The AFL has announced a new VFL broadcast agreement, which will see Smithy’s VFL matches broadcast by Kayo SPORTS, ABC, the Seven Network and SEN throughout the 2026 season.
Under the expanded broadcast deal, at least 53 Smithy’s VFL matches will be broadcast across the four networks, with more matches to be confirmed once scheduling for Rounds 14 to 21 is confirmed.
Kayo SPORTS will broadcast 16 matches across the opening 13 rounds of the Smithy’s VFL home and away season, with at least one match each round of the regular season to be broadcast throughout the first portion of the season.
A number of Kayo SPORTS’ VFL broadcast games will be curtain-raisers to AFL matches, allowing supporters to watch both their VFL and AFL teams back-to-back on the platform.
In addition, Kayo SPORTS will broadcast Smithy’s VFL finals coverage.
The ABC will broadcast one match each round of the Smithy’s VFL home and away season, along with one final in each of the first three weeks of the Smithy’s VFL Finals Series, and both preliminary finals and the Grand Final.
The ABC broadcast match will generally commence at 12:05pm each Saturday of the regular season, with coverage available on the network’s main channel in Victoria and via ABC iview nationally. Matches will also be simulcast on ABC Radio and available on ABC Listen.
The only exception to the ABC’s Saturday afternoon coverage for the first portion of the Smithy’s VFL season will be the ANZAC Day weekend match between Sandringham and Box Hill Hawks during Round 5, which will be played on Sunday, April 26 from 12:05pm.
And in a huge win for Tasmanian football fans, the Seven Network will broadcast all ten Tasmania Football Club home matches in its debut season in the VFL via Seven Tasmania and 7plus Sport nationally.
Meanwhile, SEN Tasmania will broadcast all home and away matches on radio via SEN Tassie 1629am into Hobart, SENTrack 1611am into Launceston and Devonport, plus they will also be streamed onto the SEN app.
All Smithy’s VFL and VFLW matches will continue to be streamed live and free on AFL platforms via AFL.com.au and the AFL Live Official App.
The Smithy's VFL fixture will be updated to reflect changes in scheduling for broadcast matches where they require amended start times. Click here to view the 2026 Smithy's VFL fixture.
AFL Executive General Manager of Finance, Broadcast and Infrastructure, Matthew Chun, said the new broadcast deal was a great result for footy fans and would showcase the Smithy’s VFL to a broader national audience.
“We are thrilled to be expanding the broadcast coverage of the Smithy’s VFL. This a wonderful result and will bolster the exposure of the competition right across the country,” Chun said.
“The new broadcast deal demonstrates our ongoing commitment to providing football fans with high-quality and accessible coverage and we look forward to working with Kayo SPORTS, ABC, the Seven Network and SEN to deliver an exciting product for all viewers.
“We are delighted our existing AFL and AFLW broadcast partners in Kayo SPORTS, Seven and SEN have extended their coverage to the VFL and we are just as excited to expand our partnership with the ABC, who is an existing radio and international broadcast partner of the AFL.
“The Seven Network will continue as a VFL broadcast partner for a 12th season in a relationship that extends back to 2015, while Foxtel returns having last broadcast VFL matches during in 2021.
“The return of the ABC as a VFL broadcast partner for the first time since 2014 also marks an exciting new chapter in a relationship that previously spanned 27 years when the ABC served as the host broadcaster of the VFA/VFL.”
Foxtel Group Executive Director – Commercial, Sport, Adam Howarth, said: “As partners in the continued growth of Australian sport, Foxtel Group invests more than $1 billion each year in sports rights and production to bring fans closer to the games they love while helping to driving greater participation at grassroots levels.
“Adding VFL coverage to our extensive AFL and AFLW line-up on Kayo SPORTS and Foxtel supports the talent and pathways that underpin Aussie Rules. The VFL plays a vital role in the AFL ecosystem and the expansion of our partnership with the AFL to include VFL will help increase visibility for the competition while strengthening the development layers that keep the game thriving.”
ABC Managing Director, Hugh Marks, said: “We’re delighted to partner with the VFL to deliver live action to footy fans of this foundational AFL competition. Australian football is at the heart of the nation’s sporting culture, and this deal gives us a fantastic opportunity to serve the Australian sporting community, bring live sport back to ABC TV and further strengthen our offering on ABC radio.”
Seven Network’s Head of AFL and Sport Innovation, Gary O’Keeffe, said: “Tasmanians have waited a long time to see the Devils take the field and we can’t wait to bring them all the action on Seven and 7plus Sport. We’re looking forward to bringing every game of the Devils’ inaugural season to their passionate fans in Tasmania and making each match available nationally on 7plus Sport.”
SEG Chief Executive, Craig Hutchison, said: “The Devils have already captured the hearts and imagination of Tasmanian and broader AFL fans alike. To team up with the Seven Network – the biggest TV platform in the Apple Isle, which already has a legion of footy fans who already enjoy their AFL coverage – means Tasmanians will have the perfect new home for the Devils matches and content.”
JamTV Australia Chair, Eddie McGuire, said: “JamTV is delighted that our long association with the VFL will continue long into the future and we have been able to play a part in the promotion and ongoing broadcast of state league football.”
KAYO SPORTS
Kayo SPORTS will broadcast the Smithy’s VFL for the first time since 2021, with 16 matches to be broadcast throughout the first 13 rounds of the home and away season.
Additional matches may be included when scheduling for Rounds 14-21 is confirmed.
Many of Kayo SPORTS’ VFL broadcast games will be curtain-raisers to AFL matches, allowing supporters to watch both their VFL and AFL teams back-to-back on the platform.
The Kayo SPORTS VFL coverage will also be available on Foxtel, and internationally on WatchAFL.
Below is the Kayo SPORTS broadcast schedule for Rounds 1-13.
Round 1: Richmond vs Southport Sharks, Kinetic Stadium, Saturday 21 March, 10:00am
Round 1: Gold Coast Suns vs Werribee, People First Stadium, Sunday 22 March, 11:00am EST / 12:00pm EDT
Round 2: Collingwood vs GWS Giants, Victoria Park, Friday 27 March, 3:00pm
Round 3: North Melbourne vs Carlton, Arden Street Oval, Friday 3 April, 11:30am
Round 3: Port Melbourne vs Sydney Swans, ETU Stadium, Saturday 4 April, 1:00pm
Round 4: Gold Coast Suns vs Essendon, People First Stadium, Saturday 18 April, 9:00am
Round 5: Brisbane Lions vs Port Melbourne, Brighton Homes Arena, Sunday 26 April, 10:00am
Round 6: Sydney Swans vs Casey Demons, Tramway Oval, Sunday 3 May, 12:00pm
Round 7: Casey Demons vs Carlton, Casey Fields, Saturday 9 May, 10:00am
Round 8: Sydney Swans vs Collingwood, Tramway Oval, Friday 15 May, 2:00pm
Round 8: Box Hill Hawks vs Richmond, Box Hill City Oval, Saturday 16 May, 10:00am
Round 9: Richmond vs Essendon, ETU Stadium, Saturday 23 May, 10:00am
Round 10: Sydney Swans vs Richmond, Tramway Oval, Saturday 30 May, 10:00am
Round 11: Sydney Swans vs St Kilda, Tramway Oval, Sunday 7 June, 12:00pm
Round 12: Southport Sharks vs Syndey Swans, Fankhauser Reserve, Saturday 13 June, 10:00am
Round 13: Gold Coast Suns vs Box Hill Hawks, People First Stadium, Friday 19 June, 3:00pm
ABC
The ABC returns as a VFL broadcast partner for the first time in more than a decade, having previously broadcast VFA/VFL games between 1987 and 2014.
The ABC will broadcast one match each round of the Smithy’s VFL home and away season, plus six matches throughout the finals series.
Matches will be broadcast on the network’s main channel in Victoria and ABC iview nationally from 12:05pm each Saturday, except for Round 5 which will feature a Sunday match.
The ABC’s coverage begins with the Round 1 clash between reigning premier Footscray and Casey Demons at Mission Whitten Oval, which will see the Bulldogs unfurl their 2025 premiership flag.
Below is the ABC broadcast schedule for Rounds 1-13.
Round 1: Footscray Bulldogs vs Casey Demons, Mission Whitten Oval, Saturday 21 March, 12:05pm
Round 2: Sandringham vs Werribee, Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval, Saturday 28 March, 12:05pm
Round 3: Werribee vs Geelong Cats, Melbourne Avalon Airport Oval, Saturday 4 April, 12:05pm
Round 4: Coburg vs St Kilda, Barry Plant Park, Saturday 18 April, 12:05pm
Round 5: Sandringham vs Box Hill Hawks, Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval, Sunday 26 April, 12:05pm
Round 6: Carlton vs St Kilda, IKON Park, Saturday 2 May, 12:05pm
Round 7: Collingwood vs Geelong Cats, Victoria Park, Saturday 9 May, 12:05pm
Round 8: Carlton vs Footscray Bulldogs, IKON Park, Saturday 16 May, 12:05pm
Round 9: Werribee vs Collingwood, Melbourne Avalon Airport Oval, Saturday 23 May, 12:05pm
Round 10: Carlton vs Geelong Cats, IKON Park, Saturday 30 May, 12:05pm
Round 11: Collingwood vs Casey Demons, Victoria Park, Saturday 6 June, 12:05pm
Round 12: Footscray Bulldogs vs Sandringham, Mission Whitten Oval, Saturday 13 June, 12:05pm
Round 13: Williamstown vs Casey Demons, DSV Stadium, Saturday 20 June, 12:05pm
SEVEN NETWORK / SEN
The Seven Network will continue its long-standing partnership with the Smithy’s VFL by broadcasting every Tasmania Football Club home match during the 2026 season.
All ten of the Devils’ home games in their debut VFL campaign will be broadcast via Seven Tasmania and 7plus Sport nationally.
Meanwhile, SEN Tasmania will broadcast all home and away matches on radio via SEN Tassie 1629am into Hobart, SENTrack 1611am into Launceston and Devonport, plus they will also be streamed onto the SEN app.
Tasmania will host home games right across the state as the club ramps up preparations for entry into the AFL after being awarded the 19th licence in 2023.
Below is the Seven Network broadcast schedule for Rounds 1-13.
Round 1: Tasmania vs Coburg, North Hobart Oval, Saturday 21 March, 12:05pm
Round 2: Tasmania vs Port Melbourne, UTAS Stadium, Saturday 28 March, 12:05pm
Round 5: Tasmania vs Carlton, Ninja Stadium, Saturday 25 April, 7:05pm
Round 6: Tasmania vs Sandringham, UTAS Stadium, Sunday 3 May, 12:05pm
Round 8: Tasmania vs Southport Sharks, North Hobart Oval, Saturday 16 May, 12:05pm
Round 11: Tasmania vs North Melbourne, North Hobart Oval, Saturday 6 June, 12:05pm
Round 12: Tasmania vs Richmond, UTAS Stadium, Saturday 13 June, 12:05pm
AFL.COM.AU / AFL LIVE OFFICIAL APP
All Smithy’s VFL and VFLW matches will continue to be streamed live and free on AFL platforms via AFL.com.au and the AFL Live Official App.
