SANFL season to begin with a bang as flag favourites Sturt and Norwood go head-to-head at The Parade
The 2026 SANFL fixture has been revealed, with a headline opening act between competition heavyweights Sturt and Norwood and two state games among the highlights.
The SANFL’s two early flag favourites will kick off the 2026 season with a Friday night blockbuster at The Parade in March.
In a promoter’s dream, last season’s premier Sturt will take on beaten preliminary finalist Norwood, which has recruited heavily in the off-season, in a glamour match-up under lights that is expected to be played in front of a bumper crowd to ignite the campaign.
The fierce eastern suburbs rivals and competition heavyweights remarkably haven’t met in a men’s league grand final since their famous 1978 encounter, which was won by the underdog Redlegs by a point after a controversial late goal by Norwood great Phil Gallagher.
But the 47-year drought could end next season, with both clubs boasting powerful playing lists.
“Friday night footy at The Parade against a good side in Norwood, it’s going to be a great game to start the season,’’ triple Double Blues premiership coach Martin Mattner said of the March 27 encounter.
“We are looking forward to testing ourselves early on against one of the best sides.’’
The four other Round 1 clashes will be on Saturday, March 28, with South Adelaide - a big winner in the off-season recruiting stakes - hosting Woodville-West Torrens, West Adelaide at home to Adelaide, Central District welcoming North Adelaide to Elizabeth and Port Adelaide hosting Glenelg.
The season will start with a bang, with Round 2 falling over the Easter weekend and including a Thursday night fixture between Woodville-West Torrens and Adelaide at Woodville Oval followed by four Good Friday games.
The marquee Good Friday match on April 3 will be between modern-day powerhouse Glenelg, which has featured in five of the past seven grand finals, and Norwood at the Bay.
The Tigers have a new coach (former Crows AFLW boss Matthew Clarke) and will field a new-look team after the loss of a host of premiership players in the off-season.
There will also be plenty of interest in the North-Sturt clash at Prospect Oval, where star Roosters recruit, Double Blues great James Battersby, could face his former teammates for the first time.
‘’We are really excited about the marquee match-ups, particularly in the opening rounds,’’ SANFL head of football operations Sean Toohey said.
“It promises to be an intriguing start to the season with a host of new recruits and coaches sporting their new clubs’ colours for the first time. Scheduling these highly-anticipated clashes early in the fixture will maximise the potential for significant attendances amid the milder weather.’’
The SANFL state team will play the VFL at Glenelg Oval on Saturday, April 11, as part of AFL Gather Round before tackling the WAFL in Perth in mid-May.
No club games will be played when the state team is on duty.
The SANFL, which proudly proclaims to be the best state league competition outside the AFL, will be desperate to perform strongly next season after shockingly losing both state games this year.
The traditional Anzac Day grand final rematch between this year’s grand finalists, Sturt and Glenelg, will be staged at Unley Oval on Saturday, April 25.
Traditional rivals Norwood and Port will kick off Anzac Round at The Parade on Friday night, with the Eagles hosting West Adelaide at the same time.
Two blockbuster matches have been scheduled for the King’s Birthday Holiday Weekend, with Glenelg hosting Port on Saturday, June 6, and the Double Blues having a stand-alone game against Norwood at Unley on Monday, June 8.
There will be two regional matches, with the Redlegs hosting West Adelaide in Port Lincoln in Round 6 and the Bulldogs hosting the Panthers at Barossa Park, Lyndoch, in Round 14 as part of the SA Country Championships.
A First Nations Round will be held in Round 7 and align with the AFL’s Sir Doug Nicholls Round.
A four-week finals series to be played at Adelaide Oval, culminating in the grand final on Sunday, September 20.
There are major changes to the SANFL Women’s league, entering its 10th year, with a later start date (April 18) and finish (August 29), to align more closely to the men’s season.
The women’s state game will be staged a week before the club season begins - against the VFLW as a curtain-raiser to the men’s state game at the Bay on April 11.
SANFLW start times will be staggered - from 9am to 5pm - to allow full rounds of football (including women’s and men’s competitions) to be played at one venue on the same day.
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Originally published as SANFL season to begin with a bang as flag favourites Sturt and Norwood go head-to-head at The Parade
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