The AFL have officially released the fixtures of the 2026 Smithy's VFL season and 2026 VFLW season.
The release includes the schedule for Rounds 1-13 of the Smithy's AFL campaign and Rounds 1-6 of the VFLW.
Match ups for all remaining rounds have also been announced. Dates, times and venues for those rounds will be confirmed after the corresponding rounds of the AFL fixture are scheduled later in the year.
The 2026 Smithy’s VFL season will commence the weekend of March 20-22, which will correspond with Round 2 of the Toyota AFL Premiership Season, with the Bombers opening their campaign down the highway at GHMBA Stadium against Geelong on Friday March 20.
The VFLW home and away season will comprise 16 rounds, with every club to play 14 matches and have two byes. The Dons will take on Sandringham in Round 1 on Saturday May 16 at Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval.
Check out the full 2026 fixtures below, also available via the VFL Match Centre and VFLW Match Centre.
2026 Essendon VFL fixture
| ROUND | DATE | TIME | OPPONENT | VENUE | HOME/AWAY |
| 1 | Friday, March 20 | 7:05pm | Geelong | GMHBA Stadium | A |
| 2 | Saturday, March 28 | 12:35pm | North Melbourne | NEC Hangar | H |
| 3 | Sunday, April 5 | 3:05pm | Footscray Bulldogs | Mission Whitten Oval | A |
| 4 | Saturday, April 18 | 9:00am | Gold Coast SUNS | People First Stadium | A |
| 5 | Saturday, April 25 | 12:10pm | Collingwood | Victoria Park | A |
| 6 | Saturday, May 2 | 2:05pm | Williamstown | Windy Hill | H |
| 7 | Sunday, May 10 | 11:05am | GWS Giants | Tom Wills Oval | A |
| 8 | Saturday, May 16 | BYE | |||
| 9 | Saturday, May 23 | 2:05pm | Richmond | ETU Stadium | A |
| 10 | Sunday, May 31 | 12:05pm | Werribee Tigers | Windy Hill | H |
| 11 | Sunday, June 7 | 2:05pm | Carlton | Windy Hill | H |
| 12 | Sunday, June 14 | 2:05pm | Casey Demonds | Casey Fields | A |
| 13 | Saturday, June 20 | BYE | |||
| 14 | Saturday, June 27 | TBC | North Melbourne | TBC | A |
| 15 | Saturday, July 4 | TBC | St Kilda | TBC | H |
| 16 | Saturday, July 11 | TBC | Brisbane Lions | TBC | A |
| 17 | Saturday, July 18 | TBC | Coburg Lions | TBC | H |
| 18 | Saturday, July 25 | TBC | Box Hill Hawks | TBC | A |
| 19 | Saturday, August 1 | BYE | |||
| 20 | Saturday, August 8 | TBC | Collingwood | TBC | H |
| 21 | Saturday, August 15 | TBC | Sydney | TBC | A |
2026 Essendon VFLW fixture
| ROUND | DATE | TIME | OPPONENT | VENUE | HOME/AWAY |
| 1 | Saturday, May 16 | 12:05pm | Sandringham | Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval | A |
| 2 | Saturday, May 23 | 12:05pm | Geelong | Windy Hill | H |
| 3 | Saturday, May 30 | 11:05am | Williamstown | Windy Hill | H |
| 4 | Sunday, June 7 | 11:05am | Carlton | Windy Hill | H |
| 5 | Sunday, June 14 | 11:05am | Casey Demons | Casey Fields | A |
| 6 | Saturday, June 20 | 11:05am | Collingwood | Windy Hill | H |
| 7 | Saturday, June 27 | TBC | North Melbourne | TBC | A |
| 8 | Saturday, July 4 | BYE | |||
| 9 | Saturday, July 11 | TBC | Western Bulldogs | TBC | A |
| 10 | Saturday, July 18 | TBC | Port Melbourne | TBC | H |
| 11 | Saturday, July 25 | TBC | Box Hill Hawks | TBC | A |
| 12 | Saturday, August 1 | TBC | Tasmania | TBC | H |
| 13 | Saturday, August 8 | TBC | Williamstown | TBC | A |
| 14 | Saturday, August 15 | TBC | Sandringham | TBC | H |
| 15 | Saturday, August 22 | BYE | |||
| 16 | Saturday, August 29 | TBC | Darebin | TBC | A |
