Ahead of the full 2025 AFL season fixture release, it is understood that fans will see a new primetime slot, with games hosted on Sunday evenings.
According toย AFL Media's Riley Beveridge, nine of the opening 16 weeks of the campaign will feature Sunday night clashes, an initiative that is born from the new TV rights deal.
It was flagged as an option late last month, with an obvious push from the league powerbrokers to extend the weekend of football.
The AFL confirmed that the first 16 weeks of the 2025 season will see Thursday night games in conjunction with this reported shift.
Beveridge added that West Coast and Fremantle will host five of the nine clashes, while eastern clubs will benefit from long weekends, like Essendon and Carlton, who played Round 13 the evening before the Monday King's Birthday clash.
The Bombers and Blues will renew their battle on the Sunday night before the public holiday, while the Western Bulldogs will face Sydney on Easter Sunday.
The first Q-Clash of the season between Brisbane and Gold Coast will also take place at 7.20 pm on a Sunday evening that leads into Labour Day in Queensland, according to Beveridge.
The AFL will also get a first look into a double-header at Marvel Stadium during Round 11 (Sir Doug Nicholls Round).
Carlton will play Greater Western Sydney on the Saturday at 1.20 pm AEST before North Melbourne hosts Collingwood at the same venue at 7.35 pm AEST later that evening.
The full 2025 fixture will be released on Thursday.
