THE DATES for the 2026 Telstra AFL Draft have been locked in, with a three-day gap between the national and rookie drafts this year.

The first round of the national draft will be held on Thursday, November 19 and the remaining rounds on Friday, November 20.

There will then be a gap over the weekend before the rookie draft is staged on Monday, November 23 at 3pm AEDT.

The move represents a shift from recent years, when the national draft has been held over a Wednesday and Thursday and the rookie draft on the Friday.

The draft process will follow the annual trade and free agency periods in October, dates for which were confirmed to clubs on Wednesday.

The Continental Tyres Trade Period will start on Monday, October 5 and run until Wednesday, October 14, with a prime time finish again, while the free agency week will commence on Friday, October 2 and go through until Friday, October 9. 

AFL.com.au will broadcast live and exclusively the 2026 Telstra AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft next Tuesday at 6.30pm AEST.