THE FIXTURE for the 2026 NAB AFLW season is now here, and diaries are being filled in all over the country.

We've poured over all 12 rounds and pulled out your team's must-watch game, whether it be because of the opponent, past history, rivalry, new coach or even a brand new ground.

The AFLW season begins on August 9, with pre-season currently underway.

R1 v Sydney, Sunday, August 16 at Thomas Farms Oval

The first game under new coach Ryan Davis, and a new dawn for Adelaide, who will be without inaugural star Anne Hatchard for the first time. This will be the game to get our first read at the refreshed Crows, and to find out whether Davis intends on making wholesale changes to the players and gameplan. It'll also be a fascinating match-up against Sydney, who is on its own new path under Colin O'Riordan. If the Swans are fully fit, the pair should be fairly evenly matched, and both like to score heavily.

R6 v Adelaide, Sunday, September 20 at Brighton Homes Arena

It is the most embedded rivalry in the AFLW, dating back to the very first Grand Final in 2017, and as the Lions and Crows prepare to face off for a record 15th time in round six, there will be a little more vigour after head of footy Breeanna Brock and assistant coach Ryan Davis made the move south over the summer. A key part of the Lions' birth, Brock helped build the program from the ground up back in 2016, but will now lead the Crows in the same role since former head of footy Phil Harper moved on. Meanwhile Davis took the reins as head coach following Matthew Clarke's retirement at the end of last year. Of their 14 meetings to date, the Lions have won 11 – including the last seven dating back to 2022 S7.

R12 v Brisbane, Saturday, October 31 at Brighton Homes Arena

Mathew Buck's side will be hoping to cause a Halloween upset when it faces the Lions. Given it's a final round fixture, it's likely this game will have top eight ramifications (whether that be qualification or positioning), while Carlton sensationally defeated Brisbane on its home deck in last year's meeting. The Lions then cut short the Blues' sparkling finals run in November, and there'll be a few players keen to atone after their colours were lowered by the eventual Grand Finalists.

R1 v Richmond, Saturday, August 15 at Ikon Park

Following a disappointing 15th-placed finish in 2025, in which it won just three games, Collingwood moved on 11 players – two traded, nine delisted – in an attempt to refresh the list. The club cashed in on rookie signings, with netballers Olivia Lewis and Maisie Nankivell, as well as Irish recruit Ellie Brady joining, while it also went heavy on the draft. So, round one is the first chance for fans to get a look at the side after so much change, while also crossing fingers that injured players like Mattea Breed, Ash Centra, and Brianna Davey can get back on the park. Facing an equally-uprooted side like Richmond means anything might be possible in round one, as they aim to get off to the best of starts.

R6 v Gold Coast, Sunday, September 20 at Windy Hill

With Essendon still needing to win its first final in the AFLW competition, winning games like this – that are straightforward on paper – will go a long way to breaking back into the top eight. By round six, the young Suns may be humming, or the first-year players might be starting to struggle, and a more senior Essendon side should bank the points and move on. 

R1 v Port Adelaide, Sunday, August 16 at Cockburn

For the first time since joining the AFLW, Fremantle will not host its home games at Fremantle Oval. Rather, it makes its training base of Cockburn home this year, hosting its six home games at the venue. Round one against the Power will be the fans' first look at the venue, where the Dockers will aim to unveil boom recruit Eden Zanker against a fan-favourite Port Adelaide side. Of the Dockers' 96 AFLW games to date, 44 have been played at Fremantle Oval, so the change in venue is a significant shift out west for 2026.

R7 v Hawthorn, Thursday, September 24 at GMHBA Stadium

These two sides will meet on Grand Final Thursday for a third consecutive year, having put in the work to start building out a rivalry similar to the men's Easter Monday clash. Geelong was disappointing last year, and given the talent on its list, is expected to rebound under new coach Mick Stinear. Hawthorn should pose a tough challenge, given its ability to get wins on the board despite not playing its best footy last year.

R8 v Brisbane, Saturday, October 3 at Brighton Homes Arena

2026 signals a shift for Gold Coast, where it has gone all-in on Queensland talent in the hopes of becoming a powerhouse of the AFLW. At the 2025 Telstra AFLW draft, the Suns snagged eight of their highly rated academy products, including the in-demand Sunny Lappin, eye-catching Ava Usher, and power forward Dekota Baron. Round eight is the first time we will get to see all that Queensland talent on show against big sister Brisbane, who is also stacked with local products. The Suns have never won a QClash, and while this year might not produce a breakthrough win, there is certainly a feeling that so much top-end talent will help narrow the gap.

R5 v Sydney, Sunday, September 13 at Henson Park

Not a home game for the Giants, but should be a wonderful atmosphere for the Sydney Derby at Henson Park nonetheless. There is genuine (on-field) animosity between these two sides, and the head-to-head battle sits at 2-2, with GWS winning the last encounter in a shock upset. Aside from the first Derby in Sydney's first season, all have been incredibly tight, and this rivalry is the furthest thing from manufactured.

R6 v North Melbourne, Friday, September 18 at Cazalys Stadium

There was so much build up to the Hawks finally facing the Kangaroos last year, as the final matchup to take place in the AFLW, and although they ultimately played twice in the space of two weeks, neither covered Hawthorn in glory. This year the club will be determined to have a better showing against the reining premier, and will do so on its own terms as the Roos will have to travel to the Hawks' home away from home in Cairns. In the humidity of the north, things equalise a little, and if Hawthorn is serious about taking another step forward, this will be a significant game to prove exactly that.

R7 v North Melbourne, Friday, September 25 at Ikon Park

While reigning premier North Melbourne features in quite a few of these match-ups, no other side pushed the Roos closer to the brink than Melbourne did last year. In one of the best games of AFLW ever seen, the Demons led for most of the game, with the might of the Roos only overrunning them in the final 10 minutes. Friday night, hours before the men's Grand Final, you can settle in on the couch or in the stands and watch the best of women's football.

R5 v Carlton, Sunday, September 13 at Arden Street

An important part of any new season is the opportunity to see the reigning premier unfurl its hard-fought flag at home. For North Melbourne fans, they have to wait until round five, given the Roos' first two home games will be at Marvel Stadium – as part of a double-header with the men's program – and UTAS stadium. Adding to it all, North Melbourne has never lost to Carlton, and despite the Blues' improving form, the Roos will be hell-bent on maintaining that perfect record against the inaugural side.

R8 v Adelaide, Saturday, October 3 at Alberton Oval

A home Showdown at Alberton, defending last year's breakthrough win – what more can you want as a Port Adelaide fan? The Power fans love making a ruckus at Alberton, and have quickly created a properly hostile environment for opposition players and fans alike. Port Adelaide will be looking to record its second-ever victory over cross-town rival Adelaide, and its young stars have had another pre-season in the gym and on the track.

R9 v Adelaide, Saturday, October 10 at Ikon Park

In a tough, tough season last year, Richmond landed its breakthrough win somewhat surprisingly against perennial contender Adelaide in round eight. It was the first time the Tigers had bested the Crows, and now, following an off-season of significant change for both sides, there will be a hope that Richmond can make it two in a row. It is one of eight games that Richmond will play at Ikon Park across the season, and by round nine, it should be an expert at making the venue work for it. 

R1 v Carlton, Sunday, August 9 at Marvel Stadium

The club's AFLW team will be playing its first game at Marvel Stadium, and not only that, kicking off the whole season as part of a double-header against Carlton. The match will serve as a celebration of Spud's Game, and the twilight slot has clean air, with no men's game scheduled. St Kilda will be looking to back up its maiden finals appearance, while the Blues have plenty to prove after an outstanding 2025.

R8 v North Melbourne, Sunday, October 4 at Arden Street

Sydney's record against North Melbourne is poor, to say the least. Across three matches, the Swans have lost by an average of 64.7 points and have really struggled to fire a shot. This season, with a new coach in charge, a stronger focus on team defence, and the addition of spearhead Taylor Smith ahead of the ball, this game will be a good chance to gage just how much Sydney has progressed. Fans will head out to Arden Street maybe not expecting victory, but desperate simply for a competitive showing. A strong performance against the Roos – win or loss – will confirm that the Swans are growing in the right direction.

R8 v Fremantle, Sunday, October 4 at Sullivan Logistics Stadium, Leederville

Surely, the time is now for West Coast's maiden Western Derby win? The Eagles have lost all eight matches against the Dockers (with two played in a Covid-affected 2021 season), but have inched closer, year by year. West Coast now has the talent across all three lines to match it with its big AFLW sister, and after last year's first finals qualification, should now have the confidence in big games.

R9 v Essendon, Friday, October 9 at Whitten Oval

For a long time, the Western Bulldogs have done pride beautifully, and their clash with Essendon will open the AFLW's pride fixtures to take place across rounds nine and 10. Enthusiastic crowds, and entertainment bookings will no doubt be on the cards, but an increasing drawcard of this fixture is the style of footy the Bulldogs are working to produce. As they make Whitten Oval a genuine fortress – winning their last two at the venue by 57 points each – the resurgence of the Western Bulldogs has become an enthralling watch.