Gather Round Fixture Out Amid Economic Boost

The fixture for the 2026 AFL Gather Round has been released, with matches at the Adelaide Oval, Norwood Oval and the magnificent Barossa Park once again providing a drawcard for football fans to flock to South Australia.

Gather Round will run from 9-12 April, during the first weekend of school holidays in South Australia and New South Wales, and the middle weekend of school holidays in Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia, providing a massive boost for the state's tourism and hospitality industries.

The fixture will be bookended with blockbuster Adelaide Oval matches featuring home teams, with the Adelaide Crows to play Carlton on Thursday night, and Port Adelaide taking on St Kilda on Sunday evening.

The Adelaide Oval will also play host to Collingwood taking on Fremantle on Friday night, and two matches on Saturday,

The Adelaide Oval will host two matches on Saturday, with Essendon playing Melbourne in the early afternoon before the stadium resets for the evening, where Hawthorn and the Western Bulldogs will play. Both matches will be ticketed separately.

The action returns to Barossa Park on Saturday afternoon where North Melbourne will line up against the Brisbane Lions before a twilight fixture at Norwood Oval between the Sydney Swans and the Gold Coast SUNS.

On Sunday, Norwood Oval will host the Geelong Cats and West Coast Eagles, ahead of the GWS GIANTS and Richmond playing at Barossa Park before Port Adelaide takes on St Kilda at the Adelaide Oval.

Tickets for Gather Round go on sale for members on Wednesday 3 December, and to the general public on Thursday 4 December.

The 2025 AFL Gather Round delivered a record economic result for South Australia providing a Total Economic Contribution of $113.9 million, up 24 per cent on 2024.

Independent analysis by IER showed the 2025 event accounted for 241,613 visitor nights, 26 per cent higher than 2024 (191,696) and 59 per cent per cent higher than 2023 (151,487).

Ark Capital Partners recently acquired the Mayfair Hotel for $75 million, announcing a $23 million refurbishment – citing Adelaide's world-class events as a significant reason for its multi-million-dollar investment.

Part-owned by ASX-listed Regal Partners Limited, the company has indicated a wider interest in investing in the South Australian hotel industry, including their other projects at Market Square and Victoria Tower.

As put by Peter Malinauskas

The Gather Round phenomenon continues to grow and deliver for our State.

This fixture, the start of school holidays in South Australia and New South Wales, and middle of school holidays in other states, presents the perfect platform for visitors and locals alike to experience the best SA has to offer.

We encourage everyone to come, and experience Gather Round, be it in the city, or the stunning Barossa Valley.

Gather Round this year delivered almost $114 m in economic benefits, but the event is also driving new investment in our state, including at major hotels like the Mayfair.

As put by AFL CEO Andrew Dillon

We are thrilled to be returning to South Australia for our third Gather Round, it truly is the best of our game and it gets bigger and better each year.

Gather Round has become more than a weekend of footy, it's a celebration of community, connection, and everything we love about the game. Fans don't want to miss a moment of it.

Barossa Park delivered a magnificent experience last year, showcasing the best of what the region has to offer and this time around it is set to deliver another two big games.

We know visitors travel from all over Australia to experience the buzz of Gather Round with fans not wanting to miss out and everyone wanting to be a part of it.

As put by Ark Capital CEO Rahul Parrab

We are delighted to have acquired the iconic 170-key Mayfair Hotel in Adelaide's CBD, where we will bring the Kimpton brand to Adelaide, offering a boutique luxury lifestyle experience with our partner IHG Hotels & Resorts.

The Adelaide hotel market is poised for steady growth, driven by a combination of strong economic fundamentals, increasing tourism, and infrastructure development. Adelaide's appeal as a destination is bolstered by its world-class events, wine regions, and cultural attractions, which continue to draw domestic and international visitors. Gather Round is another visionary example support visitation and growth in South Australia.

As investors into South Australia, we continue to experience genuine, reliable and committed Government engagement and support, with a drive to offer fantastic events.