Racing
League
Rugby
Football
Cricket
Golf
Olympics
Motorsport
Netball
Combat Sports
Basketball
Tennis
Other Sports
Sport Nation
FWC: MEX v RSA from 6am, SN ExtraThree more years: Gather Round stays in SA
SEN • June 11th, 2026 3:36 pm
Gather Round will remain in South Australia until at least 2029 after the long-awaited decision was finally announced on Thursday.
After a record 270,000-plus fans descended on Adelaide and surrounds for the wildly successful Festival of Footy in April, the AFL and South Australian government have locked in a fresh three-year contract to deliver one the country’s biggest and best events.
Next year will see the introduction of a player parade with all 18 clubs involved.
“Gather Round has become one of the biggest and best events in the country and we are thrilled to once again partner with South Australia,” AFL CEO Andrew Dillon said.
“From sold-out stadiums, the Macca’s Footy Festival, the Parade at Norwood, Bounce around the Barossa and everything in between, Gather Round has captured the imagination of footy fans and delivered an event like nothing else in Australian sport.
“With more footy, more fans travelling and more communities sharing in the benefits, we’re excited to build on what we have delivered in partnership with the SA Government and SATC (SA Tourism Commission).”
South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas said the long-term agreement was a major win for his state and footy fans across the nation.
“Gather Round is a phenomenal event and is rightly here to stay in South Australia,” he said.
“Gather Round is about much more than football – it brings people together, showcases our restaurants and wine regions on a national stage and pours tens of millions of dollars into our economy every year.
“Next year’s Gather Round will be even better with the introduction of a parade featuring players from each club, giving fans the opportunity to get up close with their favourite players.
“Gather Round belongs in South Australia (and) we thank the AFL for cementing our state as the home of one of the nation’s premier annual sporting events.”
Since its inception in 2023, Gather Round has attracted more than one million attendees to matches across Adelaide and Norwood Ovals, Summit Sports Park Mt Barker and Barossa Park, Lyndoch.
The dates and venues for Gather Round 2027 will be confirmed in the coming months.
