RICHMOND and Essendon will clash in a showpiece match at Optus Stadium next season as part of a two-year arrangement that will build on the clubs' Dreamtime legacy. 

In addition to the iconic Dreamtime at the 'G game, which will remain the centrepiece of Sir Doug Nicholls Round, the Tigers and Bombers will meet in Perth in round 16 to coincide with NAIDOC Week. 

DREAMTIME AT MAALI Read the AFL's full statement here

In a two-year agreement with the Western Australia Government for 2027 and 2028, the match has been dubbed Dreamtime at Maali and will headline a landmark weekend of football in the state, with WA also hosting the 2027 Australian Football Hall of Fame.

The second Dreamtime match, which draws its name 'Maali' from the Noongar word for black swan, is scheduled for Sunday, July 4 before the Hall of Fame on Tuesday, July 6. 

It will mark the second time Richmond and Essendon have hosted a Dreamtime game in WA after more than 55,000 fans packed Optus Stadium for the showpiece game during the pandemic in 2021. 

"Australian Football belongs to fans right across the country, and we are pleased to bring the Dreamtime Game and the Australian Football Hall of Fame to Perth as part of an incredible weekend for the game," AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon said. 

"The Dreamtime Game is one of the most powerful fixtures on the AFL calendar. This second Dreamtime fixture in Perth during NAIDOC Week will enable more supporters to share in its celebration of First Nations cultures and the extraordinary contribution of First Nations people to our game.

"Bringing the Hall of Fame to Western Australia for the first time will also allow us to celebrate the people who have shaped Australian Football in a state with a proud and enduring football history." 

Richmond chief executive Shane Dunne said the Tigers and Essendon wanted the new Dreamtime game to become a "lasting part of the AFL calendar" and something WA can embrace. 

The match will take place during school holidays, with Dunne and Bombers counterpart Tim Roberts hopeful that members and fans would take the opportunity to travel for the match. 

"What started as Dreamtime at the 'G has become an important platform to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, and the enormous contribution Indigenous people have made to our game, while creating opportunities for storytelling, conversation and connection," Dunne said. 

"Dreamtime at Maali is the next chapter in that story. 

"Maali, the Noongar word for black swan, gives this game its own identity and a strong connection to Western Australia. Just as importantly, we want the game and everything that surrounds it to be shaped through genuine engagement with local community, particularly the opportunities to engage and connect with young people."

Dreamtime at Maali will add to a major year of football in Western Australia, with the 2027 AAMI AFL Origin scheduled for Saturday, February 27 at Optus Stadium.

Fremantle and West Coast will both open their seasons at home, with the Dockers taking on the Western Bulldogs in a Thursday night blockbuster at Optus Stadium on March 18.

The Eagles host Gold Coast in a Sunday season opener on March 21.