AFLW 2025 fixture to include two weeks of pride celebrations for first time

The long-awaited AFLW fixture will be released this week and include a big change to the league’s Pride Round celebration. Find out what you can expect here.

AFL Women’s is set to recognise a fortnight of pride commemorations for the first time with inclusivity celebrations to be split over two weeks for the first time in the competition’s new fixture that will be released on Thursday.

The fixture for the competition’s 10th season has been closely guarded with broadcasters and clubs to get their first look in the hours preceding its public release.

It is understood that the expansion of Pride round to both rounds 9 and 10 — which allows a home game and feature of every team’s guernsey — is one key change.

There is currently no pride round in the men’s competition, with Sydney meeting Essendon in Round 21 for a Pride game at the SCG.

Not every AFLW club will feature in double-headers which the league has forecast would be an addition it would heavily explore for this season, particularly as the game overlaps with the men’s season more than ever before.

GWS Giants AFLW players Emily Pease and Katherine Smith.

It is expected the league will be forced to get creative with fixturing, particularly in the early rounds, with the women’s competition to share weekends with two full rounds of the men’s competition before the men’s finals series begins.

There will be no midweek games as the league turns its back on the much-criticised condensed fixture, with Carlton and Collingwood to open the season at Ikon Park on Thursday, August 14.

The crossover rounds will require a total of 19 matches to be scheduled across two weekends, including Essendon and Gold Coast’s rescheduled opening round clash that was delayed due to a cyclone.

Emma Moore speaks at the AFLW Pride Round launch in October.

It is understood that there are only a limited number — if any — double-header matches scheduled as part of the upcoming fixture, despite lobbying from players and an apparent appetite from the league to consider them as a prime option, particularly in the crossover period.

The league remains committed to playing AFLW games at second-tier grounds rather than major stadiums.

Clubs have been frustrated at the lack of a fixture for both football planning and staffing purposes, with the pre-season having already been underway for three weeks.

Carlton coach Mathew Buck said the delay felt like nothing new in his club’s preparation for the season.

“It’s not ideal, but we’ve lived it (before) ... we’ve had this experience previously anyway,” he said on Tuesday.

“We’re lucky in the way that we know we’ve got Collingwood in Round 1, so it’s all eyes on that one, and as soon as the fixture drops we get on with the planning of whatever the travel looks like.”

Carlton coach Mathew Buck says the fixture delays are nothing new for clubs. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

The league has been formulating a strategic vision for the competition, with league head of AFLW Emma Moore canvassing clubs as part of the process in recent months.

Moore said earlier this month that nothing is off the table for the future of the competition, including looking at the time of year in which it is played.

“I think one of the things when we set this season with the crossover period was really to understand what that implication was, how we could make it really, really work and then from there take those insights and those learnings and look at the season timing,” she said.

“We’re looking at everything in terms of the AFLW growth strategy. Whatever is going to drive the best outcome for the growth of the game. We’ve absolutely got on the table.

“What is really important in the fixture planning and the work that we’re doing is to making sure that we’re optimising that crossover between the men’s and women’s competition.”

Originally published as AFLW 2025 fixture to include two weeks of pride celebrations for first time