The Richmond and Essendon football clubs will write a new chapter in the history of the Dreamtime game, joining with Tourism Western Australia and the AFL to establish Dreamtime at Maali as part of a new two-year partnership.

The inaugural Dreamtime at Maali will be hosted by Essendon in Perth on Sunday 4 July 2027, the opening day of NAIDOC Week, in an afternoon timeslot. The match will create a new platform to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, communities and their contribution to Australian football.

Maali is the Noongar word for black swan, an enduring symbol of Western Australia, where this new chapter will be written.

The match will complement Dreamtime at the 'G, which next year will be a Richmond home game, continuing a tradition established by the two clubs in 2005 that has grown to become one of the most significant occasions on the AFL calendar.

In 2028, Richmond will host Dreamtime at Maali in Perth, continuing the new two-year partnership with Essendon and Tourism Western Australia.

The Dreamtime game was first championed by then Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy in 2005, when that year's clash with Richmond fell during NAIDOC Week. More than two decades later, Dreamtime at Maali returns the occasion to NAIDOC Week.

"Australian Football belongs to fans right across the country, and we are pleased to bring Dreamtime at Maali to Perth as part of an incredible weekend for the game," AFL CEO Andrew Dillon said.

"The Dreamtime game is one of the most powerful fixtures on the AFL calendar. This second Dreamtime fixture in Perth during NAIDOC Week will enable more supporters to share in its celebration of First Nations cultures and the extraordinary contribution of First Nations people to our game."

From Dreamtime at the 'G to the AFLW's Dreamtime in Darwin, the clubs have continued to explore how these games can celebrate culture, create conversations and build meaningful connections with communities.

The ambition for Dreamtime at Maali is equally significant. Richmond and Essendon, in partnership with Tourism Western Australia and with the guidance of Traditional Owners and local community, hope to establish the game as a lasting part of the AFL calendar.

Importantly, the initiative will extend beyond the match itself. The two clubs have already begun discussions with Traditional Owners and local community leaders and will continue those conversations as the program develops.

In the week leading into the match, Richmond and Essendon will work alongside local organisations to support and build on existing community initiatives. The Bombers will deliver their Marngrook Kids Program in Perth, bringing First Nations culture to life through movement, play and education.

The week will also feature a Perth edition of The Long Walk, the movement started by Essendon champion Michael Long in 2004, whose AFL career began at Perth's WACA Ground in 1989.

"Dreamtime has always been about more than footy. It's about our people, our culture and our stories, and seeing it go to Perth makes me very proud," Essendon champion Michael Long said.

"Perth is where my footy career started, back at the WACA in 1989. To see Dreamtime go there, on Noongar Country, means a lot to me and my family.

"First Nations people are part of Essendon's DNA, and the club has always had a way of bringing people together. When we took Dreamtime to Perth in 2021, the people of WA showed us what this game means to them. I can't wait to go back.

"This game belongs to everyone. I hope families, young people and communities right across WA come and be part of it.

"The Long Walk has always been about bringing people together. Walking with the people of Perth, on their Country, will be something special. I'm proud of what Essendon and Richmond have built together with Dreamtime, and proud that it keeps growing," Long said.

"The Dreamtime game means a great deal to Essendon people. It is a celebration of our proud and rich history, and of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players, families and communities who have helped shape who we are as a club," Essendon CEO Tim Roberts said.

"Essendon has always believed in taking the club, and the game, to new places. We're proud to host the first Dreamtime at Maali and take it to Western Australia.

"Dreamtime at Maali will be one of the great spectacles in Australian sport, and we want as many Essendon members and supporters there as possible. It falls in the school holidays, so make a trip of it, come west and be part of history.

"We sincerely thank Tourism Western Australia and the Western Australian Government for their support, and for sharing our ambition for this game. It would not be possible without them.

"Most importantly, Dreamtime at Maali will be shaped with local community and built around young people. That's what the Dreamtime game has always been about," Roberts said.

The week will culminate in the match and a celebration of culture, football and community, including a significant pre-match entertainment program.

"The Dreamtime game began with a shared ambition between Richmond and Essendon more than 20 years ago, and we are incredibly proud of what the two clubs have built together," Richmond CEO Shane Dunne said.

"What started as Dreamtime at the 'G has become an important platform to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, and the enormous contribution Indigenous people have made to our game, while creating opportunities for storytelling, conversation and connection.

"Dreamtime at Maali is the next chapter in that story. Our ambition, together with Essendon, is to build an event that becomes a lasting part of the AFL calendar and something the Western Australian community can embrace.

"Maali, the Noongar word for black swan, gives this game its own identity and a strong connection to Western Australia. Just as importantly, we want the game and everything that surrounds it to be shaped through genuine engagement with local community, particularly the opportunities to engage and connect with young people.

"We sincerely thank Tourism Western Australia and the AFL for sharing and supporting that vision and for helping Richmond and Essendon bring this concept to life.

"There is also something exciting for our members and supporters. The match falls during the school holidays, and we hope thousands of fans from both clubs will take the opportunity to travel west, support their team and experience one of Australia's most spectacular destinations.

"The Dreamtime game has always demonstrated what can be achieved when football brings people together around something bigger than the game itself. This is another genuine collaboration between Richmond and Essendon, and we are excited about what we can build together in Western Australia."

Essendon and Richmond members will receive information directly today, including details on ticketing and member access.