The AFL has today confirmed the full fixture for the 2026 NAB AFLW Season, which will officially kick off on Sunday, 9 August.
The upcoming season will again span 12 rounds, followed by a four-week finals series, culminating in the 2026 NAB AFLW Grand Final on the final weekend of November.
As announced earlier this week, the 2026 NAB AFLW Season will begin under the lights at Marvel Stadium, with St Kilda and Carlton headlining an historic AFL/AFLW double-header for Spud’s Game.
The AFLW season opener will precede the Round 22 AFL clash between the same clubs, uniting footy for one cause – mental health.
The remainder of Round 1 will be played the following week, kicking off with a Thursday night clash between Hawthorn and Melbourne at IKON Park.
Two more AFL/ AFLW double-headers between the same clubs will also feature in Round 1 – North Melbourne v Geelong Cats at Marvel Stadium and the GWS GIANTS v West Coast Eagles at ENGIE Stadium.
The fourth confirmed AFL/AFLW double-header during the season crossover period will take place in Round 2 between the Sydney Swans and Essendon at the SCG, with the Sydney Swans and North Melbourne to play their Round 24 AFL clash at the same venue on the same day.
Round 2 will also feature last year’s AFLW Grand Final rematch, with the Brisbane Lions hosting reigning premiers North Melbourne at Brighton Homes Arena.
Indigenous Round will be celebrated across Rounds 3 and 4, as Richmond and Essendon return to Darwin for the third consecutive year for the AFLW Dreamtime match at TIO Stadium.
The second week of Indigenous Round celebrations will also include an AFLW double-header – the first of three this season – at IKON Park featuring Richmond v Fremantle, followed by Carlton v Collingwood.
Pride Round will again span two weeks across Rounds 9 and 10 following the success of the expanded celebration in 2025. Key matches in the first week of Pride Round include the Western Bulldogs v Essendon at Whitten Oval – the venue of the first Pride Game in 2018 – and the Sydney Swans v Carlton at Henson Park. The second week will feature an AFLW double-header at Windy Hill, with Collingwood taking on the Sydney Swans before Essendon face North Melbourne.
The Sydney Swans and GWS GIANTS will be the first of the crosstown rivals to meet during the upcoming season, facing off at Henson Park in Round 5.
The Q Clash between the Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast SUNS at Brighton Homes Arena, the Showdown between Port Adelaide and the Adelaide Crows at Alberton Oval and the Western Derby between the West Coast Eagles and Fremantle at Leederville Oval will all be played in Round 8.
As in previous seasons, no AFLW matches will be played on AFL Grand Final Day. Instead, fans can enjoy Thursday night football between Geelong and Hawthorn at GMHBA Stadium in Round 7, along with four matches on the AFL Grand Final Eve public holiday in Victoria, including an AFLW double-header headlined by Melbourne and North Melbourne at IKON Park.
Two venues will host AFLW premiership season matches for the first time 2026, with Fremantle and Hawthorn to play home fixtures at their respective club headquarters, Cockburn ARC and the Kennedy Community Centre.
While Cockburn ARC Oval has previously hosted AFL and AFLW pre-season matches, Fremantle's Round 1 home fixture against Port Adelaide will be the first time a match for premiership points has been played at the venue, and one of six matches scheduled there in 2026.
The inaugural fixture at the Kennedy Community Centre will take place in Round 4, when Hawthorn hosts the Adelaide Crows. It will be one of four home matches Hawthorn plays at the venue throughout the season.
AFL Head of Strategy & Scheduling Josh Bowler said the fixture for the 2026 NAB AFLW Season had been designed to continue to build on the growth and the momentum of the competition.
“The 2026 NAB AFLW fixture is another exciting step forward for the competition, featuring a strong mix of traditional rivalries, marquee moments and fan-focused scheduling, as well as new ways to showcase AFLW across the country,” Bowler said.
“The inclusion of AFL/AFLW double-headers during the season crossover period will provide a unique experience for fans and clubs alike, and we’re especially excited to launch the season at Marvel Stadium as part of Spud’s Game.
“While the time for the Spud’s Game double-header is confirmed, the times for the other three AFL/AFLW double-headers will be confirmed alongside Rounds 23 and 24 of the Toyota AFL Premiership Season.
“In addition to AFL/AFLW double-headers, this season will also feature three AFLW-only double-headers, giving fans even more opportunities to enjoy an extended day of football.
“We’re also excited to have new venues such as Cockburn ARC Oval and Kennedy Community Centre host matches for premiership points for the first time, creating even stronger connections between clubs and their communities.”
AFL Executive General Manager AFLW, Health and Football Operations Laura Kane said the league was excited to unveil a fixture that continued to elevate the competition and deliver more opportunities for fans to engage with AFLW.
“From opening the season under the lights at Marvel Stadium as part of Spud’s Game, through to double-headers and new venues, the 2026 NAB AFLW fixture highlights how far the competition has come and the opportunities that continue to emerge for our players, clubs and fans,” Kane said.
“We know our fans love the unique atmosphere of AFLW matches and this fixture delivers more ways to experience it – whether that’s at heartland venues, major stadiums or through extended matchday experiences.
“As we head into a new era of AFLW, there is strong momentum behind the competition, and we’re excited for it to get underway in August.”
Fans will be able to watch AFLW matches throughout the season across the Seven Network, 7plus, Foxtel, Kayo and Binge.
Tickets for the standalone AFLW matches will go on sale on Tuesday, 21 July, with further ticketing information to be communicated in due course.
