THE AFL has announced the fixtures for the 2026 Smithy’s VFL season and 2026 VFLW season.

The fixture release includes the full schedule for Rounds 1-13 of the Smithy’s VFL and Rounds 1-6 of the VFLW.

Match ups for all remaining rounds have also been announced. Dates, times and venues for those rounds will be confirmed after the corresponding rounds of the AFL fixture are scheduled later in the year.

The Smithy’s VFL season will commence on Friday, March 20, while the VFLW competition will be played in a new season window, with the opening round locked in for Saturday, May 16.

CASEY MEMBERSHIPS >>> Get yours now 

The updated VFLW season window will see the final three rounds of the home and away season crossover with the opening three rounds of the NAB AFLW competition.

Tasmania will compete in both the VFL and VFLW competitions in 2026 as the club continues preparations for entry into the AFL and AFLW after being awarded the 19th licence in 2023.

St Kilda returns to the VFL as its own entity for the first time since 2000 after its VFL alignment with Sandringham ceased at the end of the 2025 season. The Zebras and Saints will continue their alliance in the VFLW, where they will remain competing as Sandringham.

AFL Head of State League Competitions, Jennie Loughnan, said: “There is great anticipation building ahead of the 2026 season and we are pleased to confirm the home and away fixtures for both the Smithy’s VFL and VFLW.

“It will be a history-making year in both competitions with the introduction of Tasmania Football Club and we are excited to welcome the Devils as they play for premiership points for the first time.

“With 12 players from the Smithy’s VFL being added to AFL lists across the past year, we look forward to seeing more players emerge through the VFL this year, as well as watching futures stars of the game develop their craft.

“The new VFLW season window provides more opportunity for AFLW-listed to feature at state league level, with greater alignment with the NAB AFLW competition.

“Having 17 VFL and VFLW double-headers already scheduled throughout the first block of fixtures allows fans to support both their women’s and men’s teams on the same day. That number will grow further once scheduling for the back part of the season is finalised.

“I thank all clubs for working closely with us to create the 2026 fixtures and appreciate the patience of our fans as we factored in the many considerations that impact our fixtures and scheduling to ensure we land on the best outcome for our competitions and clubs.”

To view the full fixtures, please go to www.afl.com.au/vfl/fixture.

SMITHY’S VFL

The 2026 Smithy’s VFL season will commence the weekend of March 20-22, which will correspond with Round 2 of the Toyota AFL Premiership Season.

The Smithy’s VFL campaign will feature 21 home and away rounds, with every club to play 18 matches and have three byes.

Tasmania and St Kilda join the competition this year, taking the number of teams to 22 spread across Australia’s eastern seaboard.

As announced last September, Tasmania will field teams in the VFL and VFLW competitions on a full-time basis this season as the club continues preparations for entry into the AFL and AFLW.

Meanwhile, St Kilda returns to the VFL as a standalone team for the first time since 2000. The Saints and Sandringham ceased a 16-year alignment at the conclusion of the 2025 season.

The top 10 teams on the Smithy’s VFL ladder at the conclusion of the home and away season will qualify for the finals series, which will commence with two Wildcard Finals on the weekend of August 22-23.

The finals series will again be played across five weeks and will conclude with the 2026 Smithy’s VFL Grand Final on the weekend of September 19-20.

Some of the key features of the 2026 Smithy’s VFL season include:

  • 40 matches featuring VFL standalone clubs against each other, with all eight VFL standalone clubs playing against each other at least once. Coburg, Frankston, Southport and Williamstown will play each other twice, while Port Melbourne, Sandringham, Tasmania and Werribee will play each other twice.
  • 17 VFL/W double headers across the opening six rounds of the VFLW season.
  • Tasmania Football Club to play its first match for premiership points when it hosts Coburg at North Hobart Oval on Saturday, March 21.
  • St Kilda to mark its return to the VFL on the same day when it travels to Tom Wills Oval to take on the GWS Giants. The Saints last featured in the VFA/VFL in 2000.
  • Footscray Bulldogs to unfurl the 2025 premiership flag against Casey Demons at Mission Whitten Oval in Round 1.
  • Competition bye scheduled for the men’s and women’s State Games between the VFL and SANFL, which will be played at Glenelg’s Stratarama Stadium on Saturday, April 11 during the AFL’s Gather Round.
  • Grand Final rematch between Southport Sharks and Footscray Bulldogs at Fankhauser Reserve in Round 6.
  • Four matches on Good Friday in Round 3.
  • Four matches on ANZAC Day in Round 5.
  • Finals series to commence with Wildcard Finals on the weekend of August 22-23. The Wildcard Finals format remains unchanged, with the team that finishes seventh on the ladder to play against the team that finishes 10th, while eighth will take on ninth.
  • Smithy’s VFL Grand Final to be played the weekend of September 19-20.

VFLW

The VFLW home and away season will comprise 16 rounds, with every club to play 14 matches and have two byes.

Round 1 will be played on Saturday, May 16, with the new season window set to see the final three rounds of the VFLW home and away season crossover with the opening three rounds of the NAB AFLW competition.

Tasmania will join the VFLW for the first time, increasing the number of teams to 13.

The top-six teams on the VFLW ladder at the end of the home and away season will qualify for the finals, which will transform to a three-week format.

The finals series will commence with two elimination finals on the weekend of September 5-6. The third-placed team on the ladder will play against sixth, while fourth will take on fifth.

The top-two teams on the ladder will advance directly to the preliminary finals, which will pit the first-placed team on the ladder against the lower-ranked elimination final winner, while the second-placed team will take on the higher-ranked elimination final winner.

The two preliminary final winners will advance to the VFLW Grand Final, which will be on the same weekend as the Smithy’s VFL Grand Final.

Some of the key features of the 2026 VFLW season include:

  • New season window, with the 2026 campaign to be played from May to September
  • The final three rounds of the home and away season to crossover with the opening three rounds of NAB AFLW season.
  • VFLW State Team to represent the ‘Big V’ against the SANFL Women’s State Team at Glenelg’s Stratarama Stadium on Saturday, April 11 in a double-header with the men’s State Game.
  • 17 VFL/W double headers across the opening six rounds of the VFLW season.
  • Tasmania Football Club to play its first VFLW match on Saturday, May 16 when it hosts Casey Demons at North Hobart Oval. The match will feature as part of a double-header, with the Devils’ VFL side to host Southport later in the day.
  • Reigning premier North Melbourne Werribee to unfurl the 2025 premiership flag when it hosts Darebin at Arden Street Oval in Round 3.
  • Two rematches of the 2025 Grand Final between North Melbourne Werribee and Collingwood, with the matches scheduled in Rounds 9 and 15.
  • Finals series to be played across three weeks, commencing the weekend of September 5-6.
  • VFLW Grand Final to be played the weekend of September 19-20.

Broadcast and streaming All matches in the 2026 Smithy’s VFL season and 2026 VFLW season will be broadcast live and free via AFL.com.au, the AFL Live Official App and the VFL App. Any updates to broadcast arrangements will be confirmed prior to the season commencing.

Live scores and stats Live scores and stats will be available via AFL.com.au, the AFL Live Official App and the VFL App. A new version of the VFL App is now available for download in the App Store.

Ticketing Where Smithy’s VFL matches are ticketed, entry is $10 for adults, $5 for concession holders and kids under 15 are free. AFL ticketing prices apply for VFL matches played as curtain-raisers and curtain-closers to AFL matches.

Entry to VFLW matches is free. Where venues host VFL and VFLW double-headers, entry fees will apply after half time of the VFLW match if played first.

SANFL vs VFL State Games The best of the VFL and SANFL will battle it out again in 2026, with a representative double-header locked in at Glenelg’s Stratarama Stadium during Gather Round. The 2026 State Games will feature as part of South Australia’s annual week of football festivities, with both women’s and men’s State Games to be held on Saturday, April 1