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MCG to host historic Round 23 double header
Tom Morris • July 27th, 2026 2:40 pm
The MCG is set to host two AFL men's games on the same day for the fourth time in VFL/AFL history.
Channel 7 and SEN understands a double header has been locked in for Saturday August 15, the penultimate weekend of the season in Round 23.
Though the exact timings are still to be determined, Essendon v Sydney and Richmond v St Kilda are slated to be the two matches the same day at the MCG.
One will be in the early afternoon, and the other at night.
Hawthorn v Collingwood is expected to be on the Sunday afternoon of August 16, also at the MCG and live and free on Channel 7.
The move follows the AFL's decision to leave Thursday August 13 free of men's football. Instead, Melbourne v Hawthorn will play an AFLW fixture on that evening. giving the women's competition a night of clear air.
It means the league has to squish nine games into three days, including three at the MCG. Fremantle will host Adelaide in Perth on Friday August 14.
The other Round 23 games are:Brisbane v Gold CoastGWS v West CoastNorth Melbourne v GeelongWestern Bulldogs v CarltonPort Adelaide v Melbourne
While the league has scheduled double-headers at Marvel Stadium this year, they haven't done so at the MCG since Round 16 in 2021.
Covid meant that Melbourne faced GWS in game one, while Fremantle's clash against Carlton was moved from Perth and staged at night.
Previously, the only other men's double headers at the MCG was back in 1986. One took place in Round 5, and the other in Round 19.
The AFL will release the full Round 23 and Round 24 fixtures on Wednesday.
