AFL TICKETS 2026

About Australian Rules Football

Ticket Merchant offers some of the best, most sought-after AFL tickets available. If you’re looking to buy tickets to the 2026 AFL Season, you can be confident that every ticket purchased from us is 100% guaranteed with no hidden fees. 

The Australian Football League Grand Final is arguably the most exciting sporting event in the country. Fans will know that securing tickets for this national sporting event is tough. Even on the first day of release, the best tickets will likely sell out, and you’ll miss out on all the front-row action. This includes the marquee match between Collingwood and Essendon – ANZAC Day AFL Tickets. Fortunately for any AFL fan, we can help you secure AFL Tickets and get you great seats to view all the action.

AFL is the “rugby” game made by Aussies that has not only captured the heart of a nation but made its way around the world. AFL is played by almost 1.25 million players and is Australia's most-played football game. 

The Australian Football League match is the game where Australia’s best teams from across the country come together to compete for 24 rounds leading up to a play-off in a four-round finals series. All this comes to a head for the ultimate Grand Final, where fans from across the globe come to watch the best-of-the-best bring the heat.

Highlights of the AFL Season

Some of the biggest matches played throughout the year are on ANZAC day, during the Dream Time round and of course the big day itself, the Premiership.

Carlton vs Collingwood

The two traditional rivals, who have shared so much history together, do battle twice in season 25, with the first encounter being on a prime time Thursday Night at the MCG on April the 3rd, in which the Carlton Blues will be out to get revenge on the Collingwood Magpies for the recent heartbreak they have caused them. These two sides contested two thrillers in season 2024, with both matches being decided in the final minute, through a Nick Daicos match winning goal as well as a Mitch McGovern miss after the siren. Both clubs love the big occasion and in front of a packed MCG, it poses as unmissable viewing, with atmosphere as hostile as you will find all season across the AFL. If there was ever any doubt about attending this marquee fixture, there shouldn't be now! Carlton and Collingwood will do battle in Round 4 and Round 17.

Carlton vs Essendon

The Carlton Blues and Essendon Bombers will lock horns twice in Season 2025, as these bitter rivals take centre stage at the MCG for the third consecutive year, for the newly adopted, annual King's Birthday Eve Match, which is fast becoming a must-watch fixture on the AFL calendar. The Sunday Night fixture, before the Monday public holiday has thus far seen the Blues and the Bombers share the spoils across the first two years, but this year presents as another monumental opportunity for these longstanding rivals to get one up on the other in season 2025. These clubs will also meet in Round 24, presenting a potential grandstand finish to the season, which bares even further importance, given both have been deprived of success in recent seasons, so a win at the end of the season could prove to be a non-negotiable for the blues who have premiership aspirations and for the Don's who look to crack back into the AFL's lucrative Top 8.

Geelong vs Hawthorn

A rivalry which escalated in the modern era, has taken a slight hiatus over the last few years given Hawthorn's lengthy stay at the bottom of the ladder, but with the Hawks firing on all cylinders in 2024 and looking to be one of the early season premiership contenders, the flare and spite in this game will be back as the traditional Easter Monday Clash returns. Two of the more successful clubs of the modern era, this will be a must watch clash.

Carlton vs North Melbourne

The Good Friday Game returns to Marvel Stadium as North Melbourne will finally look to break their Good Friday hoo-doo, a fixture which they have pioneered, yet failed to win. The Blues have won the last two clashes, since being admitted to the Good Friday slot, so will be out to extend their winning streak, in a game which they cannot afford to lose. Will the youth of North Melbourne be able to overwhelm the experienced bodies at Carlton or will the star power which Carlton possess forward of the ball prove to be too much for North Melbourne yet again? Get your tickets to ensure you don't miss out on Marvel Stadium's hottest game of the season

ANZAC Day

The ANZAC Day match is an annual game between Collingwood and Essendon hosted at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on ANZAC Day (25 April). In 1995, the first modern version of this thrilling confrontation between these two sides took place. It was a huge success, as many people wanted to witness the game in honour of Aussie battlers who gave their lives and fought to protect this country.

Outside of the finals, this game is often regarded as the most important match of the AFL season, garnering larger crowds than any match, save the Grand Final and frequently selling out in advance.

For many people, the game may be their first engagement with ANZAC Day commemorations. A special ANZAC Day service is held at the MCG before the match. This ceremony involves a Flag Ceremony, which includes the playing of the Last Post and the Australian National Anthem, as well as the acknowledgement of Australian War Veterans.

Dreamtime at the G

Dreamtime at the 'G is a yearly Australian rules football match between Essendon and Richmond of the Australian Football League. 

The match has been played annually since 2007 on Saturday night of the AFL's "Indigenous Round". It's also known as the Sir Doug Nicholls Round. The match's name is derived from the Australian Aboriginal term "Dreamtime" and "the 'G," which is a nickname for the MCG, where the event is normally held. It has been played away from the ground only on two occasions when the COVID-19 outbreak impacted football in Victoria.

With an average attendance of over 70,000 since its start (with the exception of rain-affected matches) and a record attendance of 85,656 in 2017, the game attracts one of the largest crowds of the home-and-away season. The "Kevin Sheedy Cup" is given to the victorious team, while the "Yiooken Award" is given to the best player on the field.

AFL Gather Round

The AFL Gather Round is a South Australian footy festival. The inaugural 'Gather Round' was in 2025 and took place in April with nine matches played. Five of these games were held at Adelaide Oval.

The round of matches will coincide with school holidays in many parts of Australia and will feature match-ups listed in alphabetical order, with no club being designated as the "home" team. Two games will be played at Norwood Oval, while one will be played in Mount Barker.

How is the AFL 2026 Premiership Structured?

Each team will play 22 matches across a 24 round season.

In the 2026 Season, the AFL will be heading outside of Victoria for the opening round. Only 4 games will take place over the opening round:

The 2026 AFL is sure to be one of the biggest ever and you do not want to miss any of the action. Get your tickets to the biggest matches of the season here!

Secure and Trusted AFL Tickets are Available Here at Ticket Merchant

The tickets we sell are sourced from trusted resellers with whom we have a long-standing relationship with. We don’t allow any one-off or international sellers here. This means that the tickets we sell always come with a 100% guarantee. Don’t miss out on all the action!

At Ticket Merchant, we’ll make sure that you get AFL tickets with great seats for the country’s biggest sporting event. Above, you can find AFL tickets either by round, venue, or team.

You can also see the first round of tickets we have for sale this season, including the kick-off match between Richmond and Carlton on Thursday night at the MCG. Get your AFL tickers for the most anticipated matches of the season that will bring fire to the field as you’ve never seen before.

Don’t miss out on the best seats for the biggest matches. Lock-in exclusive AFL Tickets today!

Fans are gearing up for the 2026 AFL season like never before, while the biggest names in footy are taking to the field to sharpen their skills and preparing to bring the heat.

Secure AFL Tickets to Australia’s most anticipated sporting event here at Ticket Merchant.