The AFL has revealed the dates and times for Rounds 16 to 23 of the 2024 Toyota AFL Premiership Season, with the schedule for the final round still to be determined.
The upcoming rounds are packed with high-stakes matchups, particularly on Friday nights, featuring top-eight contenders Essendon (3 games), Collingwood (3 games), Melbourne (2 games), and Sydney (2 games).
A highlight will be the Round 17 Friday night clash between Essendon and Collingwood at the MCG, a rematch of their ANZAC Day draw.
In Round 20, the Q-Clash will take the spotlight in the Saturday twilight slot at People First Stadium, followed by the Western Derby at Optus Stadium later that evening.
Carlton aims to solidify their top-eight position and seek revenge against traditional rivals Collingwood when the Blues face the Pies at the MCG in Round 21 on Saturday night.
Round 22 will feature a Friday night showdown between Sydney Swans and Collingwood at the SCG, and Round 23 will see the Showdown at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.
While Thursday night football won’t feature in the remaining fixtures, having already delivered 14 consecutive matches this season—three more than last year—the AFL promises thrilling matchups in the marquee slots as the season progresses.
AFL Head of Broadcast Operations and Scheduling, Josh Bowler, emphasized the focus on rewarding performance and delivering big games for fans.
“It has been a thrilling start to the 2024 season with great footy, big games, and major events, setting us up for one of the greatest seasons on record,” Mr. Bowler said.
“Fans have shown up in record numbers, and we’re poised for an electrifying second half of the season. We have highly competitive matchups in prime slots, including a series of blockbuster Friday night games leading into the finals.
“While there will be no further Thursday night games this season, we look forward to building on the success of this year’s schedule as we transition to new broadcast arrangements in 2025.”
Ticketing details, including Kids Go Free month information, will be announced soon.
The fixture for Round 24 will be released closer to the round to maximize excitement and optimal timeslots as teams vie for finals positions.
So far, the 2024 season has seen 3,171,539 fans attend nine rounds of Premiership matches, including three rounds with over 400,000 attendees—an unprecedented milestone.
