2026 VFL season

The 2026 VFL season was the 144th season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), a second-tier Australian rules football competition played in the states of Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and Tasmania. The season commenced on 20 March and concluded on 20 September.

won the premiership for the fourth time, defeating by 23 points in the 2026 VFL Grand Final. It was the first grand final since 2019 to feature two Victorian teams.

Background Broadcast rights The Seven Network, which had broadcast VFL matches since 2015, did not renew its deal, stating that the practice was no longer commercially viable. During the 2025 season, one match per round had been shown in Victoria on its secondary channel, 7mate. On 12 February 2026, Crikey reported that the ABC had secured the VFL television and radio rights for the 2026 season. The full broadcast deal was announced on 12 March 2026.

The ABC broadcast one match per round, generally commencing at 12:05pm on Saturdays, which was available on ABC Television in Victoria, ABC iview nationally, and simulcast on ABC Radio and ABC Listen.

Kayo Sports, which previously broadcast VFL matches in 2021, streamed at least one home-and-away match per round (which was also shown on Fox Footy). The Seven Network broadcast all ten of the Tasmania Football Club's home matches on Seven Tasmania and 7plus nationally. The Sports Entertainment Network (SEN) broadcast all of Tasmania's home-and-away matches on radio.

The preliminary finals and grand final were broadcast by the ABC. All matches continued to be broadcast online through the AFL's website and app.

League membership In 2026, 22 teams competed in the VFL, the equal-most (with 2021) to contest a VFA/VFL premiership in a single division. It was the first time that clubs from four different states were represented in the same season.

Preston

The Northern Bullants faced several challenges throughout the 2025 season. A new president and board took over in May 2025, reverting the club to its traditional "Preston Football Club" name on 20 August 2025, immediately after the conclusion of the home-and-away season. The club had last competed as Preston in 1999 (when it was nicknamed the "Knights").

At the same time, it was reported that the club could be in danger of folding because of debt, with the club asking the Australian Football League (AFL) to financially assist. On 6 October 2025, after years of uncompetitive performances, having struggled to pay its players and staff in 2025, and with questions over its long-term viability without the annual subsidies that clubs had received from the league prior to the pandemic-interrupted 2020 season, the VFL revoked the club's licence.

It was the not the first time Preston's history that it had faced similar circumstances – in 1912 it amalgamated with , in 1997 its licence was withdrawn but was restored after one month, and in 2020 it almost folded after ended their affiliation.

Initially, Preston club officials expressed optimism about regaining a VFL licence in 2027 or 2028. However, faced with no viable path to readmission, the club entered voluntary liquidation after a meeting of members on 15 December 2025.

St Kilda

competed in the VFL with its own reserves team during the 2000 season, before entering into an affiliation with (later renamed ) in 2001. The agreement ended after the 2008 season and St Kilda affiliated with in 2009.

In April 2025, Sandringham rejected a proposal from St Kilda to be renamed to the "Sandringham Saints" and move all home matches from Trevor Barker Beach Oval to Moorabbin Oval. The proposal also would have resulted in Sandringham permanently using St Kilda's colours of red, black and white (which it had already worn as an away jumper beginning in 2019).

On 30 June 2025, St Kilda announced it would end its affiliation with Sandringham following the 2025 season. The AFL granted a VFL licence to St Kilda the same day, while Sandringham continued in the competition as a standalone team.

Sandringham defeated in round 2 after trailing by 34 points at half-time, which was its first victory as a standalone team since the 1999 VFL semi-final.

Tasmania

On 5 September 2025, the Tasmania Football Club was granted a licence to compete in the VFL from 2026, ahead of its planned entry into the AFL from the 2028 season. Jeromey Webberley was appointed as the club's inaugural VFL coach, while former player Jye Menzie became the club's first player when he was signed on 30 September 2025.

Tasmania played its first official practice match against at RMIT Oval on 7 March 2026, losing 14.8 (92) to 10.12 (72). It played its first home-and-away season match against at North Hobart Oval in round 1, winning 14.12 (96) to 11.13 (79).

It was the first time a club from Tasmania had competed in the VFL since the original Tasmania Football Club, which competed from 2001 until the end of 2008.

Clubs Venues and affiliations Club State Home venue(s) Capacity AFL affiliation VIC Box Hill City Oval 6,000 Kennedy Community Centre 3,000 QLD Brighton Homes Arena 8,000 Brisbane VIC Ikon Park 13,000 VIC Casey Fields 9,000 VIC Barry Plant Park 15,000 VIC Victoria Park 10,000 KGM Centre 3,500 Tony Sheehan Oval 2,500 VIC NEC Hangar 3,500 Windy Hill 10,000 VIC Mission Whitten Oval 10,000 Marvel Stadium 53,343 VIC Kinetic Stadium 5,000 VIC GMHBA Stadium 40,000 QLD People First Stadium 25,000 NSW Tom Wills Oval 200 ENGIE Stadium 23,500 Narrandera Sportsground 14,000 VIC Arden Street Oval 4,000 VIC ETU Stadium 6,000 VIC Holm Park 7,000 Kinetic Stadium 5,000 ETU Stadium 6,000 VIC WS Trevor Barker Beach Oval 6,000 QLD Fankhauser Reserve 8,000 VIC RSEA Park 8,000 NSW Tramway Oval 1,000 Blacktown ISP Oval 10,000 Sydney Cricket Ground 48,000 TAS Ninja Stadium 20,000 rowspan=4; North Hobart Oval 11,135 UTAS Stadium 17,000 Dial Park 3,000 VIC Avalon Airport Oval 8,000 VIC DSV Stadium 6,000

Coach appointments New coach Club Date of appointment Previous coach Daniel Ward 4 September 2025 Brendon Goddard Jeromey Webberley 8 September 2025 N/A Adam Marcon 15 September 2025 Tom Lynch Jack Madgen 24 September 2025 Jake Batchelor Nick Malceski 7 October 2025 Jarrad McVeigh Rhett McLennan 10 October 2025 Taylor Whitford David Mirra 12 October 2025 Zane Littlejohn Damian Truslove 27 October 2025 Luke Power Alex Johnson 27 October 2025 Stewart Edge Matthew Lokan 31 October 2025 Andy Otten Brendon Goddard 16 November 2025 N/A Dan Lowther 10 December 2025 James Allan Robbie Chancellor 4 March 2026 Wayne Cripps Scott Borlace TBD Ben Hudson

Club leadership Club Coach Leadership group Captain(s) Vice-captain(s) Other leader(s) David Mirra Stu Horner Scott Borlace Damian Truslove AFL-listed player rotation Darcy Tucker, Ethan Phillips, Jack Sammartino, Logan Prout, Will Cookson, Cooper Vickery Rhett McLennan Jamie Cassidy-McNamara Matthew Lokan Brady Grey, Ben De Bolfo Will Phillips, Josh Browne, Max Mahoney Cameron Joyce Xavier O'Neill Jackson Hately Alex Johnson Dan Orgill Billy Crofts, Cooper Craig-Peters Jackson Kornberg Trent Mynott Joe Lloyd, George Grey, Taine Barlow Noah Gown, Darby Hipwell, Corey Ellison, Mark Corrigan Dan Capiron Tate Kaeslar Alex Sexton Robbie Chancellor Ryan Hebron Adam Marcon Brendan McCartney Tom Hird Kaine Baldwin Tom Highmore, Josh Green, Tom Graham Jack Madgen Daniel Ward Blake Watson Ben Stephenson, Mitch Ryan, Ethan Williams Josh Hutchings, Kynan Brown, Brodie Findlay, Billy Johnson Matthew Primus Brayden Crossley, Jacob Dawson Zac Foot Jesse Joyce, Michael Manteit, Max Spencer Brendon Goddard Billy McGee Galimberti Ned Maginness, Billy Richardson Jett Hartman, Bailey McKenzie Nick Malceski Jeromey Webberley Robbie Fox Jye Menzie Brad-Cox Goodyer, Hugh Dixon, Caleb Mitchell Dan Lowther Jesse Clark Dom Brew (), Louis Pinnuck () Jay Dahlhaus, Charlie Lazzaro Justin Plapp Finn O'Dwyer Toby Triffett, Jack Toner Luke Parks

Pre-season Practice matches VFL practice matches began on 13 February 2026.

Home-and-away season Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

Round 8

Round 9

Round 10

Round 11

Round 12

Round 13

Round 14

Round 15

Round 16

Round 17

Round 18

Round 19

Round 20

Round 21

Ladder

Progression by round 4 Finished the round in first place 0 Finished the round in last place 4 Finished the round inside the top ten 41 Subscript indicates the ladder position at the end of the round 41 Underlined points indicate the team had a bye that round Team Home-and-away season 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

Finals series Wildcard finals

Qualifying finals and elimination finals

Semi-finals

Preliminary finals

Grand Final

Teams

Win–loss table Home matches are indicated in bold. + Win Eliminated − Loss X Bye Draw Team Home-and-away season Finals series 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 FW1 FW2 FW3 FW4 GF X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

Awards J. J. Liston Trophy (best and fairest): Trent Mynott () & George Stevens () – 22 votes (tied) Fothergill–Round–Mitchell Medal (rising star): Brady Wright () Jim 'Frosty' Miller Medal (leading goalkicker): Corey Ellison () – 52 goals Coaches MVP Award: Jacob Dawson () – 105 votes

Team of the Year

Club best and fairest Club Award Winner Col Austen Trophy Henry Hustwaite Neville Fallon Award Luke Beecken Luke Lloyd Best and Fairest Lachie Fogarty Gardner Clark Medal Jack Henderson Jim Sullivan Medal Donovan Toohey Joseph Wren Trophy Oskar Faulkhead Best and Fairest Tyler Sellers Xavier O'Neill Best and Fairest Cooper Craig-Peters Peter Geddes Medal Jackson Voss Best and Fairest George Stevens Player of the Year Caleb Graham Player of the Year Harvey Hooper John Law Medal Matthew Keast James Tarrant Darcy Macpherson Jack McFarlane Medal Ben Hobbs Guinane Medal Mutaz El Nour Neil Bencraft Medal Nathan Philactides Doc Mackenzie Medal Jacob Dawson Best and Fairest Hugh Boxshall Player of the Year Patrick Snell TBD Hugh Dixon Bruce Montgomery Trophy Ajang Kuol mun Gerry Callahan Medal Kallan Dawson

Representative match An interstate representative match against the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) was again played during the AFL's Gather Round, marking the third successive season the fixture was scheduled. The match was played at Stratarama Stadium, the home ground of Glenelg, and was part of a double-header alongside a women's match.

Scoreboard

Victorian team

See also 2026 VFL Women's season

Notes

References

External links 2026 VFL season at VFL Stats