‘Take it to America’: AFL tipped to expand the season to 24 games, with calls to head back overseas

The AFL is being tipped to expand the home and away season to 24 games after next year, with calls to consider bold options including overseas matches.

Tasmania’s 2028 entry as the 19th AFL team will force a change from the current 23-game season, because it is mathematically impossible for 19 teams to play 23 games each without some sides playing extras.

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The league expanded from the traditional 22 games to 23 games in 2023 when it introduced Gather Round - which serves as a quasi-neutral game while teams otherwise play 11 home and 11 away matches. But an even number of games will now be required.

The Herald Sun reports a move backwards to 22 games is “much less likely” with a 24-game 2028 season seen as the most likely scenario.

There are multiple options with the 24-game format including:

- teams play each other once (18 games) before a reset for the remaining six games, which could be determined by the ladder;

- the current format along with playing the 24th game overseas, in non-traditional markets, or in states willing to pay for hosting rights.

The league confirmed to the Herald Sun it “was exploring different models of how the fixture could look when Tasmania enters the competition in two years”.

Essendon legend Kevin Sheedy called for the league to play a game in India, or in the USA, which the GWS Giants have held interest in for several years.

That included preliminary talks in 2020 over a game against Essendon, played in Los Angeles or San Francisco, before the pandemic hit and saw the plans scrapped.

“Our priority is Sydney and Canberra and we travel a lot. But there’s no better way to showcase our game than by taking a four-point game to the most populated state of America,” outgoing GWS CEO Dave Matthews told the Herald Sun.

“With cricket returning to the Olympic slate in 2028, it provides the opportunity to potentially overcome some previous infrastructure challenges and secure a game in California.

“Being able to take Australia’s game to the world, particularly at a time where the global focus is on California would be incredibly valuable not only to the AFL but to promoting our country globally.”

It would be the first home and away match played overseas since Port Adelaide’s final game in Shanghai in 2019, against St Kilda.

The Saints previously hosted three games in Wellington, New Zealand in the mid-2010s.

Matthews argued the league should follow the NFL and turn a pre-season game, such as the current week of AAMI Community Series match-ups, into a proper game for points.

“The current fixture already has a built-in opportunity via the pre-season matches to account for the additional game. By converting one or both pre-season matches to four-point games, you would effectively have the 24th game within current constraints,” he said.

“There’s a significant opportunity to grow both AFL and AFLW in NSW and Queensland by delivering marquee events. Any extra content delivered in these markets would help accelerate interest and grow demand in these regions, delivering uplift for the whole industry.”

The first 19-team season will also require one side to be on a bye each week.

The introduction of a 20th club following the Devils is viewed as likely within the footy industry, which could then see a fixture with one game against the other 19 clubs, plus Gather Round, and four double-ups.

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