THE FIRST ever Australia v Ireland women's game will be held at the start of August, but a reboot of the men's International Rules series has been pushed back until at least next year. 

The last series between Australia and Ireland was held in 2017 before attempts were made in 2020 and 2022 to bring the concept back to life. 

There had been a renewed push to reintroduce the series in 2026, following meetings between AFL CEO Andrew Dillon and Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) president Jarlath Burns in late 2024 and then a visit from then League football operations staff Ned Guy and Josh Mahoney to Ireland last year.

That plan is understood to have been shelved for this year, but both leagues are working towards a return in 2027, most likely in Ireland for the first time since 2015. 

The AFL reintroduced State of Origin football earlier this year and are committed to playing it again in Perth in 2027 and then in Adelaide in 2028. 

Representative football returned in 2024 when the first Indigenous All-Stars game was held in a decade. 

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The AFL, led by GM of operations, commercial, strategy and growth Tristan Salter, has held ongoing conversations with the GAA this year, but will now focus on the first women's fixture at North Sydney Oval on August 1. 

Unlike the men's fixtures, this game will be played under Australian Rules with a Sherrin. There are almost 50 Irishwomen playing across the AFLW competition.