There will be six Friday night double-headers in 2026, beginning in round six and running through to round 11
Jordan Dawson and Nick Murray compete for a mark against Mitch Georgiades during the match between Adelaide and Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval in round 20, 2025. Picture: Getty Images
THERE will be six Friday double-headers in next year’s fixture as the League loads up on the marquee timeslot.
Starting with the Good Friday clash between North Melbourne and Carlton in round four, which will be followed that night by Adelaide and Fremantle locking horns at Adelaide Oval, the AFL has six rounds that have two Friday games.
The other five are all overlapping Friday night double-headers, beginning in round six and running through to round 11.
The locked in fixture times are only for the first 15 rounds of the season with the floating fixture to be determined next year, but the first block of the 2026 fixture sees the League trialling the sample of double-headers on Fridays.
From rounds six to 11 there will be five Friday double-headers, which includes the Sydney and Greater Western Sydney grudge match in round six and the Adelaide and Port Adelaide Showdown in round eight.
Tom Papley celebrates kicking a goal in front of Toby Greene during the match between Greater Western Sydney and Sydney at Engie Stadium in round 20, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos
That will also see the double-headers in Sir Doug Nicholls Round, which runs over rounds 10 and 11 next year, with Sydney and Collingwood featuring at the SCG and Gold Coast and Port Adelaide also playing that night at TIO Stadium in Darwin.
The following Friday, Richmond and Essendon will face-off in Dreamtime at the ‘G, before Fremantle and St Kilda play at Optus Stadium later in the evening.
The AFL will release the full fixture on Thursday.
FRIDAY DOUBLE-HEADERS
ROUND FOUR
North Melbourne v Carlton, Marvel Stadium, 3.15pm (local times)
Adelaide v Fremantle, Adelaide Oval, 7.15pm
ROUND SIX
Geelong v Western Bulldogs, GMHBA Stadium, 7.20pm
Sydney v GWS, SCG, 7.50pm
ROUND EIGHT
Western Bulldogs v Fremantle, Marvel Stadium, 7.20pm
Adelaide v Port Adelaide, Adelaide Oval, 8.10pm
ROUND NINE
Brisbane v Carlton, Gabba, 7:20pm
Port Adelaide v Western Bulldogs, Adelaide Oval, 8.10pm
ROUND 10
Sydney v Collingwood, SCG, 7.20pm
Gold Coast v Port Adelaide, TIO Stadium, 8.10pm
ROUND 11
Richmond v Essendon, MCG, 7.40pm
Fremantle v St Kilda, Optus Stadium, 8.30pm
