Confirmed: the AFL has announced a new broadcast agreement that will carry Smithy’s VFL matches across four networks in 2026, and Collingwood has published a Kayo broadcast schedule for five VFL games. Documented tension: the AFL has also committed to maintain the VFL competition structure through at least the end of 2028, while fixture notes and the Collingwood schedule show start-time amendments tied to broadcast planning.
Afl Games: Collingwood schedule shows amended start times
Confirmed: Collingwood’s published broadcast schedule lists five VFL matches selected for broadcast and records changed start times in parentheses. Examples documented include a Round 2 match at Victoria Park moved to 3: 00 pm ET (previously 12: 10 pm), a Round 7 match moved to 12: 05 pm ET (previously 2: 05 pm), and several other rounds showing adjusted kickoff times. These items are presented as part of Collingwood’s Kayo broadcast schedule.
Documented: the Collingwood schedule explicitly notes previous start times alongside the revised times, demonstrating that the fixture as originally planned has been amended for those broadcast slots. This is concrete evidence that at least some games have been rescheduled to fit the broadcast plan.
Greg Swann and the VFL structure commitment through 2028
Confirmed: the AFL has stated that the VFL competition structure will be maintained for at least the next three seasons, a commitment announced ahead of the 2026 Smithy’s VFL home and away season and described as extending until at least the end of the 2028 season. Greg Swann, the AFL Executive General Manager Football Performance, framed that pledge as providing greater certainty for member clubs and stakeholders.
Documented: the competition format described in the commitment includes 22 clubs across four states, comprising eight standalone VFL clubs, two aligned clubs and 12 AFL reserves clubs; teams play 18 matches across a 21-round home and away season, with a top-10 five-week finals series. The 2026 season is scheduled to commence on Friday, March 20, 2026 (ET).
Smithy’s VFL broadcast allocations and Tasmania home games
Confirmed: the broadcast agreement will deliver at least 53 Smithy’s VFL matches across four networks in 2026, with additional matches to be confirmed once scheduling for mid-season rounds is finalised. One broadcaster will carry 16 matches across the opening 13 rounds, with at least one match televised each round in that portion of the season, and that service will also carry VFL finals coverage.
Documented: another broadcaster will air one match each round of the home and away season, plus one final in each of the first three weeks of the finals series and both preliminary finals and the Grand Final. That same schedule notes a regular-season broadcast match will generally commence at 12: 05 pm ET each Saturday and will be available on the network’s main channel in one state and its national streaming platform; those matches will also be simulcast on radio and a network listening service.
Confirmed: with Tasmania entering the VFL for 2026, the agreement lists that all Tasmania home games will be broadcast nationally by a commercial network and its national streaming sport service, while a local radio partner in Tasmania will carry all home and away matches on radio and an app. The league has also documented that all Smithy’s VFL and VFLW matches will continue to be streamed live and free AFL platforms.
Open question: the context does not confirm how broadly the amended start times will be applied across the whole league beyond the Collingwood examples, or whether the fixture changes will alter competition integrity or club operations in other measurable ways.
Closing — evidence that would resolve the question: the updated Smithy’s VFL fixture that the AFL says will reflect broadcast-driven scheduling changes would provide the needed clarity. If the updated fixture shows only isolated start-time amendments for clearly identified broadcast matches, it would establish that the league’s structural commitment is being preserved while allowing limited scheduling flexibility. If, alternatively, the updated fixture shows widespread reshuffling of rounds and start times beyond those listed, it would establish that broadcast allocations are materially reshaping when and how Afl Games are scheduled within the maintained competition structure.
