As the Australian Football League (AFL) club chief executives convene on the Gold Coast to examine multiple fixture proposals for the 2028 season, indications suggest the league has largely predetermined its course. The discussions, framed around innovative scheduling options such as in-season tournaments and potential round resets, serve more as consultation exercises than genuine deliberations, sources indicate.
The AFL’s interest in expanding its regular season fixture aligns with the anticipated introduction of a Tasmania-based team, which would bring the competition to 19 clubs and prompt a need for an even number of games. Proposals under consideration include extending the season to 24 rounds, a move that would facilitate more matchups and open new commercial avenues. Such an expansion would generate increased revenue streams through enhanced television rights and provide opportunities to distribute games across non-traditional markets, including the Northern Territory and Queensland, creating broader national engagement.
This approach is consistent with the league’s recent strategies to solidify its dominance within Australia’s sporting landscape. The AFL has shown a reluctance to shorten the season, even as external competitors like soccer, horse racing, and rugby league vie for audience share. Initiatives like the introduction of a wildcard round and the Magic Round—a concept borrowed from rugby league—have been implemented with minimal opposition from club leadership, underscoring the league’s capacity to push through changes once internal consensus is reached.
Notably, the AFL is resistant to adopting a fixture model similar to the National Football League’s single round-robin format, instead favoring a more extensive schedule that increases the total number of games each team plays annually. Critics who suggest alternative formats such as in-season tournaments or group-stage playoffs proposed by figures like Suns CEO Mark Evans may find little support, given the league’s confidence that its traditional season structure already delivers sufficient competitive drama.
Case studies from recent seasons highlight this point. Teams like Sydney in 2023 and 2017, as well as Richmond in 2014, demonstrated significant variation in form late in the season, maintaining strong competitive interest deep into the schedule. The league’s decision to implement a wildcard weekend further intensifies the stakes of late-season games, ensuring more teams remain in contention for finals berths.
While some clubs have expressed reservations in past fixture discussions—for instance, when the 17-6 round format was floated in 2020—the AFL’s position has remained firm. Moving forward, the league aims to capitalize on the 24-round season as a means to sustain market relevance, expand geographic reach, and enhance its financial footing, marking no intention of reverting to shorter schedules or substantially altering the game’s traditional weekly format.