The 2026 edition of the Gather Round attracted 270,018 spectators across nine matches at Adelaide Oval , Norwood Oval and Barossa Park, with an estimated 37 per cent of matachgoers travelling from interstate.
And now the footy festival is already gearing up for its return, with Gather Round 2027 running from Thursday 8 to Sunday 11 April, lining up with school holidays across the country.
The influx of visitors this year contributed a record $115 million to South Australia's economy, generating more than 233,000 visitor nights across the state. The benefits extended well beyond Adelaide, with a record 58,628 visitor nights recorded in regional South Australia.
Visitors stayed an average of 4.6 nights, giving footy fans plenty of time to explore beyond the stadiums and experience more of what South Australia has to offer.
Gather Round also supported an estimated 708 full time equivalent jobs across the state, while Adelaide Airport recorded its busiest week of air travel on record with almost 200,000 passengers traveling through the airport in the week leading up to and including the event.
Since its launch in 2023, Gather Round has now delivered more than $400 million total economic contribution to South Australia.
AFL Chief Executive Andrew Dillon said the event had become a marquee part of the AFL calendar and the 2027 dates would give fans plenty of time to plan their trip to South Australia.
"The event continues to deliver outstanding results on and off the field, attracting hundreds of thousands of fans and generating record economic benefits for South Australia" he said.
Next year will also bring something new to the festival, with a players' parade giving fans the chance to see their favourite AFL and AFLW stars together in one place.
More details about the 2027 fixture and Gather Round activities will be announced in the coming months.
