Top four teams snubbed as Victorian club lands most Thursday night games

The AFL has released the list Thursday night games for the first 16 rounds of season 2025.

SEN’s Sam Edmund reported earlier on Wednesday that there will be a Thursday night increase to 23 games next year.

FIXTURE EXCLUSIVE: AFL GIVES ITSELF OVER TO THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

The league has since confirmed this, itemising the Thursday games from Opening Round through to Round 15 with the rest of the fixture to be released later in 2025.

Three of the 18 clubs will be without Thursday night footy.

Interestingly, this year’s runners-up, the Sydney Swans, have seemingly been snubbed having not been afforded any Thursday night games. There is the potential though that the Swans could land multiple Friday night fixtures instead.

Their New South Wales rivals and fellow finalists, GWS Giants, have also missed out on Thursday action, as has West Coast.

Essendon, who failed to qualify for finals in 2024, have the most Thursday night games with four.

Premiers Brisbane along with Carlton, Collingwood, Geelong, Hawthorn and the Western Bulldogs will all play three in the initial phase.

There will be four MCG and Marvel Stadium games apiece while the Lions will host three at the Gabba. Throw in two at Optus Stadium, one at the Adelaide Oval, one at GMHBA Stadium and one at TIO Stadium in Darwin.

The reminder of the 2025 AFL fixture will be released on Thursday.

Thursday night games for 2025

All times local

Opening Round - March 6 - Brisbane v Geelong (Gabba) - 7:50pm
Round 1 - March 13 - Richmond v Carlton (MCG) - 7:30pm
Round 2 - March 20 - Carlton v Hawthorn (MCG) - 7:30pm
Round 3 - March 27 - Essendon v Port Adelaide (Marvel) - 7:30pm
Round 4 - April 3 - Collingwood v Carlton (MCG) - 7:30pm
Round 5 - April 10 - Adelaide v Geelong (Adelaide Oval) - 7:40pm
Round 6 - April 17 - Brisbane v Collingwood (Gabba) - 7:30pm
Round 7 - April 24 - Melbourne v Richmond (MCG) - 7:30pm
Round 8 - May 1 - Essendon v North Melbourne (Marvel) - 7:30pm
Round 9 - May 8 - Fremantle v Collingwood (Optus) - 8:10pm
Round 10 - May 15 - Gold Coast v Hawthorn (TIO Darwin) - 7:30pm
Round 11 - May 22 - Geelong v Western Bulldogs (GMHBA) - 7:30pm
Round 12 - May 29 - Brisbane v Essendon (Gabba) - 7:30pm
Round 13 - June 5 - Western Bulldogs v Hawthorn (Marvel) - 7:30pm
Round 14 - June 12 - St Kilda v Western Bulldogs (Marvel) - 7:30pm
Round 15 - June 19 - Fremantle v Essendon (Optus) - 8:10pm