THE IMPENDING arrival of the AFL's 19th team in Tasmania looms as a key sticking point in negotiations around Gather Round's long-term future in South Australia, as talks between the League and government officials continue to progress.

The three-year deal keeping the AFL's Gather Round in South Australia is due to expire after this weekend, with state premier Peter Malinauskas continuing to push for a renewed long-term agreement beyond 2026.

Gather Round was initially introduced as an additional 23rd game on the AFL's calendar, with the arrival of Tasmania in 2028 meaning the schedule will either need to be reduced back to 22 matches or increased to 24.

Speaking on Wednesday ahead of the fourth instalment of Gather Round kicking off later this week, AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon said it had added another layer of "complexity" to the ongoing negotiations.

"When you're talking about an additional game that wasn't part of the collective agreement … we've got a 19th team coming into the competition in 2028, which means we'll have a new competition structure," Dillon said.

"We'll have to move back to 22 matches or up to 24, the way that the math works with an uneven number of teams and an even number of matches. There is some complexity in it."

Malinauskas joked that he was looking to lock Gather Round into South Australia for the next "20 years", saying "we'd love it for as long as possible" and suggesting that the negotiations were progressing smoothly.

"Andrew has got a really significant responsibility, as do I," Malinauskas said.

"It's about making sure that we approach the negotiations in good faith. I think there's plenty of that. There is complexity. We've got our ambitions and the AFL has got theirs. We want to make sure we get those lined up as best as possible. If we're able to do that, hopefully we can land a deal sooner rather than later.

"But I think we're both of the view that it's better to get it right than rushed. I would love to [get a deal done this weekend], but I'm not putting a value on the timing of any deal.

"What I'm putting value on is making sure we get it right and there are a range of considerations and a range of complexities, particularly with the additional team coming into the competition.

"What does that look like? What does it mean for Gather Round? There are things that we can work through and we understand that they're legitimate considerations on behalf of the AFL and we have an interest in those as well. We're just making sure we get that right."

New South Wales had initially been in the conversation for Gather Round fixtures when the event was introduced ahead of the 2023 season, while Tasmania has also been suggested as a potential home once the Devils arrive in 2028.

But Dillon praised the manner in which South Australia had hosted the first four instalments of Gather Round, with Malinauskas indicating that hotel bookings and ticket sales suggest the 2026 edition could be the biggest yet.

"What we're looking forward to is obviously a massive weekend of footy," Dillon said.

"We're having discussions and I think South Australia has put its best foot forward over a number of years. South Australians, and all of Australians, have embraced Gather Round.

"We're looking forward to fruitful discussions with the premier over the next couple of days."