The 2027 AFL season will take place across 24 rounds, with dates and times confirmed for Rounds 1 to 16, whilst dates and times for Rounds 17 to 24 will again be confirmed closer to the date.
Key notes include:
• Opening Round has been scrapped in favour of a full 18-team Round 1 from Wednesday 17 March to Sunday 21 March
• Round 2 will take place across the Easter weekend from Thursday (Brisbane v Collingwood) to Monday (Geelong v Hawthorn), including the annual North Melbourne v Carlton Good Friday 'SuperClash'
• There will be four Friday night double-headers across the first 16 rounds, beginning in Round 3 with a Sydney Derby and a Carlton-Brisbane match in Melbourne
• ANZAC Day falls on a Sunday in 2027, which will see games in Canberra (GWS-Bulldogs), Melbourne (Collingwood-Essendon) and Perth (Fremantle-St Kilda)
• There will be two 'Dreamtime' matches between Richmond and Essendon, with the Bombers to host a Sunday afternoon fixture in Perth (Round 16)
• There will be no byes falling in the first ten rounds of the season to give all teams the chance to build momentum through the first half of the season
• The first Sydney derby, Western derby and Showdown of the year will all take place during a Friday night double-header
• Every Thursday and Friday night match during the first five bye rounds (11-15) will feature at least one 2026 finalist
• The Northern Territory will host two games - Melbourne v Adelaide at Traeger Park in Round 7 and Gold Coast v Carlton at TIO Stadium in Round 10
• AFL returns to the newly renovated MARS Stadium in Ballarat with the Suns (Round 7) and Giants (Round 20) set to visit
• Sydney (9), Brisbane (8) and Fremantle (8) have been rewarded with more Thursday and Friday night games than any other club, whilst North Melbourne and St Kilda will not feature on either during the first 16 rounds
Adelaide
• Adelaide will play four of their first five matches at Adelaide Oval
• Adelaide will play five games in Melbourne, including three at the MCG
• Showdowns in Rounds 8 and 19
“There are some marquee games and prime-time slots in there, and that’s where we want to be as a footy club,” Adelaide CEO Tim Silvers said.
“We want our players, members and supporters looking forward to those occasions and, importantly, we want to keep earning the right to feature in them.
“There’s Crows fans throughout the country and we have a nice spread of games at different venues – and to have three trips to the MCG is a particularly good result – so hopefully it gives more people a chance to see us play in-person.
“From a high-performance perspective, the run of Adelaide Oval games at the start of the season gives us a good opportunity to prepare well and build a solid foundation, and do so in front of our loud, passionate and proud members and fans.
“Like most clubs, we are always conscious of the number of five-day breaks and we’ve landed with two which would seem reasonable, and our focus now is on embracing the challenge and preparing accordingly.”
Click here for the full Adelaide fixture.
Brisbane Lions
• Seven games in Victoria - three at the MCG, three at Marvel Stadium and one at GMHBA
• The unfurling of the Premiership flag at Easter Thursday home game v Collingwood
• Q-Clashes in Rounds 12 (home) and 23 (away)
• Four Thursday night and four Friday night primetime matches
Click here for the full Brisbane fixture.
Carlton
• Carlton will play four MCG games in five weeks between Rounds 5 and 9
• The Blues' 11 home games will be spread evenly across the MCG (six) and Marvel Stadium (five)
• Five of their first eight matches take place on a Thursday or Friday
• Geelong are the only top-six side from 2026 to play Carlton twice
“Carlton people continue to create an atmosphere on any occasion, and the 2027 fixture reflects that. It’s a schedule that recognises the impact our supporters bring, earning us some of the most exciting matches of the year,” Carlton CEO Graham Wright said in response to the fixture.
“The variety of timeslots from Thursday night through to Sunday evening means a wide range of our members can get to games alongside friends, family, and fellow Bluebaggers.
“Carlton people span the country, and this fixture gives us the chance to share game day across four states and territories, providing our interstate supporters the chance to see their team live, which is fantastic.
“The Carlton family has never been short on passion, and with a series of massive home games ahead, we’re looking forward to the impact our fans will have, playing their part and in sync with the exciting brand of football we want to deliver on-field.”
Click here for the full Carlton fixture.
Collingwood
• A second consecutive season opener against St Kilda
• Annual ANZAC Day and King's Birthday clashes as usual
• 14 games at the MCG and three at Marvel Stadium
Click here for the full Collingwood fixture.
Essendon
• Round 1 away to Melbourne but Essendon members will take over the Ponsford Stand in its entirety
• Round 7 will be the Dons' first home game at Marvel Stadium
• Eleven of the 15 confirmed matches are family-friendly afternoon or twilight fixtures
• No five-day breaks in the first 14 rounds
• Consecutive Perth games in July starting with their Dreamtime match against Richmond at Optus Stadium
“This is a fixture full of the days Essendon people circle on the calendar. Easter Sunday at the 'G, Anzac Day, King's Birthday Eve against Carlton and two Dreamtime games. No other club in the competition can boast the marquee games Essendon has in 2027,” Essendon CEO Tim Roberts said.
“Hosting the first Dreamtime at Maali is a proud moment for our club. It falls on the opening day of NAIDOC Week and in the school holidays, and with West Coast in Perth the following week, we want as many Bombers fans as possible to come west and be part of it.
“The first half of our fixture is built for families. Most of our games are during the day, eight of them on a Sunday, which makes it easier to get to the footy together. As a club, we also want to be in the big prime-time TV slots, and we know those are earned by how we play.
“Our interstate supporters will see us in Adelaide, Perth, Sydney, Brisbane and on the Gold Coast, and we want them to turn out in numbers. Pre-season starts in 11 days, and we can't wait to see the red and black fill the MCG in round one.”
Click here for the full Essendon fixture.
Fremantle
• Six Thursday night games and a further two on Friday night in the first 16 rounds
• Back-to-back home games to start the season
• Two games at the MCG, against Collingwood and Hawthorn
• 13 games at Optus Stadium including an 'away' match against North Melbourne
Click here for the full Fremantle fixture.
Geelong
• Geelong will play ten games at GMHBA Stadium for the third consecutive year
• Another annual Easter Monday game against Hawthorn at the MCG
• Their first GMHBA Stadium game against Carlton with a crowd since 2019
• Geelong's annual 'White Out' game is set to return but a date is yet to be determined
“There’s a lot to like about our 2027 fixture, and we’re particularly happy with the mix of opponents and timeslots for our 10 home games at GMHBA Stadium, as well as the opportunity to feature in a number of marquee and primetime matches including the season opener and our Easter Monday MCG home game in Round 2,” Geelong COO Marcus King said about the fixture.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming back Carlton to Geelong, as part of a series of exciting matchups at GMHBA that includes Melbourne and Brisbane as blockbuster Friday night matches.
“With a family-friendly Sunday afternoon timeslot, two primetime Friday night matches and three Saturday twilight games, which has become a great timeslot for fans in recent years, there will be plenty of opportunities for our members and supporters to get along and help us pack out GMHBA Stadium regularly.
“It’s also pleasing to have a strong Melbourne presence in 2027, with seven matches including a blockbuster MCG clash against Collingwood. It ensures our members and supporters in Melbourne have plenty of opportunities to see the Cats throughout the year.
“From a football perspective, the fixture provides a good balance of travel and breaks and a fair spread of double matchups having regard to our top six finish this year. With nine free-to-air broadcasts, it also provides significant national exposure for our Club, members and partners.
“Before our focus shifts fully to 2027, there is still plenty happening across the Club. We’ve had an excellent trade period, look forward to the draft in November, and are excited for our AFLW team’s upcoming finals campaign after securing a top four finish in the home and away season.
"As always, we are grateful for the continued support of our members and fans, and we're excited about the momentum that’s building into 2027.”
Click here for the full Geelong fixture.
Gold Coast SUNS
• Ten games on the Gold Coast after reducing their Northern Territory allocation by one
• Back-to-back home games against Richmond and North Melbourne in Rounds 2 and 3 offer them the chance to go into Gather Round with winning form
• Collingwood visit during the school holidays in Round 15
• ANZAC Round home opener against Hawthorn on a Thursday night
• Scott Pendlebury could visit up to five venues for the first time (Barossa Park, GMHBA Stadium, UTAS Stadium, TIO Stadium and Mars Stadium)
“The release of the AFL Fixture is always a moment filled with anticipation and excitement for our members and fans, with plenty for them to look forward to in the build-up to the 2027 AFL Season,” Suns CEO Mark Evans said.
“With there set to be ten home games on the Gold Coast next year, our members and fans will get the opportunity to experience back to back home games in Rounds 2 & 3, a Thursday night ANZAC Round blockbuster against Hawthorn and Collingwood returning to the coast in the school holiday period.”
“Our members continue to support our club in record numbers, and with plenty of demand for our home matches at People First Stadium, I’d encourage everyone to get on board early to ensure they don’t miss out on all the action."
Click here for the full Gold Coast fixture.
GWS Giants
• Toby Greene returns to ENGIE Stadium in Round 7
• Five trips to Melbourne, the first of which will take place in Round 10 vs St Kilda
• Round 23 home derby against the Swans
• Hosting West Coast for the Eagles' first game in Canberra in 21 years - the first of three games at Manuka Oval
Click here for the full GWS fixture.
Hawthorn
• Opening the season with three consecutive games at the MCG (Brisbane, Geelong, Essendon)
• Four games in their final year in Launceston - taking on GWS, St Kilda, Gold Coast and Sydney
• Three trips to Adelaide in Rounds 4 (Fremantle), 13 (Adelaide) and 16 (Port Adelaide)
“We are thrilled to unveil another blockbuster fixture for the 2027 AFL season," Hawthorn CEO Ash Klein said.
“Off the back of a record-breaking year where over 90,000 members rode the bumps with a grin, our members and fans have another incredible slate of home games to look forward to.
“MCG blockbusters against Brisbane, Geelong, Essendon, Carlton, Fremantle, and the Western Bulldogs put our members front and centre for the biggest moments of the year.
“At the same time, we look forward to giving our Tasmanian fans a fitting farewell to Launceston with four huge home games at UTAS Stadium.
“There’s never been a better time to sign up as a member. With fantastic packages available, we can't wait to see the brown and gold family bringing the noise in 2027.”
Click here for the full Hawthorn fixture.
Melbourne
• 'Jim's Game' to be held on a Friday night for the first time
• Six home games at the MCG, beginning Round 1 v Essendon
• Ten of the first 16 matches to be broadcast on Channel Seven
“2027 is shaping up to be a hell of a year for our players and fans,” Melbourne CEO Dan Taylor said.
“We welcome the return of our traditional blockbuster home games, with the Demons set to host Richmond and Collingwood for both the ANZAC Day Eve and King’s Birthday clashes next season.
“We are also really excited to harness the Irish spirit under Friday night lights in Round 5.
“With 10 of our first 16 games broadcast on free-to-air television, and six of those games in marquee slots at night, we have a fantastic opportunity to take Demon Football to a broader audience, connect with new fans and grow our supporter base right across the country.
“Whilst we are disappointed that we don’t have more MCG games, this fixture still offers plenty of home-ground action for our members to look forward to.”
Click here for the full Melbourne fixture.
North Melbourne
• North Melbourne will again play two consecutive home games in Western Australia, 'hosting' the Eagles and Dockers across Rounds 11 and 12 in Bunbury and Perth
• North will play 13 games at Marvel Stadium, including a Sunday night blockbuster against Collingwood to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 1977 VFL Premiership
• North return to Queensland for the first time since early 2023, playing away games against both Gold Coast (Round 3) and Brisbane (Round 18)
Port Adelaide
• Home Showdown in Round 8 during which the club will wear their infamous prison bar strip
• Port Adelaide will make five trips to Melbourne as well as away trips to Perth, Hobart, Gold Coast, Canberra and Geelong
• Adelaide, Hawthorn, Melbourne, West Coast, Gold Coast and Carlton are the two sides that the Power will take on twice
“This fixture represents an exciting start to the season for our members and fans with a host of games in their favoured timeslots, including Melbourne on a Saturday night in Round 2, Carlton on Anzac Day eve in Round 6, a Friday night Showdown in Round 8 and Collingwood on a Saturday night in Round 11,” Port chief Matthew Richardson said of their fixture.
“We are privileged to host a game on Anzac Day eve as we continue our support of the Australian Defence Force and our partnerships with the RSL and defence in South Australia.
“The 2027 AFL fixture provides fantastic access for our members and fans, as well as exceptional exposure for our commercial partners. We look forward to welcoming some clubs with large, passionate supporter bases to Adelaide Oval.
“A handful of daytime fixtures at Adelaide Oval also give families with young children the opportunity to come along and support us.
“We’re very much looking forward to 2027 and can’t wait to see a packed Adelaide Oval as we welcome our members and fans back for a season filled with great promise.”
Richmond
• Members will be able to attend ANZAC Day Eve away game against Melbourne to make up for Dreamtime game in Perth
• Only one trip to Western Australia with an away game against Fremantle to follow Perth Dreamtime
• 11 games at MCG, four at Marvel Stadium and one at GMHBA Stadium
“We are excited to have Dreamtime at the ‘G on a Friday night in May, as well as Anzac Day Eve as a replacement game for our members,” Richmond CEO Shane Dunne said.
“Our home games throughout the season will attract strong crowds, while our Tasmania fixture and Dreamtime at Maali provide exciting opportunities for supporters to travel and get behind the team.
“We are pleased to remain in Perth following Dreamtime at Maali. Alongside spending time in the local community, it allows us to prepare for an away clash with Fremantle without the added travel.
“It will be our only trip to Perth this season and an important opportunity for our young group to spend time together away from home.
“Everyone in the Tiger Army will get the chance to celebrate and reflect on the achievements of 2017.
“There will be an opportunity for fans to show their appreciation to that playing group at the MCG on June 5, and everything we do as a Club throughout the week will bring back some fond memories for our supporters, which is very exciting.
“It is always exciting to receive the fixture and for our fans to start making their plans to come to the footy. The best way to access all of these games and to support the Club is to purchase a Richmond membership. We cannot wait to get underway, starting with a huge crowd against the Blues at the MCG on March 20.”
Click here for the full Richmond fixture.
St Kilda
• Blockbuster matches against Collingwood and Western Bulldogs to open the season
• Five consecutive games at Marvel Stadium to end the home and away season
• St Kilda's first ANZAC Day match since 2021 - in Perth against Fremantle
• Seven interstate trips in total including one to Launceston
“We’re pleased to be able help kick off the AFL Premiership Season with another prime-time MCG home game and we hope to once again see a strong showing from the St Kilda faithful," St Kilda CEO Carl Dilena said.
"Last season’s opener against Collingwood attracted the club's largest ever home and away crowd with more than 82,500 fans, representing one of the highest drawing games in the AFL for 2026, so we’re delighted to again open our season with this marquee fixture.
"Home games at Marvel against Victorian clubs such as Carlton, Richmond, Geelong, Melbourne, Western Bulldogs and North Melbourne also shape as must-see fixtures for our members and fans.
"The opening month presents an exciting opportunity to challenge ourselves against teams that played finals football last season, while we are pleased to only have one true interstate match up in our first eight games.
“From a recovery perspective, it’s pleasing to have our travel more evenly spaced across the season than this year, which will be important given the solid double match ups we've received.”
Click here for the full St Kilda fixture.
Sydney
• The Swans were especially pleased to receive five Friday night games at the SCG in the first 16 rounds, including the annual Marngrook celebration against Hawthorn
• Round 3 home derby against GWS during a Friday night double-header
• Three MCG matches against Essendon (Round 2), Melbourne (Round 5) and Richmond (Round 19)
• Two trips to both South Australia and Western Australia as well as one each to Tasmania and Queensland
“We know how much Sydneysiders love coming to the SCG under lights for blockbuster games, and we welcome the opportunity to showcase the Swans across the country in prime-time slots,” Swans boss Matthew Pavlich said.
“Opening the season in a stand-alone fixture is a privilege and a massive boost for AFL in the city of Sydney, so we can’t wait to take on the Cats on March 17.
“This is a great endorsement from the AFL that footy in Sydney is thriving, and we expect our 2027 men’s season to be one that is full of excitement with the stands at the SCG rocking.”
West Coast
• Only one interstate trip between Rounds 11 and 17
• WA Day Eve match against Carlton in Round 12
• Two Friday night home games and none on a Thursday
"We’re pleased with our fixture for 2027 and believe there are exciting home match-ups and marquee events for our WA members and fans, as well as opportunities to engage and connect with our passionate supporters across Australia," West Coast CEO Don Pyke said.
"The WA Day eve match against Carlton promises to be highly attended and to attract a significant national free-to-air audience as we celebrate Western Australia in that primetime slot for the third year in a row.
"As a club, we’re also excited to build on the success of the inaugural Impact Round supporting Telethon this year against Melbourne in round 21.
"It is also pleasing to have a variety of timeslots for our Optus Stadium games, including a Friday night and two Saturday evening matches, while our late Sunday matches are part of a League-wide push into that timeslot.
"From a football performance and recovery perspective, only having to travel interstate once across a seven-week block between rounds 11 and 17 is a positive outcome. We also do not have any five-day breaks between games in the first 16 rounds and only once do we play off back-to-back six-day breaks."
Click here for the full West Coast fixture.
Western Bulldogs
• Nine games at Marvel Stadium including the now traditional Easter Sunday night game against St Kilda
• A return to Ballarat, hosting both the Suns and Giants after the recent redevelopment of the ground
• A total of 17 games in Victoria, including the last seven of the season
• Three Thursday night games prior to a bye in Round 15
"This fixture provides our members and fans with a variety of matches to enjoy in what we hope will be a compelling season of Bulldogs footy in 2027,” Bulldogs CEO Ameet Bains said.
"Our slate of home games at Marvel Stadium against high-calibre opposition is really exciting, and I'm sure our fans will be particularly thrilled to host the Cats on our home patch.
"We're also maintaining our recent tradition of hosting an Easter Sunday night game, which will provide the opportunity for many of our fans to see some of our newest recruits in red, white and blue for the first time.
"And we’re delighted to be returning to our home away from home in Ballarat and we fully expect those two games at the new and improved Mars Stadium will be in high demand.
"With so much to look forward to for our members, we'd encourage all of our fans to join us to ensure they have the best possible experience throughout what we hope will be an outstanding season."
Check out the AFL schedule as it is updated here.
Aaron Murphy has been with Flashscore since 2018 and, as the founding editor of the Australian newsdesk, has reported on-site at several major events in Melbourne including the Australian Open, State of Origin, A-League, NBL and international cricket. You can read his pieces here and contact him on X or LinkedIn.
