Coffs Harbour will host its third AFLW premiership season match, with Sydney Swans and St Kilda set to clash in what shapes as a finals-calibre contest.
The city’s long-standing association with the Sydney Swans will continue in 2026, with the Swans to host the Saints at C.ex Coffs International Stadium on Saturday, 29 August.
The match falls during Indigenous Round and will feature two evenly matched sides based on the 2025 season standings, with St Kilda finishing seventh and Sydney ninth.
“It will be great to welcome the Swannies back to town for an everything-matters game for competition points,” Mayor Nikki Williams said.
“The Swans were in Coffs this week for a preseason camp, and the work they do in the community here is a big bonus of our relationship.”
City Events, Sports and Cultural Services Group Leader Sharon McDougall said the connection between the AFLW Swans and Coffs Harbour had strengthened over the past four years.
“Initially it was an outreach preseason camp and in 2024 and ’25 we hosted the regular season clashes at the stadium, so we’re delighted to see them bring elite level footy back here in ’26.”
The match will kick off at 4.35pm and will be broadcast on Fox Sports.
Sydney Swans AFLW player Taylor Smith said she was impressed by the warm reception the team received during its preseason visit to Coffs Harbour.
“I used to have a four-wheel drive with a rooftop and I would come down to Woolgoolga and Coffs and do a bit of camping,” Smith said.
“So for me, it’s really nice to come back here because I know the place and I’ve spent a lot of time here and to now make that part of what we do as a club is really, really special and we got to hear a bit of history about the boys doing it 20 years ago and things like that.”
The AFL this week confirmed the full fixture for the 2026 NAB AFLW season, which begins on Sunday, 9 August. The competition will again feature 12 rounds followed by a four-week finals series, culminating in the grand final on the final weekend of November.
Two venues will host AFLW premiership season matches for the first time in 2026, with Fremantle and Hawthorn to stage home fixtures at their respective club headquarters.
AFL Head of Strategy and Scheduling Josh Bowler said the 2026 draw had been designed to build on the growth and momentum of the competition.
“The 2026 NAB AFLW fixture is another exciting step forward for the competition, featuring a strong mix of traditional rivalries, marquee moments and fan-focused scheduling, as well as new ways to showcase AFLW across the country,” Bowler said.
“The inclusion of AFL/AFLW double-headers during the season crossover period will provide a unique experience for fans and clubs alike.”
Book now for the big day at Coffs
An AFLW Coffs Membership offers fans access to a range of game day benefits.
The membership includes four flexible tickets, the opportunity to take part in the Guard of Honour at the Coffs Harbour match and a range of additional perks, with prices starting at $20 for juniors and $40 for adults.
Fans can use all four tickets at the Coffs Harbour match or spread them across the season.
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