The 2026 VFLW home and away season will run across 16 rounds, with every club to play 14 matches and receive two byes.
The new campaign will officially begin in Round 1 on Saturday, May 16, with the season window shifting to May through September. The revised fixture format will also see the final three rounds of the VFLW season crossover with the opening three rounds of the NAB AFLW competition, creating a huge finish to the year.
A major milestone for the competition will also arrive in Round 1, with Tasmania Football Club to play its first-ever VFLW match, increasing the league to 13 teams for the first time.
The top-six teams on the ladder at the end of the home and away season will qualify for finals, with the series moving to a three-week format.
Finals will commence with two elimination finals on the weekend of September 5–6, before the top-two teams enter at the preliminary final stage. The VFLW Grand Final will be held on the same weekend as the Smithy’s VFL Grand Final, scheduled for September 19–20.
Some of the key features of the 2026 VFLW season include:
- A new season window, with the campaign played from May to September
- The final three rounds of the home and away season to crossover with the opening three rounds of the NAB AFLW season
- A VFLW State Team set to represent the ‘Big V’ against the SANFL Women’s State Team at Glenelg on Saturday, April 11
- 17 VFL/VFLW double headers across the opening six rounds of the season
- Tasmania’s first VFLW match on Saturday, May 16, hosting Casey at North Hobart Oval
- Reigning premiers North Melbourne Werribee to unfurl their 2025 premiership flag in Round 3
- Two Grand Final rematches between North Melbourne Werribee and Collingwood scheduled for Rounds 9 and 15
- Finals series beginning the weekend of September 5–6
- VFLW Grand Final to be played the weekend of September 19–20
Williamstown will confirm its full 2026 VFLW fixture was released 11 Feb, 2026. Find a link to the complete fixture below:
