Photo: AFL
HAWTHORN and Essendon have been allocated seven primetime Friday or Thursday night games in the first 16 rounds of the 2025 AFL season.
The full fixtures list was released by the AFL today complete with locked fixtures for the first 15 rounds; the times and venues for rounds 16-23 will be released later, says the AFL.
Full fixture: click here for the full fixture for the 2025 AFL season.
Brisbane and Geelong kick off the regular season at the Gabba on Thursday, March 6, 2025. The opening round features four games.
Port Adelaide will be seen just once on a Thursday while Greater Western Sydney misses out on Thursday and Friday games.
Thursday games will feature in 23 of 25 rounds including the first 16 rounds while the Gather Round will feature two matches at a new venue in the Barossa Valley.
The Hawks, with four Friday night fixtures, will play Adelaide in round 14 at the University of Tasmania Stadium, Launceston.
The Lions and Sydney will square off in a grand final rematch at the SCG in round one.
“We are pleased to offer fans more Thursday nights than ever this season with 23 matches set to be played across the season,” AFL Head of Broadcast and Scheduling Josh Bowler said.
“Sunday nights proved to be very popular last season and we have a number of marquee matches slated for this time slot …”
Three clubs will celebrate their centenary in 2025; Western Bulldogs play Collingwood on Friday, March 21; Hawthorn marks its 100th against Richmond at the MCG in round eight and North Melbourne celebrates in round 20 against Geelong at Marvel Stadium.
Matches will be played in Alice Springs, Canberra, Launceston, Darwin and Bunbury.
“2024 saw a record-breaking season with more than eight million fans attending matches and one in 20 Australians belonging to an AFL Club and we are thrilled to announce a fixture that will build on this, while also being the fairest possible draw for all of our clubs as they look to chase the Premiership flag,” said Bowler.
“These matches, along with other big match ups fixtured for key dates in the country’s calendar have become part of the holiday celebrations for fans to mark in their diaries and plan trips with friends and family around.”
