Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
The AFL has ended its Opening Round experiment, with the league confirming all 18 teams will start their season in a traditional round one next year.
With the MCG to host an historic one-off Test between Australia and England to commemorate 150 years of the Ashes from March 11-15, the AFL has pushed back its start date with the season to open on Wednesday, March 17 or Thursday, March 18.
It means there is no space for an Opening Round fixture, which has been in place since 2024, and saw teams in Queensland and Sydney open the season with marquee games in a bid to grow the game in traditional NRL heartlands.
However, the initiative has come under intense criticism, with claims it gives the teams that start earlier an unfair advantage given their ability to build match fitness.
It was also lamented by fans, with the need for byes resulting in an unbalanced ladder until the middle of the season.
Chief executive Andrew Dillon said the league has been listening.
“After important feedback from fans and stakeholders and consultation with clubs and broadcasters, Round 1 will see the return of a traditional nine-game round played across the country,” he said in a statement.
“To accommodate the historic 150th anniversary test match at the MCG next March, we have been working through alternative options to deliver the start of the AFL season.
“We’re really pleased to be able to provide fans and clubs with this clarity well ahead of the 2027 season.”
A later start will also see the AFL hold a rare October grand final, with the 2027 decider to be played on Saturday, October 2, just the seventh time in the AFL era the grand final will be played outside of September.
The league is also set to reveal the pre-season and AFL Origin fixtures in the coming days, though Dillon said the league’s focus remains on this year’s finals after the success of the inaugral wildcard round.
“Before we get there, we are focused on making the end to the 2026 Toyota AFL Premiership season one to remember, after an all-time record-breaking home and away attendance and the inaugural Wildcard Finals delivering record broadcast and crowd numbers.
“The passion of footy fans is unmatched. We’re looking forward to another four big matches this coming weekend across Western Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia.”
