How to buy AFL tickets, on-sale dates & member allocations
The 2021 AFL season kicks-off at the MCG on Thursday March 18, with fans able to snap up tickets from Monday. Here’s all the information you need to know about securing a seat.
Due to Covid, tickets this year won’t go on sale until much closer to each game – usually no more than one week out. For round one, tickets went on sale last week to games in Brisbane and Sydney, but all remaining games will go on sale this week, commending Monday, with demand set to be unprecedented. See on-sale dates for each game below.
Tickets must be redeemed (by members) or pre-purchased for all matches, with no tickets to be sold at stadiums. All tickets will now be delivered to mobile phones, meaning you'll need to scan your digital ticket to enter the stadium. We recommend you download the Ticketmaster and Ticketek apps and login to your account to view your tickets.
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Restrictions on stadium capacity currently exists in all states except for Queensland, while New South Wales permits between 75% and 100% of seated capacity depending on the venue. The Victorian Government is permitting 50% crowds to attend the MCG, Marvel & GMHBA Stadium, meaning up to 50,000 fans will pack the home of football for the season opener between Richmond and Carlton on Thursday night. There are calls however for that figure to be increased, potentially up to 75% or more, and there will be no doubt be plenty of discussion throughout the week.
The highest crowd figure posted in Australia since the beginning of the pandemic is 49,155 for the NRL State of Origin decider at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium, so every ticket will need to be sold for Thursday’s game to exceed that figure. Both South Australia and Western Australia are allowing 75% of their stadiums to be filled. View restrictions here.
The best way to secure a ticket is by being a club member, with tickets for all matches prioritised for club and AFL members. Home club members will be given access to the majority of available tickets, with each club will decide how to allocate them and how many will be allocated to the away club. Larger clubs are using a ballot system, with information to be communicated directly to members. To assist with contact tracing, members are required to redeem a ticket at no additional cost.
For the MCG which will be at 50% of its 100,000 capacity, about 27,500 tickets will be allocated to club members, 11,000 to MCC Members, 10,000 to AFL Members and 500 to corporates. MCC Members will now need to secure a ticket online prior to games (at no charge), meaning an end to the traditional walk-ups.
VIEW THE FULL 2021 AFL FIXTURE >
Austadiums is the only site to list events across all sports and leagues, with direct links to official ticket partners so you can secure tickets online. Visit the Austadiums Tickets Hub now to pre-purchase tickets, and see below for ticket information for all nine Round 1 AFL games. Click through to each game for further details including seating maps, accommodation, stadium info and directions.
RICHMOND v CARLTON – MCG
Thursday, March 18
Current capacity: 50,000
Ticketing agent: Ticketek
On-sale times
Monday March 15 9:00am: MCC Members
Tuesday March 16 10:00am: AFL Members
Priority 1: from 10:00am
Priority 2: from 11:00am
Tuesday March 16 1:00pm: Richmond Members*
Wednesday March 17 10:00am: Carlton Members
Wednesday March 17 1:00pm: General Public (subject to availability)
* all other eligible Richmond members were able to register for tickets via the Club
COLLINGWOOD v WESTERN BULLDOGS – MCG
Friday March 19
Current capacity: 50,000
Ticketing agent: Ticketek
On-sale times
Monday March 15 9:00am: MCC Members
Tuesday March 16 10:00am: AFL Members
Priority 1: from 10:00am
Priority 2: from 11:00am
Tuesday March 16 1:00pm: Collingwood Members
Priority 1: from 1:00pm
Priority 2: from 3:00pm
Priority 3: from 5:00pm
Wednesday March 17 10:00am: Western Bulldogs Members
Wednesday March 17 1:00pm: General Public (subject to availability)
MELBOURNE v FREMANTLE – MCG
Saturday March 20
Current capacity: 50,000
Ticketing agent: Ticketek
On-sale times
Monday March 15 9:00am: MCC Members
Tuesday March 16 10:00am: AFL Members
Priority 1: from 10:00am
Priority 2: from 11:00am
Tuesday March 16 1:00pm: Melbourne Members
Priority 1: from 1:00pm
Priority 2: from 3:00pm
Priority 3: from 5:00pm
Wednesday March 17 10:00am: Fremantle Members
Wednesday March 17 1:00pm: General Public (subject to availability)
ADELAIDE CROWS v GEELONG CATS – Adelaide Oval
Saturday March 20
Current capacity: 40,000
Ticketing agent: Ticketek
On-sale times
Adelaide Crows and Adelaide Oval Football Members Western Stand Presale
Monday 15 March, 10:00am (ACDT) / 10:30am (AEDT)
Adelaide Crows Season General Admission members
Wednesday 17 March, 11:00am (ACDT) / 11:30am (AEDT)
Adelaide Crows 3 game members
Wednesday 17 March, 2:00pm (ACDT) / 2:30pm (AEDT)
General Public (subject to availability)
Thursday 18 March, 1:00pm (ACDT) / 1:30pm (AEDT)
Eligible Geelong Cats members will receive information on how to purchase from their exclusive allocation from the Club
ESSENDON v HAWTHORN – Marvel Stadium
Saturday March 20
Current capacity: 28,961
Ticketing agent: Ticketmaster
On-sale times
Tuesday March 16, 10:00am: AFL Members
Priority 1: from 10:00am
Priority 2: from 11:00am
Tuesday March 16, 1:00pm: Essendon Members
Priority 1: from 1:00pm
Priority 2: from 3:00pm
Priority 3: from 5:00pm (if required)
Wednesday March 17, 10:00am: Hawthorn Members
Wednesday March 17, 1:00pm: General Public (subject to availability)
BRISBANE LIONS v SYDNEY SWANS – Gabba
Saturday March 20
Current capacity: 39,202
Ticketing agent: Ticketmaster
On-sale times
General Public tickets on-sale now
NORTH MELBOURNE v PORT ADELAIDE – Marvel Stadium
Sunday March 21
Current capacity: 28,961
Ticketing agent: Ticketmaster
On-sale times
Tuesday March 16, 10:00am: AFL Members
Priority 1: from 10:00am
Priority 2: from 11:00am
Tuesday March 16, 1:00pm: North Melbourne Members
Priority 1: from 1:00pm
Priority 2: from 3:00pm
Priority 3: from 5:00pm (if required)
Wednesday March 17, 10:00am: Port Adelaide Members
Wednesday March 17, 1:00pm: General Public (subject to availability)
GWS GIANTS v ST KILDA – Giants Stadium
Sunday March 21
Current capacity 14,521
Ticketing agent: Ticketmaster
On-sale times
General Public on-sale 12:00pm Thursday, March 11
WEST COAST EAGLES v GOLD COAST SUNS – Optus Stadium
Sunday March 21
Current capacity: 45,000
Ticketing agent: Ticketmaster
On-sale times
Yet to be announced. Expected to be mid-week.
For the early part of the 2021 AFL season, tickets to matches will be released on a week-by-week basis. Round 2 on-sale dates will be released at the conclusion of Round 1.
