2026 AFL fixture: Which games already have us salivating as full calendar revealed

SYDNEY V CARLTON, Opening Round Thursday March 5, SCG, 7.30pm The biggest trade of 2025 saw Carlton’s spearhead move to the Swans. Can Charlie Curnow finally be the answer to the Swans’ full forward woes and how will his former teammates greet him? We won’t have to wait long to find out in what will be a fiery opening to the 2026 AFL season. ESSENDON V HAWTHORN Round 1 Friday March 14, MCG, 4.40pm The biggest trade that didn’t happen, Zach Merrett will meet the side he was so desperate to get to, only for the trade to fall apart dramatically on the final day. There’s bad blood between Essendon leaders and Merrett, Merrett and Hawthorn and Bombers fans between both Merrett and the Hawks. Everything Merrett does that night could be booed by both sets of fans, but he’s also every chance of doing something special. BRISBANE V COLLINGWOOD Round 4 Thursday April 2, Gabba , 4.30pm It might be the best rivalry of the modern era, with the 2023 grand final opponents unable to get on a run on each other since their September classic. The Lions ended the Pies’ season in the prelim last year after a second-half blitz that left plenty of question marks over Collingwood’s list. But really, the clash could come down to the Ashcroft brothers v the Daicos brothers. GEELONG V HAWTHORN Round 4 Monday April 6, MCG, 1.15pm The traditional Easter Monday clash in what continues to be one of the great rivalries, even in the post-Kennett curse era. Patrick Dangefield wound back the clock in last year’s preliminary final to lift the Cats into the decider, while this season, former Hawk James Worpel has joined Geelong. The Cats continue to defy trends to remain consistently near the top of the ladder, while Hawthorn were unable to get much done at the trade table, leaving some to wonder if their rapid progress has stagnated. COLLINGWOOD V FREMANTLE GATHER ROUND Friday April 10, Adelaide Oval , 5.40 pm Fremantle under Friday night lights and perhaps the most picturesque ground in the AFL. The Dockers will be a primetime commodity next season and will take the centre stage of Gather Round against the biggest club in the land. Fremantle’s last three games at the venue have been decided by 10 points or less, and against a fellow finals contender, you can expect another classic. CARLTON V COLLINGWOOD Round 6 Thursday April 16, MCG, 5.30pm It’s a cliche, but it’s the biggest rivalry for a reason. A packed MCG for Thursday night for two teams that have genuine question marks over them into next year. Can Carlton thrive without Charlie Curnow and move on from a hugely disappointing season, and can Collingwood prove that they are not over the hill with their aging veterans? They’d love to answer those in this clash. BRISBANE V GEELONG Round 10 Thursday May 14, Gabba, 5.30pm It’s unusual to wait until nearly the middle of the season for a grand final rematch, but both these teams are expected to be near the top once again next year. The Cats would hate a repeat of their flop on their last Saturday of September, while Lions fans will be going all out to make sure those wounds stay open. It could be an early taste of finals action. FREMANTLE V ST KILDA Round 11 Saturday May 22, Optus Stadium, 6.30pm Ross the Boss returns to WA with a list that he hopes can finally take St Kilda out of mediocrity. Tom De Koning, Jack Silvagni, Sam Flanders and Liam Ryan all joined the Saints while they kept Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera and Marcus Windhager. The Dockers have struggled against their former mentor and suffered their worst defeat against the Saints last year before gaining revenge in the reverse fixture. Will St Kilda’s chips-in strategy pay off, or will the Dockers show it takes time to build a contending list? FREMANTLE V GOLD COAST Round 16 TBC, Optus Stadium, TBC It was the best final of 2025, and the Suns will return to the scene of their September heist and could have former Docker Will Brodie in tow. Fremantle would hate to go down again, but the Suns would love nothing more than to prove the win was no fluke. It will once again see two of the best midfields in the comp with Caleb Serong, Andrew Brayshaw and Hayden Young against Brownlow winner Matt Rowell, Noah Anderson & Christian Petracca. Simply Box Office. WEST COAST V BRISBANE Round 19 TBC, Optus Stadium, TBC Eagles fans will welcome back their former captain, Oscar Allen, to Optus Stadium, and don’t expect them to give him a warm welcome. Regardless of the gulf in class between the two sides, you can expect plenty of fireworks with the Eagles desperate to show improvement, while Allen will hope to be leading Brisbane’s attack to a fourth straight grand final. Chris Judd torched the Eagles with 24 touches and five clearances in his first game against them in 2008, and Allen may want to make a similar statement while home fans will be ravenous.