2026 AFL Fixture Confirmed: Season Opens at SCG with Swans vs Carlton

The 2026 AFL fixture is locked in. Here we go.

The Sydney Swans host Carlton under lights at the SCG on Thursday, March 5. That is your season opener. Sources confirm this is shaping up as one of the most anticipated campaigns in years.

Eighteen clubs. Twenty-three matches each across 25 rounds. March through September 26. Rounds 1-15 are fully fixtured. Rounds 16-24 remain floating — match-ups and venues confirmed, broadcast times to follow.

Opening Round Highlights

Big one here: St Kilda hosting Collingwood at the MCG on Sunday night, the first time opening round includes a Victorian fixture. That is ahead of the Monday Labour Day public holiday.

Thursday nights are locked in through the first 16 rounds. Seven Sunday night matches across the season. Six Friday night double-headers confirmed, including Good Friday and the first Showdown between Adelaide and Port Adelaide in round eight.

Wildcard Finals Innovation

This is the big structural change. The finals series expands from four weeks to five. Qualifying teams go from eight to ten.

The top six get a bye in the wildcard round. Teams finishing seventh through tenth play off for the right to advance. The AFL wants more clubs in contention deeper into the season — and more blockbuster September content. It is a significant shift.

Must-Watch Matchups

Circle these now. Christian Petracca faces his old side Melbourne in round four after his blockbuster move to Gold Coast. Tom De Koning and Jack Silvagni take on former club Carlton in round eight as new St Kilda recruits. The storylines are already writing themselves.

Opening round also delivers Brisbane Lions hosting Essendon at the Gabba on Saturday afternoon — two clubs with genuine finals ambitions where punters are gonna want the AFL betting odds locked in early. The GWS Giants travel to face North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium in Sunday twilight. Richmond take on the West Coast Eagles in Perth. Western Bulldogs round out the weekend at Mars Stadium in Ballarat.

The full fixture is available on the AFL website and the Australia Football AFL section.

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LF — Breaking news correspondent, australiafootball.com