Fading Victorian powerhouse clubs Carlton and Essendon have been erased from prime-time football in the AFL’s second half of the 2026 season.
The league has released the game times for the remainder of the year and the embattled Bombers and Blues — second bottom and third bottom on the ladder respectively — are nowhere to be seen on the coveted Thursday or Friday night slots.
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Richmond are the other big Vic club pulled from the prized free-to-air spotlight, while Gold Coast and Port Adelaide also miss out.
Sydney have been rewarded for their exciting brand of football this year with four prime-time games, and perennial contender Geelong also have four.
Adelaide, reigning premiers Brisbane, Collingwood, the high-flying Dockers, and the injury-hit Western Bulldogs have the next most, with three games each.
Hawthorn, North Melbourne, and AFL struggler West Coast all have two, with the Eagles set to feature in a derby clash with Freo on Friday night in Round 20.
For the first time since 2019, the improved Kangaroos are playing in a Friday night game in Victoria when they take on Collingwood in Round 18.
Their other prime-time game comes in Round 22 when they clash with the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium on Thursday.
The resurgent Demons might consider themselves unlucky, with only one prime-time slot in Round 20 against Geelong.
The start times of the games in the final two rounds of the season — Rounds 23 and 24 — will be revealed later in the year.
The AFL likes to keep those rounds unlocked so it can assess which clashes will have the most impact on the ladder, and the most interest for fans.
Prime-time darlings from R16-22
Sydney – 4Geelong – 4Adelaide – 3Brisbane – 3Collingwood – 3Fremantle – 3Western Bulldogs – 3Hawthorn – 2North Melbourne – 2West Coast – 2Greater Western Sydney – 1Melbourne – 1St Kilda – 1Carlton – 0Essendon – 0Gold Coast – 0Port Adelaide – 0Richmond – 0
AFL fixture from R16-22 (*all times AEST)
Round 16
Thursday Jun 25Brisbane v Sydney, Gabba, 7.30pm
Friday Jun 26Hawthorn v Greater Western Sydney, MCG, 7.40pm
Saturday Jun 27Carlton v West Coast, Marvel Stadium, 1.15pmCollingwood v Richmond, MCG, 4.15pmPort Adelaide v Adelaide, Adelaide Oval, 7.35pm
Sunday Jun 28North Melbourne v Essendon, Marvel Stadium, 3.15pmFremantle v Gold Coast, Optus Stadium, 5.10pm
Byes: Geelong, Melbourne, St Kilda, Western Bulldogs
Round 17
Thursday Jul 2Geelong v Brisbane, GMHBA Stadium, 7.30pm
Friday Jul 3Sydney v Western Bulldogs, SCG, 7.40pmWest Coast v Adelaide, Optus Stadium, 8.10pm
Saturday Jul 4Hawthorn v Melbourne, UTAS Stadium, 1.15pmGreater Western Sydney v Fremantle, Corroboree Group Oval Manuka, 1.35pmGold Coast v Collingwood, People First Stadium, 4.15pmRichmond v Carlton, MCG, 7.35pm
Sunday Jul 5Essendon v St Kilda, Marvel Stadium, 3.15pmPort Adelaide v North Melbourne, Adelaide Oval, 4.40pm
Round 18
Thursday Jul 9Fremantle v Sydney, Optus Stadium, 8.10pm
Friday Jul 10Collingwood v North Melbourne, Marvel Stadium, 7.40pm
Saturday Jul 11St Kilda v Port Adelaide, Marvel Stadium, 1.15pmGreater Western Sydney v Geelong, Engie Stadium, 4.15pmCarlton v Hawthorn, MCG, 7.35pmAdelaide v Gold Coast, Adelaide Oval, 8.10pm
Sunday Jul 12Western Bulldogs v West Coast, Marvel Stadium, 1.10pmMelbourne v Richmond, MCG, 3.15pmBrisbane v Essendon, Gabba, 4.40pm
Round 19
Thursday Jul 16Geelong v St Kilda, GMHBA Stadium, 7.30pm
Friday Jul 17Sydney v Adelaide, SCG, 7.40pm
Saturday Jul 18Port Adelaide v Fremantle, Adelaide Oval, 1.15pmNorth Melbourne v Melbourne, Marvel Stadium, 4.15pmCollingwood v Carlton, MCG, 7.35pmWest Coast v Brisbane, Optus Stadium, 8.10pm
Sunday Jul 19Richmond v Hawthorn, MCG, 1.10pmGold Coast v Western Bulldogs, People First Stadium, 3.15pmEssendon v Greater Western Sydney, Marvel Stadium, 4.40pm
Round 20
Thursday Jul 23Adelaide v Collingwood, Adelaide Oval, 7.30pm
Friday Jul 24Melbourne v Geelong, MCG, 7.40pmFremantle v West Coast, Optus Stadium, 8.10pm
Saturday Jul 25Carlton v Gold Coast, Marvel Stadium, 1.05pmHawthorn v Essendon, MCG, 4.15pmGreater Western Sydney v Sydney, Engie Stadium, 4.35pmWestern Bulldogs v Richmond, Marvel Stadium, 7.40pm
Sunday Jul 26Brisbane v Port Adelaide, Gabba, 1.10pmNorth Melbourne v St Kilda, Marvel Stadium, 3.15pm
Round 21
Thursday Jul 30Collingwood v Geelong, MCG, 7.30pm
Friday Jul 31Fremantle v Western Bulldogs, Optus Stadium, 8.10pm
Saturday Aug 1St Kilda v Sydney, Marvel Stadium, 1.05pmHawthorn v North Melbourne, UTAS Stadium, 1.35pmPort Adelaide v Greater Western Sydney, Adelaide Oval, 6.35pmCarlton v Brisbane, Marvel Stadium, 7.40pm
Sunday Aug 2Richmond v West Coast, MCG, 1.10pmGold Coast v Melbourne, People First Stadium, 3.15pmEssendon v Adelaide, Marvel Stadium, 4.40pm
Round 22
Thursday Aug 6Western Bulldogs v North Melbourne, Marvel Stadium, 7.30pm
Friday Aug 7Brisbane v Hawthorn, Gabba, 7.40pm
Saturday Aug 8Melbourne v Fremantle, MCG, 1.15pmSydney v Port Adelaide, SCG, 4.15pmGeelong v Essendon, GMHBA Stadium, 4.35pmAdelaide v Richmond, Adelaide Oval, 7.35pm
Sunday Aug 9Greater Western Sydney v Gold Coast, Corroboree Group Oval Manuka, 1.10pmWest Coast v Collingwood, Optus Stadium, 4.10pmSt Kilda v Carlton, Marvel Stadium, 7.20pm
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