THE OPENING day of the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships has been shifted from Carrara on the Gold Coast to Visy Park at Carlton this Saturday.

Torrential rain on the Gold Coast forced the council to shut down all grounds in the region, which forced the AFL to switch the matches to Victoria.

Queensland and New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory will now play the first of a double-header at 11.15am, with Tasmania and Northern Territory following at 2pm.

These two matches will be the first of 20 games to be held in this year's series.

Matches will also be played at Subiaco, Skilled Stadium, TIO Stadium, Rouse Hill, Bellerive, AAMI Stadium, ANZ Stadium and Casey Fields.

The championships will then conclude on Wednesday July 1 with a four-match header at Docklands.

The AFL wishes to thank Qantas and Jetstar for their assistance in relocating the teams for Saturday's games.