
Sydney Swans v Richmond, SCG (1.15pm)
Brisbane Lions v Fremantle, The Gabba (4.15pm)
Western Bulldogs v Collingwood, Marvel Stadium (7.35pm)
Sunday May 31
Melbourne v GWS Giants, TIO Traeger Park Oval (3.15pm)
West Coast Eagles v Essendon, Optus Stadium (7.20pm)
Byes: Adelaide Crows, Gold Coast Suns, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide
ROUND 13
Thursday June 4
Adelaide Crows v Geelong Cats, Adelaide Oval (7.30pm)
Friday June 5
Hawthorn v Western Bulldogs, MCG (7.40pm)
Saturday June 6
Gold Coast Suns v Brisbane Lions, People First Stadium (1.15pm)
North Melbourne v Fremantle, Hands Oval (4.15pm)
West Coast Eagles v Port Adelaide, Optus Stadium (7.35pm)
Sunday June 7
Sydney Swans v St Kilda, SCG (3.15pm)
Essendon v Carlton, MCG (7.20pm)
Monday June 8
Collingwood v Melbourne, MCG (3.15pm)
Byes: GWS Giants, Richmond
ROUND 14
Thursday June 11
Western Bulldogs v Adelaide Crows, Marvel Stadium (7.30pm)
Friday June 12
Geelong Cats v Gold Coast Suns, GMHBA Stadium (7.40pm)
Saturday June 13
Melbourne v Essendon, MCG (1.15pm)
North Melbourne v West Coast Eagles, Optus Stadium (4.15pm)
Port Adelaide v Sydney Swans, Adelaide Oval (7.35pm)
Sunday June 14
Richmond v Brisbane Lions, Ninja Stadium (1.10pm)
St Kilda v GWS Giants, Marvel Stadium (3.15pm)
Byes: Carlton, Collingwood, Fremantle, Hawthorn
ROUND 15
Thursday June 18
Fremantle v Geelong Cats, Optus Stadium (7.30pm)
Friday June 19
Gold Coast Suns v Hawthorn, People First Stadium (7.40pm)
Saturday June 20
Adelaide Crows v Melbourne, Adelaide Oval (1.15pm)
GWS Giants v Carlton, ENGIE Stadium (4.15pm)
Collingwood v Port Adelaide, MCG (7.35pm)
Sunday June 21
Richmond v North Melbourne, MCG (1.10pm)
St Kilda v Western Bulldogs, Marvel Stadium (3.15pm)
Byes: Brisbane Lions, Essendon, Sydney Swans, West Coast Eagles
ROUND 16 (dates and times TBC)
Thursday June 25 – Sunday June 28
Brisbane Lions v Sydney Swans, The Gabba
Carlton v West Coast Eagles, Marvel Stadium
Collingwood v Richmond, MCG
Fremantle v Gold Coast Suns, Optus Stadium
Hawthorn v GWS Giants, MCG
North Melbourne v Essendon, Marvel Stadium
Port Adelaide v Adelaide Crows, Adelaide Oval
Byes: Geelong Cats, Melbourne, St Kilda, Western Bulldogs,
ROUND 17 (dates and times TBC)
Thursday July 2 – Sunday July 5
Essendon v St Kilda, Marvel Stadium
Geelong Cats v Brisbane Lions, GMHBA Stadium
Gold Coast Suns v Collingwood, People First Stadium
GWS Giants v Fremantle, Corroboree Group Oval Manuka
Hawthorn v Melbourne, UTAS Stadium
Port Adelaide v North Melbourne, Adelaide Oval
Richmond v Carlton, MCG
Sydney Swans v Western Bulldogs, SCG
West Coast Eagles v Adelaide Crows, Optus Stadium
ROUND 18 (dates and times TBC)
Thursday July 9 – Sunday July 12
Adelaide Crows v Gold Coast Suns, Adelaide Oval
Brisbane Lions v Essendon, The Gabba
Carlton v Hawthorn, MCG
Collingwood v North Melbourne, Marvel Stadium
Fremantle v Sydney Swans, Optus Stadium
GWS Giants v Geelong Cats, ENGIE Stadium
Melbourne v Richmond, MCG
St Kilda v Port Adelaide, Marvel Stadium
Western Bulldogs v West Coast Eagles, Marvel Stadium
ROUND 19 (dates and times TBC)
Thursday July 16 – Sunday July 19
Collingwood v Carlton, MCG
Essendon v GWS Giants, Marvel Stadium
Geelong Cats v St Kilda, GMHBA Stadium
Gold Coast Suns v Western Bulldogs, People First Stadium
North Melbourne v Melbourne, Marvel Stadium
Port Adelaide v Fremantle, Adelaide Oval
Richmond v Hawthorn, MCG
Sydney Swans v Adelaide Crows, SCG
West Coast Eagles v Brisbane Lions, Optus Stadium
ROUND 20 (dates and times TBC)
Thursday July 23 – Sunday July 26
Adelaide Crows v Collingwood, Adelaide Oval
Brisbane Lions v Port Adelaide, The Gabba
Carlton v Gold Coast Suns, Marvel Stadium
Fremantle v West Coast Eagles, Optus Stadium
GWS Giants v Sydney Swans, ENGIE Stadium
Hawthorn v Essendon, MCG
North Melbourne v St Kilda, Marvel Stadium
Melbourne v Geelong Cats, MCG
Western Bulldogs v Richmond, Marvel Stadium
ROUND 21 (dates and times TBC)
Thursday July 30 – Sunday August 2
Carlton v Brisbane Lions, Marvel Stadium
Collingwood v Geelong Cats, MCG
Essendon v Adelaide Crows, Marvel Stadium
Fremantle v Western Bulldogs, Optus Stadium
Gold Coast Suns v Melbourne, People First Stadium
Hawthorn v North Melbourne, UTAS Stadium
Port Adelaide v GWS Giants, Adelaide Oval
Richmond v West Coast Eagles, MCG
St Kilda v Sydney Swans, Marvel Stadium
ROUND 22 (dates and times TBC)
Thursday August 6 – Sunday August 9
Adelaide Crows v Richmond, Adelaide Oval
Brisbane Lions v Hawthorn, The Gabba
Geelong Cats v Essendon, GMHBA Stadium
GWS Giants v Gold Coast Suns, Corroboree Group Oval Manuka
Melbourne v Fremantle, MCG
St Kilda v Carlton, Marvel Stadium
Sydney Swans v Port Adelaide, SCG
West Coast Eagles v Collingwood, Optus Stadium
Western Bulldogs v North Melbourne, Marvel Stadium
ROUND 23 (dates and times TBC)
Thursday August 13 – Sunday August 16
Brisbane Lions v Gold Coast Suns, The Gabba
Essendon v Sydney Swans, MCG
Fremantle v Adelaide Crows, Optus Stadium
GWS Giants v West Coast Eagles, ENGIE Stadium
Hawthorn v Collingwood, MCG
North Melbourne v Geelong Cats, Marvel Stadium
Port Adelaide v Melbourne, Adelaide Oval
Richmond v St Kilda, MCG
Western Bulldogs v Carlton, Marvel Stadium
ROUND 24 (dates and times TBC)
Thursday August 20 – Sunday August 23
Adelaide Crows v GWS Giants, Adelaide Oval
Collingwood v Brisbane Lions, MCG
Carlton v Fremantle, Marvel Stadium
Essendon v Port Adelaide, Marvel Stadium
Geelong Cats v Richmond, GMHBA Stadium
Melbourne v Western Bulldogs, MCG
St Kilda v Gold Coast Suns, Marvel Stadium
Sydney Swans v North Melbourne, SCG
West Coast Eagles v Hawthorn, Optus Stadium