Channel 7 welcomes AFLW back with St Kilda-Carlton opener – AFLW returns on Channel 7 this Sunday as St Kilda and Carlton launch the 2026 season with a major double-header at Marvel Stadium.
The opening match begins at 4.00pm AEST on Sunday, 9 August, live and free on Channel 7, 7mate and 7plus Sport. That is 2.00pm for viewers in Western Australia. The women’s game will be followed by the clubs’ AFL clash from 7.00pm AEST.
For viewers, Seven’s plans extend well beyond one opening fixture. The broadcaster is combining live matches with a refreshed commentary team, a Tayla Harris interview and the return of its weekly Talking W program. It gives the competition a broader television presence as the 12-round home-and-away season begins.
Opening round begins with Spud’s Game
St Kilda and Carlton’s AFLW opener forms the first half of the sixth annual Spud’s Game double-header. The event honours former St Kilda captain Danny ‘Spud’ Frawley and supports his legacy of encouraging conversations about mental health.
Funds and awareness generated by the annual event support mental health research, prevention programs and treatment through the Danny Frawley Centre and its partners.
The match also brings together two teams with genuine expectations for the new campaign. St Kilda reached the finals for the first time last season, while Carlton enters 2026 after strengthening a squad that advanced to a preliminary final.
Sarah Hosking joins Seven’s AFLW team
Richmond AFLW player and Triple M commentator Sarah Hosking will join Seven’s commentary line-up in 2026. Her first match will be Essendon against the Brisbane Lions at Windy Hill on Sunday, 16 August.
Hosts and field commentators Abbey Holmes, Nat Edwards and 7NEWS Melbourne sport reporter Kate Massey return alongside expert analysts Kate McCarthy, Libby Birch, Melissa Hickey and Cameron Ling.
Jo Wotton, Alister Nicholson, Jack Heverin, Nigel Carmody and Theo Doropoulos will again provide play-by-play commentary across the season.
McCarthy said the depth of talent across all 18 clubs made the new season especially promising. She expects a fierce midfield contest on Sunday, with Georgia Patrikios and Tyanna Smith facing Carlton pair Mimi Hill and Abbey McKay.
Channel 7’s AFLW Round One schedule
After Sunday’s opener, Round One continues with Hawthorn taking on Melbourne at Ikon Park on Thursday, 13 August from 7.00pm AEST on Channel 7, 7mate and 7plus Sport.
- Gold Coast v Western Bulldogs: Saturday, 15 August at 7.00pm AEST on 7mate and 7plus in Victoria and Queensland.
- Essendon v Brisbane Lions: Sunday, 16 August at 12.30pm AEST on 7mate and 7plus in Victoria and Queensland.
- Adelaide Crows v Sydney Swans: Sunday, 16 August at 12.30pm on 7two and 7plus Sport in New South Wales, and 12.00pm on 7mate and 7plus Sport in South Australia.
- Fremantle v Port Adelaide: Sunday, 16 August at 2.00pm on 7mate and 7plus Sport in South Australia, and 12.30pm on 7two and 7plus Sport in Western Australia.
- GWS Giants v West Coast Eagles: Sunday, 16 August at 4.30pm in New South Wales and 2.30pm in Western Australia on 7two and 7plus Sport.
Seven says viewers in New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland will be able to watch selected matches involving teams from their home states. As always with regional sports coverage, viewers should check their local television guide.
More women’s football across the week
Following the opening clash, Hamish McLachlan will sit down with Melbourne forward Tayla Harris for a new episode of Unfiltered. The interview airs at 9.30pm on Wednesday, 12 August after The Front Bar.
Harris discusses her mindset heading into an 11th AFLW season, the defining moments of her career and the abuse she faced in 2019 after a now-famous action photograph was published.
Seven will also relaunch Talking W on Monday, 17 August. Kate Massey hosts with Riley Beveridge and a rotating third panellist chosen from Kate McCarthy, Sarah Hosking and Sarah Rowe.
The program will stream live and free on 7plus Sport every Monday at 7.00pm, covering the major women’s football stories and reviewing the previous round.
When does the 2026 AFLW season start?
St Kilda v Carlton launches AFL Women’s Season 11 from 4.00pm AEST on Sunday, 9 August, live on Channel 7, 7mate and 7plus Sport. The 12-round season will be followed by a four-week finals series, with the 2026 NAB AFLW Grand Final scheduled for the final weekend of November.
Read more from TV Central’s AFLW section, or visit the official 7plus Sport hub for live and on-demand coverage.
