The AFL has officially released the 2027 Gather Round fixture, confirming nine matches across four days in South Australia from Thursday 8 April to Sunday 11 April, 2027.
Gather Round will form Round 4 of the 2027 AFL season, with matches played at Adelaide Oval, Norwood Oval and Barossa Park. The schedule features three rematches from the 2026 finals series, while several high-profile player moves have added extra interest to the weekend.
The biggest storyline is the return of Zak Butters to face Port Adelaide, with his new club the Western Bulldogs scheduled to meet the Power in Sunday night's finale at Adelaide Oval.
2027 AFL Gather Round Fixture
Here is the complete schedule for the 2027 AFL Gather Round. All start times are South Australian local time (ACDT).
| Date |
Match |
Venue |
Time (ACDT) |
| Thursday 8 April |
| Thu 8 Apr |
Adelaide v Brisbane |
Adelaide Oval |
7:10pm |
| Friday 9 April |
| Fri 9 Apr |
Collingwood v Sydney |
Adelaide Oval |
7:10pm |
| Saturday 10 April |
| Sat 10 Apr |
Gold Coast v GWS |
Barossa Park |
12:05pm |
| Sat 10 Apr |
Carlton v Melbourne |
Adelaide Oval |
1:05pm |
| Sat 10 Apr |
Richmond v West Coast |
Norwood Oval |
4:05pm |
| Sat 10 Apr |
Fremantle v Hawthorn |
Adelaide Oval |
7:15pm |
| Sunday 11 April |
| Sun 11 Apr |
Essendon v North Melbourne |
Norwood Oval |
12:00pm |
| Sun 11 Apr |
Geelong v St Kilda |
Barossa Park |
2:45pm |
| Sun 11 Apr |
Port Adelaide v Western Bulldogs |
Adelaide Oval |
6:45pm |
Zak Butters' Port Adelaide Return Headlines Gather Round
The AFL has saved one of the most anticipated matches of the early 2027 season for last, with Port Adelaide hosting the Western Bulldogs on Sunday evening.
After eight seasons with the Power, star midfielder Zak Butters completed a high-profile free agency move to the Bulldogs in October. Gather Round will now provide his first opportunity to face his former teammates, and he can expect a lively reception from the Port Adelaide faithful.
With the match scheduled for the final Sunday night slot at Adelaide Oval, it shapes as one of the biggest attractions of the weekend.
Three Finals Rematches on the Schedule
The AFL has also included three rematches from the 2026 finals series, adding another layer of intrigue to the fixture.
Adelaide v Brisbane: The Crows will open Gather Round against the reigning premiers on Thursday night, renewing their rivalry after meeting in the 2026 semi-finals. It will also be Brisbane's first Gather Round appearance at Adelaide Oval.
Carlton v Melbourne: The Blues and Demons will meet on Saturday afternoon in a rematch of their 2026 wildcard final, which produced one of the most memorable contests of the postseason.
Fremantle v Hawthorn: Saturday night's headline fixture pits the Dockers against the Hawks following their qualifying final meeting in September.
More Player Reunions and Big Matches
Port Adelaide and the Western Bulldogs aren't the only clubs involved in a reunion.
Geelong's new ruckman Rowan Marshall will face his former club St Kilda at Barossa Park on Sunday afternoon after making the move to the Cats during the 2026 trade period.
Collingwood and Sydney have been handed the Friday night prime-time fixture at Adelaide Oval, while Richmond and West Coast will meet at Norwood Oval on Saturday afternoon.
The Gold Coast Suns and GWS Giants will kick off Saturday's action in the Barossa, with Essendon and North Melbourne also scheduled to play at Norwood Oval on Sunday.
When Do 2027 Gather Round Tickets Go on Sale?
Tickets for the 2027 AFL Gather Round will go on sale in December 2026, with AFL and club members receiving priority access before the general public.
2027 Gather Round Ticket Dates
Wednesday 9 December: First priority window for AFL and club members from 10am Adelaide time.
Thursday 10 December: Second members' priority window from 10am to 1pm Adelaide time.
Thursday 10 December: General public tickets on sale from 3pm Adelaide time.
Supporters can find further information through the official AFL Gather Round website.
What Else Do We Know About the 2027 AFL Fixture?
While Gather Round is now confirmed, the full 2027 AFL fixture has not yet been released.
The AFL has confirmed that the season will begin on either Wednesday 17 or Thursday 18 March, with all 18 clubs taking part in a traditional nine-game opening round. The Opening Round format used in recent seasons has been scrapped.
The regular season will run for 24 rounds, with the Grand Final scheduled for Saturday 2 October 2027.
The league is expected to announce the remaining fixture details later in 2026, including the opening match of the season.
Before You Bet will continue to cover the major AFL fixture announcements ahead of the new season, along with weekly AFL tips and betting previews throughout 2027.
