Copyright 7news
Hawthorn are set to dominate primetime viewing in 2026 with the AFL revealing the ‘Hollywood Hawks’ will feature in eight Thursday or Friday night games by the end of Round 15. Along with the Hawks, the AFL is chips in on Adelaide and Geelong, with both clubs also set to feature in eight games in the primetime slots. Scroll to see the full AFL fixture. Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Surprisingly, the Western Bulldogs and Carlton — who both missed finals this year — will appear in seven Thursday or Friday night games by the end of Round 15, but reigning premiers Brisbane only have three. The treatment of the Lions, who are also not appearing at Adelaide Oval for Gather Round, has raised eyebrows among commentators, fans and journalists. “Nine teams having more games than the Brisbane on Thursday and Friday Nights in the first 15 rounds is a bit disrespectful to the back-to-back champs,” said Channel 7 AFL expert Kane Cornes. “And they get the bonus of heading to the Barossa Valley for Gather Round.” SEN presenter Sam Edmund noted that the Lions ranked second for games viewed this year (albeit that figure would be boosted by their finals appearances). While sports journalist Oliver Caffrey pointed out that Fremantle’s biggest ever non-derby crowd was against the Lions this year. “A few weeks earlier they played in front of the biggest ever crowd at the MCG for a non-Vic club, breaking their own record,” Caffrey said. Veteran sports journalist Mark Gottlieb also noted that Brisbane “sell out their home ground most weeks and also have a sizeable Fitzroy fanbase in Melbourne”. Collingwood and Fremantle have six games in the primetime slots and Sydney have five. After a nightmare 2025, Essendon have been pulled off Broadway, handed only two games . Cellar-dwellers West Coast are the only club not to have a game on either Thursday or Friday night. In other fixture news, the AFL is ramping up its Friday night double-header experiment with six Fridays where back-to-back games will be played. On Good Friday in Round 4, North Melbourne and Carlton will go head to head with that game to be followed by Adelaide and Fremantle. Then, from Round 6-11, there will be five other Friday night double-headers. In Round 6, the Sydney and Greater Western Sydney derby will be part of a double-header, and in Round 8 the Showdown between Adelaide and Port Adelaide will also form a key part of that double-header. Your club’s double-ups for the 2026 season Adelaide: Collingwood, Fremantle, Geelong, Port Adelaide, Richmond, Western Bulldogs Brisbane Lions: Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, Geelong, Gold Coast Suns, Sydney Swans Carlton: Brisbane Lions, Collingwood, Fremantle, Richmond, St Kilda, Western Bulldogs Collingwood: Adelaide, Brisbane Lions, Carlton, Geelong, Hawthorn, West Coast Essendon: Brisbane Lions, GWS Giants, Hawthorn, Melbourne, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide Fremantle: Adelaide Crows, Carlton, Geelong, Melbourne, West Coast Eagles, Western Bulldogs Geelong: Adelaide, Brisbane Lions, Collingwood, Fremantle, Gold Coast Suns, North Melbourne Gold Coast: Brisbane Lions, Geelong, GWS Giants, Hawthorn, Melbourne, St Kilda GWS Giants: Essendon, Gold Coast Suns, Hawthorn, St Kilda, Sydney Swans, West Coast Eagles Hawthorn: Collingwood, Essendon, Gold Coast Suns, GWS Giants, Melbourne, Western Bulldogs Melbourne: Essendon, Fremantle, Gold Coast Suns, Hawthorn, Richmond, Western Bulldogs North Melbourne: Essendon, Geelong, Port Adelaide, Richmond, Sydney Swans, West Coast Eagles Port Adelaide: Adelaide Crows, Essendon, North Melbourne, St Kilda, Sydney Swans, West Coast Richmond: Adelaide Crows, Carlton, Melbourne, North Melbourne, St Kilda, West Coast St Kilda: Carlton, Gold Coast Suns, GWS Giants, Port Adelaide, Richmond, Sydney Swans Sydney Swans: Brisbane Lions, GWS Giants, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide, St Kilda, Western Bulldogs West Coast: Collingwood, Fremantle, GWS Giants, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide, Richmond Western Bulldogs: Adelaide, Carlton, Fremantle, Hawthorn, Melbourne, Sydney Swans Full AFL 2026 fixture (All times AEDT until Saturday April 4, then AEST from Sunday April 5 onwards) Opening Round Thursday March 5 Sydney Swans v Carlton, SCG (7.30pm) Friday March 6 Gold Coast Suns v Geelong Cats, People First Stadium (8.05pm) Saturday March 7 GWS Giants v Hawthorn, ENGIE Stadium (4.15pm) Brisbane Lions v Western Bulldogs, The Gabba (7.35pm) Sunday March 8 St Kilda v Collingwood, MCG (7.20pm) Thursday March 12 Carlton v Richmond, MCG (7.30pm) Friday March 13 Essendon v Hawthorn, MCG (7.40pm) Saturday March 14 Western Bulldogs v GWS Giants, Marvel Stadium (1.15pm) Geelong Cats v Fremantle, GMHBA Stadium (4.15pm) Sydney Swans v Brisbane Lions, SCG (7.10pm) Collingwood v Adelaide Crows, MCG (7.35pm) Sunday March 15 North Melbourne v Port Adelaide, Marvel Stadium (1.10pm) Melbourne v St Kilda, MCG (3.15pm) Gold Coast Suns v West Coast Eagles, People First Stadium (6.10pm) Thursday March 19 Hawthorn v Sydney Swans, MCG (7.30pm) Friday March 20 Adelaide Crows v Western Bulldogs, Adelaide Oval (7.40pm) Saturday March 21 Richmond v Gold Coast Suns, MCG (1.15pm) GWS Giants v St Kilda, ENGIE Stadium (4.15pm) Fremantle v Melbourne, Optus Stadium (7.35pm) Sunday March 22 Port Adelaide v Essendon, Adelaide Oval (3.15pm) West Coast Eagles v North Melbourne, Optus Stadium (6.10pm) Byes: Brisbane Lions, Carlton, Collingwood, Geelong Cats Thursday March 26 Geelong Cats v Adelaide Crows, GMHBA Stadium (7.30pm) Friday March 27 Collingwood v GWS Giants, Marvel Stadium (7.40pm) Saturday March 28 St Kilda v Brisbane Lions, Marvel Stadium (1.15pm) Fremantle v Richmond, Optus Stadium (4.15pm) Essendon v North Melbourne, Marvel Stadium (7.35pm) Sunday March 29 Port Adelaide v West Coast Eagles, Adelaide Oval (12.30pm) Carlton v Melbourne, MCG (3.15pm) Byes: Gold Coast Suns, Hawthorn, Sydney Swans, Western Bulldogs Thursday April 2 Brisbane Lions v Collingwood, The Gabba (7.30pm) Friday April 3 North Melbourne v Carlton, Marvel Stadium (3.15pm) Adelaide Crows v Fremantle, Adelaide Oval (7.15pm) Saturday April 4 Richmond v Port Adelaide, MCG (4.15pm) West Coast Eagles v Sydney Swans, Optus Stadium (7.35pm) Sunday April 5 Melbourne v Gold Coast Suns, MCG (3.15pm) Western Bulldogs v Essendon, Marvel Stadium (7.20pm) Monday April 6 Hawthorn v Geelong Cats, MCG (3.15pm) Byes: GWS Giants, St Kilda Thursday April 9 Adelaide Crows v Carlton, Adelaide Oval (7.40pm) Friday April 10 Collingwood v Fremantle, Adelaide Oval (7.40pm) Saturday April 11 North Melbourne v Brisbane Lions, Barossa Park (12.35pm) Essendon v Melbourne, Adelaide Oval (1.15pm) Sydney Swans v Gold Coast Suns, Norwood Oval (4.15pm) Hawthorn v Western Bulldogs, Adelaide Oval (7.35pm) Sunday April 12 Geelong Cats v West Coast Eagles, Norwood Oval (12.30pm) GWS Giants v Richmond, Barossa Park (3.15pm) Port Adelaide v St Kilda, Adelaide Oval (7.15pm) Thursday April 16 Carlton v Collingwood, MCG (7.30pm) Friday April 17 Geelong Cats v Western Bulldogs, GMHBA Stadium (7.20pm) Sydney Swans v GWS Giants, SCG (7.50pm) Saturday April 18 Gold Coast Suns v Essendon, People First Stadium (1.15pm) Hawthorn v Port Adelaide, Marvel Stadium (4.15pm) Adelaide Crows v St Kilda, Adelaide Oval (7.35pm) Sunday April 19 North Melbourne v Richmond, Marvel Stadium (1.10pm) Melbourne v Brisbane Lions, MCG (3.15pm) West Coast Eagles v Fremantle, Optus Stadium (5.10pm) Thursday April 23 Western Bulldogs v Sydney Swans, Marvel Stadium (7.30pm) Friday April 24 Richmond v Melbourne, MCG (7.40pm) Saturday April 25 Hawthorn v Gold Coast Suns, UTAS Stadium (12.15pm) Essendon v Collingwood, MCG (3.15pm) Port Adelaide v Geelong Cats, Adelaide Oval (6.35pm) Fremantle v Carlton, Optus Stadium (8.15pm) Sunday April 26 St Kilda v West Coast Eagles, Marvel Stadium (1.10pm) Brisbane Lions v Adelaide Crows, The Gabba (3.15pm) GWS Giants v North Melbourne, Corroboree Group Oval Manuka (4.40pm) Thursday April 30 Collingwood v Hawthorn, MCG (7.30pm) Friday May 1 Western Bulldogs v Fremantle, Marvel Stadium (7.20pm) Adelaide Crows v Port Adelaide, Adelaide Oval (8.10pm) Saturday May 2 Essendon v Brisbane Lions, Marvel Stadium (1.15pm) West Coast Eagles v Richmond, Optus Stadium (4.15pm) Geelong Cats v North Melbourne, GMHBA Stadium (4.35pm) Carlton v St Kilda, Marvel Stadium (7.35pm) Sunday May 3 Sydney Swans v Melbourne, SCG (3.15pm) Gold Coast Suns v GWS Giants, People First Stadium (7.20pm) Thursday May 7 Fremantle v Hawthorn, Optus Stadium (7.30pm) Friday May 8 Brisbane Lions v Carlton, The Gabba (7.20pm) Port Adelaide v Western Bulldogs, Adelaide Oval (8.10pm) Saturday May 9 North Melbourne v Sydney Swans, Marvel Stadium (1.15pm) GWS Giants v Essendon, ENGIE Stadium (4.15pm) Gold Coast Suns v St Kilda, TIO Stadium (7.10pm) Geelong Cats v Collingwood, MCG (7.35pm) Sunday May 10 Melbourne v West Coast Eagles, Marvel Stadium (1.10pm) Richmond v Adelaide Crows, MCG (3.15pm) Thursday May 14 Brisbane Lions v Geelong Cats, The Gabba (7.30pm) Friday May 15 Sydney Swans v Collingwood, SCG (7.20pm) Gold Coast Suns v Port Adelaide, TIO Stadium (8.10pm) Saturday May 16 Adelaide Crows v North Melbourne, Adelaide Oval (1.15pm) Melbourne v Hawthorn, MCG (4.15pm) Carlton v Western Bulldogs, Marvel Stadium (7.35pm) Sunday May 17 Essendon v Fremantle, MCG (1.10pm) St Kilda v Richmond, Marvel Stadium (3.15pm) West Coast Eagles v GWS Giants, Optus Stadium (6.15pm) Thursday May 21 Hawthorn v Adelaide Crows, UTAS Stadium (7.30pm) Friday May 22 Richmond v Essendon, MCG (7.40pm) Fremantle v St Kilda, Optus Stadium (8.30pm) Saturday May 23 North Melbourne v Gold Coast Suns, Marvel Stadium (1.15pm) Geelong Cats v Sydney Swans, GMHBA Stadium (4.15pm) Collingwood v West Coast Eagles, MCG (4.35pm) Port Adelaide v Carlton, Adelaide Oval (7.35pm) Sunday May 24 GWS Giants v Brisbane Lions, ENGIE Stadium (12.30pm) Western Bulldogs v Melbourne, Marvel Stadium (3.15pm) Thursday May 28 St Kilda v Hawthorn, Marvel Stadium (7.30pm) Friday May 29 Carlton v Geelong Cats, MCG (7.40pm) Saturday May 30 Sydney Swans v Richmond, SCG (1.15pm) Brisbane Lions v Fremantle, The Gabba (4.15pm) Western Bulldogs v Collingwood, Marvel Stadium (7.35pm) Sunday May 31 Melbourne v GWS Giants, TIO Traeger Park Oval (3.15pm) West Coast Eagles v Essendon, Optus Stadium (7.20pm) Byes: Adelaide Crows, Gold Coast Suns, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide Thursday June 4 Adelaide Crows v Geelong Cats, Adelaide Oval (7.30pm) Friday June 5 Hawthorn v Western Bulldogs, MCG (7.40pm) Saturday June 6 Gold Coast Suns v Brisbane Lions, People First Stadium (1.15pm) North Melbourne v Fremantle, Hands Oval (4.15pm) West Coast Eagles v Port Adelaide, Optus Stadium (7.35pm) Sunday June 7 Sydney Swans v St Kilda, SCG (3.15pm) Essendon v Carlton, MCG (7.20pm) Monday June 8 Collingwood v Melbourne, MCG (3.15pm) Byes: GWS Giants, Richmond Thursday June 11 Western Bulldogs v Adelaide Crows, Marvel Stadium (7.30pm) Friday June 12 Geelong Cats v Gold Coast Suns, GMHBA Stadium (7.40pm) Saturday June 13 Melbourne v Essendon, MCG (1.15pm) North Melbourne v West Coast Eagles, Optus Stadium (4.15pm) Port Adelaide v Sydney Swans, Adelaide Oval (7.35pm) Sunday June 14 Richmond v Brisbane Lions, Ninja Stadium (1.10pm) St Kilda v GWS Giants, Marvel Stadium (3.15pm) Byes: Carlton, Collingwood, Fremantle, Hawthorn Thursday June 18 Fremantle v Geelong Cats, Optus Stadium (7.30pm) Friday June 19 Gold Coast Suns v Hawthorn, People First Stadium (7.40pm) Saturday June 20 Adelaide Crows v Melbourne, Adelaide Oval (1.15pm) GWS Giants v Carlton, ENGIE Stadium (4.15pm) Collingwood v Port Adelaide, MCG (7.35pm) Sunday June 21 Richmond v North Melbourne, MCG (1.10pm) St Kilda v Western Bulldogs, Marvel Stadium (3.15pm) Byes: Brisbane Lions, Essendon, Sydney Swans, West Coast Eagles Round 16 (dates and times TBC) Thursday June 25 – Sunday June 28 Brisbane Lions v Sydney Swans, The Gabba Carlton v West Coast Eagles, Marvel Stadium Collingwood v Richmond, MCG Fremantle v Gold Coast Suns, Optus Stadium Hawthorn v GWS Giants, MCG North Melbourne v Essendon, Marvel Stadium Port Adelaide v Adelaide Crows, Adelaide Oval Byes: Geelong Cats, Melbourne, St Kilda, Western Bulldogs, Round 17 (dates and times TBC) Thursday July 2 – Sunday July 5 Essendon v St Kilda, Marvel Stadium Geelong Cats v Brisbane Lions, GMHBA Stadium Gold Coast Suns v Collingwood, People First Stadium GWS Giants v Fremantle, Corroboree Group Oval Manuka Hawthorn v Melbourne, UTAS Stadium Port Adelaide v North Melbourne, Adelaide Oval Richmond v Carlton, MCG Sydney Swans v Western Bulldogs, SCG West Coast Eagles v Adelaide Crows, Optus Stadium Round 18 (dates and times TBC) Thursday July 9 – Sunday July 12 Adelaide Crows v Gold Coast Suns, Adelaide Oval Brisbane Lions v Essendon, The Gabba Carlton v Hawthorn, MCG Collingwood v North Melbourne, Marvel Stadium Fremantle v Sydney Swans, Optus Stadium GWS Giants v Geelong Cats, ENGIE Stadium Melbourne v Richmond, MCG St Kilda v Port Adelaide, Marvel Stadium Western Bulldogs v West Coast Eagles, Marvel Stadium Round 19 (dates and times TBC) Thursday July 16 – Sunday July 19 Collingwood v Carlton, MCG Essendon v GWS Giants, Marvel Stadium Geelong Cats v St Kilda, GMHBA Stadium Gold Coast Suns v Western Bulldogs, People First Stadium North Melbourne v Melbourne, Marvel Stadium Port Adelaide v Fremantle, Adelaide Oval Richmond v Hawthorn, MCG Sydney Swans v Adelaide Crows, SCG West Coast Eagles v Brisbane Lions, Optus Stadium Round 20 (dates and times TBC) Thursday July 23 – Sunday July 26 Adelaide Crows v Collingwood, Adelaide Oval Brisbane Lions v Port Adelaide, The Gabba Carlton v Gold Coast Suns, Marvel Stadium Fremantle v West Coast Eagles, Optus Stadium GWS Giants v Sydney Swans, ENGIE Stadium Hawthorn v Essendon, MCG North Melbourne v St Kilda, Marvel Stadium Melbourne v Geelong Cats, MCG Western Bulldogs v Richmond, Marvel Stadium Round 21 (dates and times TBC) Thursday July 30 – Sunday August 2 Carlton v Brisbane Lions, Marvel Stadium Collingwood v Geelong Cats, MCG Essendon v Adelaide Crows, Marvel Stadium Fremantle v Western Bulldogs, Optus Stadium Gold Coast Suns v Melbourne, People First Stadium Hawthorn v North Melbourne, UTAS Stadium Port Adelaide v GWS Giants, Adelaide Oval Richmond v West Coast Eagles, MCG St Kilda v Sydney Swans, Marvel Stadium Round 22 (dates and times TBC) Thursday August 6 – Sunday August 9 Adelaide Crows v Richmond, Adelaide Oval Brisbane Lions v Hawthorn, The Gabba Geelong Cats v Essendon, GMHBA Stadium GWS Giants v Gold Coast Suns, Corroboree Group Oval Manuka Melbourne v Fremantle, MCG St Kilda v Carlton, Marvel Stadium Sydney Swans v Port Adelaide, SCG West Coast Eagles v Collingwood, Optus Stadium Western Bulldogs v North Melbourne, Marvel Stadium Round 23 (dates and times TBC) Thursday August 13 – Sunday August 16 Brisbane Lions v Gold Coast Suns, The Gabba Essendon v Sydney Swans, MCG Fremantle v Adelaide Crows, Optus Stadium GWS Giants v West Coast Eagles, ENGIE Stadium Hawthorn v Collingwood, MCG North Melbourne v Geelong Cats, Marvel Stadium Port Adelaide v Melbourne, Adelaide Oval Richmond v St Kilda, MCG Western Bulldogs v Carlton, Marvel Stadium Round 24 (dates and times TBC) Thursday August 20 – Sunday August 23 Adelaide Crows v GWS Giants, Adelaide Oval Collingwood v Brisbane Lions, MCG Carlton v Fremantle, Marvel Stadium Essendon v Port Adelaide, Marvel Stadium Geelong Cats v Richmond, GMHBA Stadium Melbourne v Western Bulldogs, MCG St Kilda v Gold Coast Suns, Marvel Stadium Sydney Swans v North Melbourne, SCG West Coast Eagles v Hawthorn, Optus Stadium More to come ...
