The AFL has today announced AFL Commissioner Gabrielle Trainor AO, Australian Football Hall of Fame member Debbie Lee and Irish sporting legend Cora Staunton as trophy and medal presenters for the 2026 NAB AFLW Australia v Ireland match.
Trainor, who has served on the AFL Commission since 2016 and played a significant role in the growth of women's football and the game more broadly across New South Wales, will present the trophy to the winning team following the match at North Sydney Oval on Saturday, 1 August.
As chair of selectors for Australia, Lee will present the best-on-ground medal if awarded to an Australian player, while Staunton, as chair of selectors for Ireland, will present the medal if awarded to an Irish player.
The best-on-ground medal will be awarded to the player who receives the most votes from Australia and Ireland senior coaches Darren Crocker and Colin O’Riordan, who will each vote on a 3-2-1 basis.
If the event of a tie, AFL Executive General Manager of AFLW, Health and Football Operations Laura Kane will cast the deciding vote.
AFL Commissioner Gabrielle Trainor AO said:
“I’m delighted to have the honour of presenting the trophy to the winning team following the inaugural NAB AFLW Australia v Ireland match.
“This historic clash will showcase some of the best established and emerging talent in AFLW, and I know both teams will represent their countries with great pride.
“The response from fans has been incredible and I’m looking forward to seeing a sold-out North Sydney Oval come to life on Saturday afternoon for what promises to be a great contest and a wonderful celebration of women’s football and how far our game has come.”
The 2026 NAB AFLW Australia v Ireland match will be played under Australian Football rules using a classic Sherrin football and will bring together some of the competition's biggest stars and emerging talent, celebrating the continued growth of women’s football and the strong connection between AFLW and Ireland.
Following the strong demand for the match, the AFL is pleased to confirm a limited number of additional tickets will be released at today, Tuesday 28 July, at 2pm AEST via Ticketmaster.
The match will start at 4.15pm and be broadcast live nationally on Fox Footy, Kayo Sports, Kayo Freebies and Binge.
Fans across Sydney can also experience the excitement of the occasion beyond North Sydney Oval by attending a watch party at participating venues.
These include the Coogee Bay Hotel (Coogee), PJ O’Brien’s (Sydney CBD), Clovelly Hotel (Clovelly), Shea’s (Clovelly), Rag & Famish (North Sydney), The Henson Park Hotel (Marrickville), The Bellevue Hotel (Paddington), Club Five Dock RSL (Five Dock) and Pumphouse Sydney (Darling Harbour).
The W Club at The Aviary Hotel (Abbotsford) will also host a watch party for fans across Melbourne.
For more information about the 2026 NAB AFLW Australia v Ireland match, visit AUSVIRL.AFL
