2026 AFL season
| 2026 AFL premiership season | |
|---|---|
| Date | 5 March – 26 September 2026 |
| Teams | 18 |
The 2026 AFL season is the upcoming 130th season of the Australian Football League (AFL), the highest-level senior men's Australian rules football competition in Australia. The season will feature 18 clubs and run from 5 March to 26 September, comprising a 23-match home-and-away season over 25 rounds, with a five-week finals series featuring the top ten clubs to occur for the first time.
Background
The following rule and competition changes were made for the 2026 season:[1][2]
- The ball would no longer be bounced in the centre of the ground by a field umpire at the start of quarters and after goals, and would be thrown up instead. This was done because the skill of bouncing the ball was hindering the development of umpires, and that the change would allow umpires to focus more on decision-making, reduce the likelihood of players making accidental contact with players, and reduce game length.[1]
- Ruckmen would no longer be allowed to cross the centre line during centre ball-ups.
- The substitute rule was removed in favour of a five-player interchange.
- The starting positions rule (6–6–6 rule) would no longer require at least one player from each team to be in each goal square for centre ball-ups.
- The out of bounds rules were amended to award a free kick against the last team to dispose of the ball, if the ball crossed the boundary line between the 50-metre arcs directly from that disposal.
- Players taking kick-ins would only be given eight seconds to advance the ball forward, down from approximately twelve seconds.
- Ruck nominations were no longer required for a field umpire to restart play at ball-ups.
- If a player shrugs a tackle, it will be adjudged prior opportunity, similar to fend-offs or other attempts to evade tackles.
- Players inside the five-metre 'protected area' after marks or free kicks will be required to stand rather than move out of the area.
The AFL introduced a wildcard finals round, adding an extra week to the existing finals series and increasing the number of finalists from eight to ten; at the end of the home-and-away season, the seventh-placed team would host the tenth-placed team and eighth would host ninth in wildcard finals, before the remainder of the finals series would continue as per the previous final eight system.[3] The change was the first change to the AFL finals system since 2000.[4] The change was negatively received by the AFL Fans Association;[3] however, sports rights analyst Colin Smith explained that the league was protecting the value of the current $4.5 billion broadcast right deal by implementing the new system, with more finalists meaning fewer dead rubber matches later in the home-and-away season.[5]
A State of Origin match will also take place for the first time since 1999, with Western Australia playing Victoria at Optus Stadium on 14 February 2026.[6]
Coach appointments
| New coach | Club | Date of appointment | Previous coach | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Carr | Port Adelaide | 12 February 2025[a] | Ken Hinkley | [7] |
| Steven King | Melbourne | 12 September 2025 | Simon Goodwin | [8] |
Club leadership
| Club | Coach | Leadership group | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Captain(s) | Vice-captain(s) | Other leader(s) | ||
| Adelaide | ||||
| Brisbane Lions | ||||
| Carlton | ||||
| Collingwood | ||||
| Essendon | Brad Scott[9] | Andrew McGrath | Jye Caldwell, Sam Durham, Brayden Fiorini, Kyle Langford, Nic Martin, Mason Redman[10] | |
| Fremantle | ||||
| Geelong | ||||
| Gold Coast | ||||
| Greater Western Sydney | ||||
| Hawthorn | ||||
| Melbourne | Steven King[8] | |||
| North Melbourne | Nick Larkey | Harry Sheezel | Charlie Comben, Luke Davies-Uniacke, Tristan Xerri, Cameron Zurhaar[11] | |
| Port Adelaide | Josh Carr[7] | |||
| Richmond | ||||
| St Kilda | ||||
| Sydney | ||||
| West Coast | ||||
| Western Bulldogs | ||||
Pre-season
State of Origin
| 2026 AFL Origin | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 14 February (4:40 pm) | Western Australia | v | Victoria | Optus Stadium | |
| Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 |
|||||
Practice matches
All starting times are local time. Source: afl.com.au
| Official practice matches | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday, 25 February (7:10 pm) | Carlton | v | Geelong | Ikon Park | |
| Thursday, 26 February (4:10 pm) | Sydney | v | Greater Western Sydney | Henson Park | |
| Thursday, 26 February (6:10 pm) | Brisbane Lions | v | Gold Coast | Brighton Homes Arena | |
| Friday, 27 February (4:10 pm) | Melbourne | v | Richmond | Mars Stadium | |
| Friday, 27 February (7:10 pm) | Western Bulldogs | v | Hawthorn | Mission Whitten Oval | |
| Saturday, 28 February (3:10 pm) | St Kilda | v | Essendon | Mars Stadium | |
| Saturday, 28 February (3:10 pm) | Fremantle | v | Adelaide | Lane Group Stadium | |
| Sunday, 1 March (3:10 pm) | North Melbourne | v | Collingwood | Mars Stadium | |
| Sunday, 1 March (3:10 pm) | West Coast | v | Port Adelaide | Mineral Resources Park | |
Home-and-away season
All starting times are local time. Source: afl.com.au
Opening Round
| Opening Round | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, 5 March (7:30 pm) | Sydney | v | Carlton | Sydney Cricket Ground | |
| Friday, 6 March (7:05 pm) | Gold Coast | v | Geelong | People First Stadium | |
| Saturday, 7 March (4:15 pm) | Greater Western Sydney | v | Hawthorn | Engie Stadium | |
| Saturday, 7 March (6:35 pm) | Brisbane Lions | v | Western Bulldogs | The Gabba | |
| Sunday, 8 March (7:20 pm) | St Kilda | v | Collingwood | Melbourne Cricket Ground | |
| Bye |
|||||
Round 1
| Round 1 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, 12 March (7:30 pm) | Carlton | v | Richmond | Melbourne Cricket Ground | |
| Friday, 13 March (7:40 pm) | Essendon | v | Hawthorn | Melbourne Cricket Ground | |
| Saturday, 14 March (1:15 pm) | Western Bulldogs | v | Greater Western Sydney | Marvel Stadium | |
| Saturday, 14 March (4:15 pm) | Geelong | v | Fremantle | GMHBA Stadium | |
| Saturday, 14 March (7:10 pm) | Sydney | v | Brisbane Lions | Sydney Cricket Ground | |
| Saturday, 14 March (7:35 pm) | Collingwood | v | Adelaide | Melbourne Cricket Ground | |
| Sunday, 15 March (1:10 pm) | North Melbourne | v | Port Adelaide | Marvel Stadium | |
| Sunday, 15 March (3:15 pm) | Melbourne | v | St Kilda | Melbourne Cricket Ground | |
| Sunday, 15 March (5:10 pm) | Gold Coast | v | West Coast | People First Stadium | |
Round 2
| Round 2 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, 19 March (7:30 pm) | Hawthorn | v | Sydney | Melbourne Cricket Ground | |
| Friday, 20 March (7:10 pm) | Adelaide | v | Western Bulldogs | Adelaide Oval | |
| Saturday, 21 March (1:15 pm) | Richmond | v | Gold Coast | Melbourne Cricket Ground | |
| Saturday, 21 March (4:15 pm) | Greater Western Sydney | v | St Kilda | Engie Stadium | |
| Saturday, 21 March (4:35 pm) | Fremantle | v | Melbourne | Optus Stadium | |
| Sunday, 22 March (2:45 pm) | Port Adelaide | v | Essendon | Adelaide Oval | |
| Sunday, 22 March (3:10 pm) | West Coast | v | North Melbourne | Optus Stadium | |
| Bye |
|||||
Round 3
| Round 3 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, 26 March (7:30 pm) | Geelong | v | Adelaide | GMHBA Stadium | |
| Friday, 27 March (7:40 pm) | Collingwood | v | Greater Western Sydney | Marvel Stadium | |
| Saturday, 28 March (12:35 pm) | St Kilda | v | Brisbane Lions | Marvel Stadium | |
| Saturday, 28 March (1:15 pm) | Fremantle | v | Richmond | Optus Stadium | |
| Saturday, 28 March (7:35 pm) | Essendon | v | North Melbourne | Marvel Stadium | |
| Sunday, 29 March (12:00 pm) | Port Adelaide | v | West Coast | Adelaide Oval | |
| Sunday, 29 March (3:15 pm) | Carlton | v | Melbourne | Melbourne Cricket Ground | |
| Bye |
|||||
Round 4
| Round 4 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, 2 April (6:30 pm) | Brisbane Lions | v | Collingwood | The Gabba | |
| Friday, 3 April (3:15 pm) | North Melbourne | v | Carlton | Marvel Stadium | |
| Friday, 3 April (6:45 pm) | Adelaide | v | Fremantle | Adelaide Oval | |
| Saturday, 4 April (4:15 pm) | Richmond | v | Port Adelaide | Melbourne Cricket Ground | |
| Saturday, 4 April (4:35 pm) | West Coast | v | Sydney | Optus Stadium | |
| Sunday, 5 April (3:15 pm) | Melbourne | v | Gold Coast | Melbourne Cricket Ground | |
| Sunday, 5 April (7:20 pm) | Western Bulldogs | v | Essendon | Marvel Stadium | |
| Monday, 6 April (3:15 pm) | Hawthorn | v | Geelong | Melbourne Cricket Ground | |
| Bye |
|||||
Round 5
| Round 5 (Gather Round) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, 9 April (7:10 pm) | Adelaide | v | Carlton | Adelaide Oval | |
| Friday, 10 April (7:10 pm) | Collingwood | v | Fremantle | Adelaide Oval | |
| Saturday, 11 April (12:05 pm) | North Melbourne | v | Brisbane Lions | Barossa Park | |
| Saturday, 11 April (12:45 pm) | Essendon | v | Melbourne | Adelaide Oval | |
| Saturday, 11 April (3:45 pm) | Sydney | v | Gold Coast | Norwood Oval | |
| Saturday, 11 April (7:05 pm) | Hawthorn | v | Western Bulldogs | Adelaide Oval | |
| Sunday, 12 April (12:00 pm) | Geelong | v | West Coast | Norwood Oval | |
| Sunday, 12 April (2:45 pm) | Greater Western Sydney | v | Richmond | Barossa Park | |
| Sunday, 12 April (6:45 pm) | Port Adelaide | v | St Kilda | Adelaide Oval | |
Round 6
| Round 6 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, 16 April (7:30 pm) | Carlton | v | Collingwood | Melbourne Cricket Ground | |
| Friday, 17 April (7:20 pm) | Geelong | v | Western Bulldogs | GMHBA Stadium | |
| Friday, 17 April (7:50 pm) | Sydney | v | Greater Western Sydney | Sydney Cricket Ground | |
| Saturday, 18 April (1:15 pm) | Gold Coast | v | Essendon | People First Stadium | |
| Saturday, 18 April (4:15 pm) | Hawthorn | v | Port Adelaide | Marvel Stadium | |
| Saturday, 18 April (7:05 pm) | Adelaide | v | St Kilda | Adelaide Oval | |
| Sunday, 19 April (1:10 pm) | North Melbourne | v | Richmond | Marvel Stadium | |
| Sunday, 19 April (3:15 pm) | Melbourne | v | Brisbane Lions | Melbourne Cricket Ground | |
| Sunday, 19 April (3:10 pm) | West Coast | v | Fremantle | Optus Stadium | |
Round 7
| Round 7 (Anzac Appeal Round) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, 23 April (7:30 pm) | Western Bulldogs | v | Sydney | Marvel Stadium | |
| Friday, 24 April (7:40 pm) | Richmond | v | Melbourne | Melbourne Cricket Ground | |
| Saturday, 25 April (12:15 pm) | Hawthorn | v | Gold Coast | University of Tasmania Stadium | |
| Saturday, 25 April (3:15 pm) | Essendon | v | Collingwood | Melbourne Cricket Ground | |
| Saturday, 25 April (6:05 pm) | Port Adelaide | v | Geelong | Adelaide Oval | |
| Saturday, 25 April (6:15 pm) | Fremantle | v | Carlton | Optus Stadium | |
| Sunday, 26 April (1:10 pm) | St Kilda | v | West Coast | Marvel Stadium | |
| Sunday, 26 April (3:15 pm) | Brisbane Lions | v | Adelaide | The Gabba | |
| Sunday, 26 April (4:40 pm) | Greater Western Sydney | v | North Melbourne | Corroboree Group Oval | |
Round 8
| Round 8 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, 30 April (7:30 pm) | Collingwood | v | Hawthorn | Melbourne Cricket Ground | |
| Friday, 1 May (7:30 pm) | Western Bulldogs | v | Fremantle | Marvel Stadium | |
| Friday, 1 May (7:40 pm) | Adelaide | v | Port Adelaide | Adelaide Oval | |
| Saturday, 2 May (12:35 pm) | Essendon | v | Brisbane Lions | Marvel Stadium | |
| Saturday, 2 May (2:15 pm) | West Coast | v | Richmond | Optus Stadium | |
| Saturday, 2 May (4:35 pm) | Geelong | v | North Melbourne | GMHBA Stadium | |
| Saturday, 2 May (7:35 pm) | Carlton | v | St Kilda | Marvel Stadium | |
| Sunday, 3 May (3:15 pm) | Sydney | v | Melbourne | Sydney Cricket Ground | |
| Sunday, 3 May (7:20 pm) | Gold Coast | v | Greater Western Sydney | People First Stadium | |
Round 9
| Round 9 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, 7 May (6:10 pm) | Fremantle | v | Hawthorn | Optus Stadium | |
| Friday, 8 May (7:30 pm) | Brisbane Lions | v | Carlton | The Gabba | |
| Friday, 8 May (7:40 pm) | Port Adelaide | v | Western Bulldogs | Adelaide Oval | |
| Saturday, 9 May (12:35 pm) | North Melbourne | v | Sydney | Marvel Stadium | |
| Saturday, 9 May (4:15 pm) | Greater Western Sydney | v | Essendon | Engie Stadium | |
| Saturday, 9 May (6:40 pm) | Gold Coast | v | St Kilda | TIO Stadium | |
| Saturday, 9 May (7:35 pm) | Geelong | v | Collingwood | Melbourne Cricket Ground | |
| Sunday, 10 May (1:10 pm) | Melbourne | v | West Coast | Marvel Stadium | |
| Sunday, 10 May (3:15 pm) | Richmond | v | Adelaide | Melbourne Cricket Ground | |
Round 10
| Round 10 (Sir Doug Nicholls Round week 1) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, 14 May (7:30 pm) | Brisbane Lions | v | Geelong | The Gabba | |
| Friday, 15 May (7:30 pm) | Sydney | v | Collingwood | Sydney Cricket Ground | |
| Friday, 15 May (7:40 pm) | Gold Coast | v | Port Adelaide | TIO Stadium | |
| Saturday, 16 May (12:45 pm) | Adelaide | v | North Melbourne | Adelaide Oval | |
| Saturday, 16 May (4:15 pm) | Melbourne | v | Hawthorn | Melbourne Cricket Ground | |
| Saturday, 16 May (7:35 pm) | Carlton | v | Western Bulldogs | Marvel Stadium | |
| Sunday, 17 May (1:10 pm) | Essendon | v | Fremantle | Melbourne Cricket Ground | |
| Sunday, 17 May (3:15 pm) | St Kilda | v | Richmond | Marvel Stadium | |
| Sunday, 17 May (4:15 pm) | West Coast | v | Greater Western Sydney | Optus Stadium | |
Round 11
| Round 11 (Sir Doug Nicholls Round week 2) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, 21 May (7:30 pm) | Hawthorn | v | Adelaide | University of Tasmania Stadium | |
| Friday, 22 May (7:40 pm) | Richmond | v | Essendon | Melbourne Cricket Ground | |
| Friday, 22 May (6:30 pm) | Fremantle | v | St Kilda | Optus Stadium | |
| Saturday, 23 May (1:15 pm) | North Melbourne | v | Gold Coast | Marvel Stadium | |
| Saturday, 23 May (4:15 pm) | Geelong | v | Sydney | GMHBA Stadium | |
| Saturday, 23 May (4:35 pm) | Collingwood | v | West Coast | Melbourne Cricket Ground | |
| Saturday, 23 May (7:05 pm) | Port Adelaide | v | Carlton | Adelaide Oval | |
| Sunday, 24 May (12:30 pm) | Greater Western Sydney | v | Brisbane Lions | Engie Stadium | |
| Sunday, 24 May (3:15 pm) | Western Bulldogs | v | Melbourne | Marvel Stadium | |
Round 12
| Round 12 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, 28 May (7:30 pm) | St Kilda | v | Hawthorn | Marvel Stadium | |
| Friday, 29 May (7:40 pm) | Carlton | v | Geelong | Melbourne Cricket Ground | |
| Saturday, 30 May (1:15 pm) | Sydney | v | Richmond | Sydney Cricket Ground | |
| Saturday, 30 May (4:15 pm) | Brisbane Lions | v | Fremantle | The Gabba | |
| Saturday, 30 May (7:35 pm) | Western Bulldogs | v | Collingwood | Marvel Stadium | |
| Sunday, 31 May (2:45 pm) | Melbourne | v | Greater Western Sydney | TIO Traeger Park | |
| Sunday, 31 May (5:20 pm) | West Coast | v | Essendon | Optus Stadium | |
| Bye |
|||||
Round 13
| Round 13 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, 4 June (7:00 pm) | Adelaide | v | Geelong | Adelaide Oval | |
| Friday, 5 June (7:40 pm) | Hawthorn | v | Western Bulldogs | Melbourne Cricket Ground | |
| Saturday, 6 June (12:15 pm) | North Melbourne | v | Fremantle | Hands Oval | |
| Saturday, 6 June (5:15 pm) | Gold Coast | v | Brisbane Lions | People First Stadium | |
| Saturday, 6 June (6:15 pm) | West Coast | v | Port Adelaide | Optus Stadium | |
| Sunday, 7 June (3:15 pm) | Sydney | v | St Kilda | Sydney Cricket Ground | |
| Sunday, 7 June (7:20 pm) | Essendon | v | Carlton | Melbourne Cricket Ground | |
| Monday, 8 June (3:15 pm) | Collingwood | v | Melbourne | Melbourne Cricket Ground | |
| Bye |
|||||
Round 14
| Round 14 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, 11 June (7:30 pm) | Western Bulldogs | v | Adelaide | Marvel Stadium | |
| Friday, 12 June (7:40 pm) | Geelong | v | Gold Coast | GMHBA Stadium | |
| Saturday, 13 June (1:15 pm) | Melbourne | v | Essendon | Melbourne Cricket Ground | |
| Saturday, 13 June (2:15 pm) | North Melbourne | v | West Coast | Optus Stadium | |
| Saturday, 13 June (7:05 pm) | Port Adelaide | v | Sydney | Adelaide Oval | |
| Sunday, 14 June (1:10 pm) | Richmond | v | Brisbane Lions | Ninja Stadium | |
| Sunday, 14 June (3:15 pm) | St Kilda | v | Greater Western Sydney | Marvel Stadium | |
| Bye |
|||||
Round 15
| Round 15 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, 18 June (6:10 pm) | Fremantle | v | Geelong | Optus Stadium | |
| Friday, 19 June (7:40 pm) | Gold Coast | v | Hawthorn | People First Stadium | |
| Saturday, 20 June (12:45 pm) | Adelaide | v | Melbourne | Adelaide Oval | |
| Saturday, 20 June (4:15 pm) | Greater Western Sydney | v | Carlton | Engie Stadium | |
| Saturday, 20 June (7:35 pm) | Collingwood | v | Port Adelaide | Melbourne Cricket Ground | |
| Sunday, 21 June (1:10 pm) | Richmond | v | North Melbourne | Melbourne Cricket Ground | |
| Sunday, 21 June (3:15 pm) | St Kilda | v | Western Bulldogs | Marvel Stadium | |
| Bye |
|||||
Round 16
| Round 16 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dates and times TBC | Brisbane Lions | v | Sydney | The Gabba | |
| Carlton | v | West Coast | Marvel Stadium | ||
| Collingwood | v | Richmond | Melbourne Cricket Ground | ||
| Fremantle | v | Gold Coast | Optus Stadium | ||
| Hawthorn | v | Greater Western Sydney | Melbourne Cricket Ground | ||
| North Melbourne | v | Essendon | Marvel Stadium | ||
| Port Adelaide | v | Adelaide | Adelaide Oval | ||
| Bye |
|||||
Round 17
Round 18
Round 19
Round 20
Round 21
Round 22
Round 23
Round 24
Ladder
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | D | PF | PA | PP | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adelaide | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | Finals series |
| 2 | Brisbane Lions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | |
| 3 | Carlton | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | |
| 4 | Collingwood | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | |
| 5 | Essendon | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | |
| 6 | Fremantle | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | |
| 7 | Geelong | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | |
| 8 | Gold Coast | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | |
| 9 | Greater Western Sydney | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | |
| 10 | Hawthorn | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | |
| 11 | Melbourne | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | |
| 12 | North Melbourne | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | |
| 13 | Port Adelaide | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | |
| 14 | Richmond | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | |
| 15 | St Kilda | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | |
| 16 | Sydney | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | |
| 17 | West Coast | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | |
| 18 | Western Bulldogs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 |
Source: afl.com.au
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for
Progression by round
| 4 | Finished the round in first place | 0 | Finished the round in last place |
| 4 | Finished the round inside the top ten | ||
| 41 | Subscript indicates the ladder position at the end of the round | ||
| 41 | Underlined points indicate the team had a bye that round | ||
| Team | O | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adelaide | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Brisbane Lions | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Carlton | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Collingwood | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Essendon | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fremantle | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Geelong | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gold Coast | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Greater Western Sydney | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hawthorn | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Melbourne | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| North Melbourne | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Port Adelaide | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Richmond | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| St Kilda | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sydney | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| West Coast | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Western Bulldogs |
Home matches and membership
| Team | Home match attendance | Membership | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hosted | Total | Highest | Lowest | Average | 2025[12] | 2026 | Change | |||
| 2025[13] | 2026 | Change | ||||||||
| Adelaide | 0 | 45,120 | 81,067 | |||||||
| Brisbane Lions | 0 | 30,598 | 75,115 | |||||||
| Carlton | 0 | 49,182 | 100,743 | |||||||
| Collingwood | 0 | 68,873 | 112,491 | |||||||
| Essendon | 0 | 40,034 | 85,568 | |||||||
| Fremantle | 0 | 45,758 | 66,179 | |||||||
| Geelong | 0 | 35,439 | 92,379 | |||||||
| Gold Coast | 0 | 15,679 | 30,107 | |||||||
| Greater Western Sydney | 0 | 12,026 | 37,705 | |||||||
| Hawthorn | 0 | 41,484 | 87,204 | |||||||
| Melbourne | 0 | 36,805 | 58,563 | |||||||
| North Melbourne | 0 | 25,266 | 56,283 | |||||||
| Port Adelaide | 0 | 35,556 | 72,656 | |||||||
| Richmond | 0 | 44,398 | 92,531 | |||||||
| St Kilda | 0 | 31,644 | 65,509 | |||||||
| Sydney | 0 | 34,277 | 76,674 | |||||||
| West Coast | 0 | 42,576 | 107,079 | |||||||
| Western Bulldogs | 0 | 36,764 | 65,584 | |||||||
| Total/overall | 0 | 37,306 | 1,363,437 | |||||||
Win–loss table
| + | Win | Qualified for finals | |
| − | Loss | Eliminated | |
X
|
Bye |
| Team | Home-and-away season | Ladder | Finals series | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| O | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | F1 | F2 | F3 | F4 | GF | ||
| Adelaide | X | COL | WB | GEE | FRE | CAR | STK | BL | PA | RIC | NM | HAW | X | GEE | WB | MEL | PA | WC | GC | SYD | COL | ESS | RIC | FRE | GWS | 1 (0–0–0) |
|||||
| Brisbane Lions | WB | SYD | X | STK | COL | NM | MEL | ADE | ESS | CAR | GEE | GWS | FRE | GC | RIC | X | SYD | GEE | ESS | WC | PA | CAR | HAW | GC | COL | 2 (0–0–0) |
|||||
| Carlton | SYD | RIC | X | MEL | NM | ADE | COL | FRE | STK | BL | WB | PA | GEE | ESS | X | GWS | WC | RIC | HAW | COL | GC | BL | STK | WB | FRE | 3 (0–0–0) |
|||||
| Collingwood | STK | ADE | X | GWS | BL | FRE | CAR | ESS | HAW | GEE | SYD | WC | WB | MEL | X | PA | RIC | GC | NM | CAR | ADE | GEE | WC | HAW | BL | 4 (0–0–0) |
|||||
| Essendon | X | HAW | PA | NM | WB | MEL | GC | COL | BL | GWS | FRE | RIC | WC | CAR | MEL | X | NM | STK | BL | GWS | HAW | ADE | GEE | SYD | PA | 5 (0–0–0) |
|||||
| Fremantle | X | GEE | MEL | RIC | ADE | COL | WC | CAR | WB | HAW | ESS | STK | BL | NM | X | GEE | GC | GWS | SYD | PA | WC | WB | MEL | ADE | CAR | 6 (0–0–0) |
|||||
| Geelong | GC | FRE | X | ADE | HAW | WC | WB | PA | NM | COL | BL | SYD | CAR | ADE | GC | FRE | X | BL | GWS | STK | MEL | COL | ESS | NM | RIC | 7 (0–0–0) |
|||||
| Gold Coast | GEE | WC | RIC | X | MEL | SYD | ESS | HAW | GWS | STK | PA | NM | X | BL | GEE | HAW | FRE | COL | ADE | WB | CAR | MEL | GWS | BL | STK | 8 (0–0–0) |
|||||
| Greater Western Sydney | HAW | WB | STK | COL | X | RIC | SYD | NM | GC | ESS | WC | BL | MEL | X | STK | CAR | HAW | FRE | GEE | ESS | SYD | PA | GC | WC | ADE | 9 (0–0–0) |
|||||
| Hawthorn | GWS | ESS | SYD | X | GEE | WB | PA | GC | COL | FRE | MEL | ADE | STK | WB | X | GC | GWS | MEL | CAR | RIC | ESS | NM | BL | COL | WC | 10 (0–0–0) |
|||||
| Melbourne | X | STK | FRE | CAR | GC | ESS | BL | RIC | SYD | WC | HAW | WB | GWS | COL | ESS | ADE | X | HAW | RIC | NM | GEE | GC | FRE | PA | WB | 11 (0–0–0) |
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| North Melbourne | X | PA | WC | ESS | CAR | BL | RIC | GWS | GEE | SYD | ADE | GC | X | FRE | WC | RIC | ESS | PA | COL | MEL | STK | HAW | WB | GEE | SYD | 12 (0–0–0) |
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| Port Adelaide | X | NM | ESS | WC | RIC | STK | HAW | GEE | ADE | WB | GC | CAR | X | WC | SYD | COL | ADE | NM | STK | FRE | BL | GWS | SYD | MEL | ESS | 13 (0–0–0) |
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| Richmond | X | CAR | GC | FRE | PA | GWS | NM | MEL | WC | ADE | STK | ESS | SYD | X | BL | NM | COL | CAR | MEL | HAW | WB | WC | ADE | STK | GEE | 14 (0–0–0) |
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| St Kilda | COL | MEL | GWS | BL | X | PA | ADE | WC | CAR | GC | RIC | FRE | HAW | SYD | GWS | WB | X | ESS | PA | GEE | NM | SYD | CAR | RIC | GC | 15 (0–0–0) |
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| Sydney | CAR | BL | HAW | X | WC | GC | GWS | WB | MEL | NM | COL | GEE | RIC | STK | PA | X | BL | WB | FRE | ADE | GWS | STK | PA | ESS | NM | 16 (0–0–0) |
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| West Coast | X | GC | NM | PA | SYD | GEE | FRE | STK | RIC | MEL | GWS | COL | ESS | PA | NM | X | CAR | ADE | WB | BL | FRE | RIC | COL | GWS | HAW | 17 (0–0–0) |
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| Western Bulldogs | BL | GWS | ADE | X | ESS | HAW | GEE | SYD | FRE | PA | CAR | MEL | COL | HAW | ADE | STK | X | SYD | WC | GC | RIC | FRE | NM | CAR | MEL | 18 (0–0–0) |
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Notes
- ^ Announcement of succession plan
References
- ^ a b "AFL ditches centre bounce for men's game, and sub rule after grand final criticism". ABC News. 1 October 2025. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
- ^ Beveridge, Riley (29 October 2025). "Watch examples of the seven rule changes that will impact 2026". afl.com.au. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
- ^ a b Australian Associated Press (10 November 2025). "AFL gives teams finishing 10th chance to win premiership through wildcard round in finals". ABC News. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
- ^ Australian Associated Press (10 November 2025). "Biggest finals shake-up in 25 years as Wildcard Round introduced". afl.com.au. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
- ^ Ryan, Peter (10 November 2025). "Many fans are asking why the AFL has introduced wildcard round. The answer is in the TV rights". The Age. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
- ^ "'Thrilled to see it back': AFL Origin fixture details revealed in end to 26-yr hiatus". Fox Sports. 15 September 2025. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
- ^ a b Keane, Daniel (12 February 2025). "Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley to step down at end of 2025 season as Power anoints Carr as successor". ABC News. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
- ^ a b Cotton, Ben (12 September 2025). "Demons name Steven King as new senior coach for 2026". Fox Sports. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
- ^ "Bombers finalise 2026 coaching structure". Essendon Football Club. 15 December 2025. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
- ^ "Step forward, Andrew McGrath – Essendon's new captain". Essendon Football Club. 17 December 2025. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
- ^ "Larkey named captain as Roos reveal new-look leadership group". North Melbourne Football Club. 9 December 2025. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
- ^ "All-time club membership record broken again". afl.com.au. 10 September 2025. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
- ^ "Attendances 2025". AFL Tables. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
External links
- 2026 AFL season at afl.com.au
- 2026 AFL season at Austadiums