The West Coast Eagles are set to host multiple marquee matches next season at Optus Stadium, with the AFL releasing the 2026 fixture on Thursday.

In round six, West Coast will host the first Western Derby of the season on Sunday April 19, the highly anticipated contest kicking off at 3:10pm WST.

For the second year running, the Eagles will feature in a WA Day eve match, facing Essendon at Optus Stadium on Sunday May 31.

“Overall, the fixture is in line with the conversations we have had with the AFL,” West Coast Eagles CEO Don Pyke said.

“We get the WA Day game again this year, which was great last year to be able to activate that and celebrate Western Australia.

“It will be a big game against Essendon on the Sunday night of the long weekend which is great.”

Including the round 12 Essendon game, West Coast will remain in WA for a four-week stint, matching up with Port Adelaide and North Melbourne at Optus Stadium in rounds 13 and 14, followed by the mid-season bye.

“One of the great benefits of the arrangement we’ve got with North Melbourne, around them playing a home game in Perth, is that we get that opportunity to be at home for an extended period of time,” Pyke said.

“Certainly, from the travel viewpoint, it’s a significant benefit to the group.

“That three-week block from round 12, Essendon into Port Adelaide and then into North Melbourne before our bye, just allows the travelling group, players and coaches, a month at home."

In positive news for the Victorian-based members and fans, the team will play six games in Melbourne this season, including two games at the MCG in rounds 11 (Collingwood) and 21 (Richmond).

“It’s great to have that east coast support, a lot of those members have been with us for a very long time, and they enjoy seeing the team play,” Pyke said.

“The fact that it’s in Melbourne, but also metro Melbourne is significant, we’re not travelling out to Ballarat or Geelong, it’s at Marvel or the MCG which is great.

“We get a couple of games in Adelaide and one in Queensland and one in New South Wales, so we will be on the east coast a bit, but we’re also not exposed to travelling out to the more remote destinations for games which is good.

“It minimises our travel and gives us maximum exposure to our member hub, which is one of the things we were looking for out of the whole travel and equity piece.”

With nine Sunday games and five Saturday games in the first 14 rounds, the blue and gold ‘weekend warriors’ also managed to avoid any five-day breaks in the first half of the season.

VIEW THE FIXTURE

Other features of the 2026 fixture:

  • Easter Saturday game against Sydney in round four
  • Sir Doug Nicholls Round in rounds 10 (home) and 11
  • Round 12 against Essendon will be broadcast nationally on the Seven Network
  • Saturday night clash with Port Adelaide at Optus Stadium in round 13
  • The second Western Derby is scheduled for round 20 (away)
  • Four twilight games and six night games in the first half of the season
  • Double-up matches against North Melbourne, Fremantle, GWS, Collingwood, Richmond and Port Adelaide