AFL Chief Executive Andrew Dillon has not hidden his eagerness to add more regular marquee fixtures to the home and away season, reviving the State of Origin concept in February 2026 and moving closer towards a new end-of-season International Rules series.
Dillon has been rewarded with an ANZAC Day that falls on Saturday in 2026, enabling the league to pack four fixtures in four regions into the schedule in addition to the new traditional ANZAC Day Eve match between Melbourne and Richmond, which on a Friday night will attract close to a sell-out crowd.
Additional Friday night double headers have been added to the early rounds of the season, including the first Sydney derby of 2026 which will commence 30 minutes after a Round 6 game between Geelong and the Western Bulldogs at GMHBA Stadium.
Carlton will regularly feature in the Thursday night program in the opening months, beginning with the Round 1 fixture against Richmond followed by matches against Adelaide and Collingwood.
Reigning Premiers Brisbane have been handed just three Thursday/Friday night primetime matches, hosting Carlton and Geelong in successive weeks (rounds 9/10) in addition to an Easter Thursday game against the Pies.
The divisive 'Opening Round' will see the four QLD/NSW clubs host matches on Friday and Saturday March 6-7 before St Kilda and Collingwood compete at the MCG in a standalone Sunday game, four days before Round 1 commences.
Whilst Ballarat has missed out on its usual two Western Bulldogs home games in 2026 due to renovations at Mars Stadium capping capacity to 5,000 spectators, the league has continued to extend its footprint across the country with games to take place in Bunbury, Alice Springs, Canberra, Launceston as well as the two Gather Round matches in the Barossa Valley.
Here's how some of the clubs reacted to the fixture release on Thursday afternoon:
- West Coast welcomed the announcement of six marquee home games, including a WA Day Eve game against Essendon and the first Western Derby on April 19. The Eagles will also stay in Western Australia for an entire months thanks to a bye and North Melbourne selling a home game to Western Australia.
- Geelong acknowledged the scheduling of ten home games at GHMBA Stadium, including five against Melbourne-based clubs such as Richmond, St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs.
- Sydney are delighted to be opening the season with a game against Charlie Curnow's former employers Carlton as well as the first Sydney Derby and their 'Marn Grook at the SCG' against Collingwood in Round 10.
- Adelaide are pleased to be playing nine of their first 15 games in their home city thanks to Gather Round and an away Showdown in Round 16. They are anticipating huge crowds against popular Victorian teams Carlton, Collingwood and Richmond.
- Essendon are looking forward to five home games at the MCG in Rounds 1-15, three of which (Hawthorn, Collingwood, Carlton) are expected to draw more than 80,000 spectators. They also acknowledged a record amount of 'fan-friendly' Saturday and Sunday matches. They are aiming for a record home and away crowd in a match between the Bombers and Hawks in Round 1.
- Carlton are pleased to be opening both the season (away to Sydney) and Gather Round (away to Adelaide) in addition to their annual Good Friday 'Super Clash' against North Melbourne and a Thursday night school holidays fixture against Collingwood. Five of their first six matches will be played on Thursday or Friday nights, four of them against fellow non-finalists, which should be a soft run into the season.
- North Melbourne will be hosting nine home games at Marvel Stadium in 2026, playing at the venue 12 times in total, after wrapping up their two-game deal with Hobart last year.
- St Kilda are not set to play an interstate home and away game beyond their Round 13 trip to Sydney thanks to a bye and four away games against Victorian opposition.