The VFL will once again return in 2025 with 14 AFL clubs using the competition for their reserves players.
While the fixture for 2025 is yet to released, practice matches are underway from mid-February.
There will be 21 teams in the competition once again, which will conclude during AFL preliminary final weekend.
Will reigning champion Werribee be able to defend their title?
MORE: AFL practice matches 2025: Fixture, results, scores for pre-season Community Series
VFL fixture 2025
Round 1
| Date/Venue/Time (AEDT) | Fixture/Score | Goals | Best |
Fri Mar 21 7:05pm IKON Park | Carlton vs. Box Hill | ||
Sat Mar 22 12:05pm Brighton Homes Arena | Brisbane vs. Port Melbourne | ||
Sat Mar 22 12:05pm Victoria Park | Collingwood vs. Sydney | ||
Sat Mar 22 12:05pm Whitten Oval | Footscray vs. Northern Bullants | ||
Sat Mar 22 1:05pm Fankhauser Reserve | Southport vs. Werribee Tigers | ||
Sat Mar 22 3:05pm NEC Hangar | Essendon vs. Williamstown | ||
Sun Mar 23 11:05am Casey Fields | Casey Demons vs. North Melbourne | ||
Sun Mar 23 11:05am Holm Park Recreation Reserve | Richmond vs. Coburg | ||
Sun Mar 23 2:05pm Trevor Barker Beach Oval | Sandringham vs. Geelong | ||
| BYES | GWS, Gold Coast, Frankston |
Round 2
| Date/Venue/Time (AEDT) | Fixture/Score | Goals | Best |
Fri Mar 28 7:35pm GMHBA Stadium | Geelong vs. Northern Bullants | ||
Sat Mar 29 10:05am Casey Fields | Casey Demons vs. Gold Coast Suns | ||
Sat Mar 29 11:00am Blacktown ISP | GWS vs. Williamstown | ||
Sat Mar 29 11:05am NEC Hangar | Essendon vs. Werribee | ||
Sat Mar 29 12:05pm RSEA Park | Sandringham vs. Richmond | ||
Sat Mar 29 1:05pm Fankhauser Reserve | Southport vs. Coburg | ||
Sat Mar 29 2:05pm Box Hill City Oval | Box Hill vs. North Melbourne | ||
Sat Mar 29 2:05pm ETU Stadium | Port Melbourne vs. Frankston | ||
BYES | Footscray, Collingwood, Carlton, Sydney, Brisbane |
Round 3
| Date/Venue/Time (AEDT) | Fixture/Score | Goals | Best |
Fri Apr 4 3:50pm GMHBA Stadium | Geelong vs. Casey Demons | ||
Fri Apr 4 7:30pm DSV Stadium | Williamstown vs. Frankston | ||
Sat Apr 5 11:05am IKON Park | Carlton vs. Southport | ||
Sat Apr 5 11:05am Holm Park Recreation Reserve | Richmond vs. Brisbane | ||
Sat Apr 5 1:05pm Avalon Airport Oval | Werribee vs. Footscray | ||
Sat Apr 5 4:40pm People First Stadium | Gold Coast vs. Northern Bullants | ||
Sun Apr 6 9:30am Blacktown ISP | GWS vs. Sandringham | ||
Sun Apr 6 12:05pm Arden St Oval | North Melbourne vs. Sydney | ||
Sun Apr 6 1:05pm Piranha Park | Coburg vs. Collingwood | ||
| BYES | Port Melbourne, Box Hill, Essendon |
Round 4
| Date/Venue/Time (AEST) | Fixture/Score | Goals | Best |
Fri Apr 18 12:05pm Arden St Oval | North Melbourne vs. Carlton | ||
Fri Apr 18 12:05pm Brighton Homes Arena | Brisbane vs. Collingwood | ||
Fri Apr 18 12:35pm ETU Stadium | Port Melbourne vs. Essendon | ||
Fri Apr 18 1:05pm DSV Stadium | Williamstown vs. Coburg | ||
Fri Apr 18 7:35pm Kinetic Stadium | Frankston vs. Richmond | ||
Sat Apr 19 11:05am Casey Fields | Casey Demons vs. GWS | ||
Sat Apr 19 12:05pm Blacktown ISP | Sydney vs. Werribee | ||
Sat Apr 19 12:05pm Fankhauser Reserve | Southport vs. Gold Coast | ||
Sun Apr 20 11:35am GMHBA Stadium | Geelong vs. Box Hill | ||
Sun Apr 20 2:05pm Whitten Oval | Footscray vs. Sandringham | ||
| BYE | Northern Bullants |
Round 5
| Date/Venue/Time (AEST) | Fixture/Score | Goals | Best |
Thu Apr 24 11:05am Casey Fields | Richmond vs. Casey Demons | ||
Thu Apr 24 7:35pm Kinetic Stadium | Frankston vs. Northern Bullants | ||
Fri Apr 25 1:05pm Avalon Airport Oval | Werribee vs. Williamstown | ||
Sat Apr 26 11:05am RSEA Park | Sandringham vs. Brisbane | ||
Sat Apr 26 2:05pm Windy Hill | Essendon vs. Collingwood | ||
Sun Apr 27 9:25am People First Stadium | Gold Coast vs. Sydney | ||
Sun Apr 27 11:05am Wonthaggi Recreation Reserve | Box Hill vs. Port Melbourne | ||
Sun Apr 27 11:05am IKON Park | Carlton vs. Geelong | ||
Sun Apr 27 12:05pm Blacktown ISP | GWS vs. Footscray | ||
BYES | Southport, Coburg, North Melbourne |
Round 6
| Date/Venue/Time (AEST) | Fixture/Score | Goals | Best |
Fri May 2 2:05pm Windy Hill | Essendon vs. North Melbourne | ||
Sat May 3 12:05pm DSV Stadium | Williamstown vs. Southport | ||
Sat May 3 1:05pm Avalon Airport Oval | Werribee vs. Frankston | ||
Sat May 3 2:05pm Victoria Park | Collingwood vs. Footscray | ||
Sat May 3 2:05pm Box Hill Oval | Box Hill vs. Richmond | ||
Sat May 3 2:05pm Genis Steel Oval | Northern Bullants vs. Port Melbourne | ||
Sun May 4 12:05pm Brighton Homes Arena | Brisbane vs. Gold Coast | ||
Sun May 4 1:05pm Piranha Park | Coburg vs. Carlton | ||
Sun May 4 4:35pm SCG | Sydney vs. GWS | ||
BYES | Sandringham, Casey, Geelong |
Round 7
| Date/Venue/Time (AEST) | Fixture/Score | Goals | Best |
Sat May 10 11:05am IKON Park | Carlton vs. Sandringham | ||
Sat May 10 11:05am Windy Hill | Essendon vs. Sydney | ||
Sat May 10 11:05am Whitten Oval | Footscray vs. Casey Demons | ||
Sat May 10 12:05pm Avalon Airport Oval | Werribee vs. Box Hill | ||
Sat May 10 12:05pm Fankhauser Reserve | Southport vs. Port Melbourne | ||
Sat May 10 12:05pm Arden St Oval | North Melbourne vs. Brisbane | ||
Sat May 10 2:05pm Genis Steel Oval | Northern Bullants vs. Collingwood | ||
Sat May 10 7:35pm Kinetic Stadium | Frankston vs. Coburg | ||
Sun May 11 11:35am GMHBA Stadium | Geelong vs. GWS | ||
BYES | Gold Coast, Richmond, Williamstown |
Round 8
| Date/Venue/Time (AEST) | Fixture/Score | Goals | Best |
Fri May 16 3:35pm SCG | Sydney vs. Carlton | ||
Sat May 17 10:05am Victoria Park | Collingwood vs. GWS | ||
Sat May 17 11:05am People First Stadium | Gold Coast vs. Box Hill | ||
Sat May 17 11:05am Casey Fields | Casey Demons vs. Southport | ||
Sat May 17 2:05pm ETU Stadium | Port Melbourne vs. Geelong | ||
Sat May 17 3:05pm DSV Stadium | Williamstown vs. Footscray | ||
Sun May 18 1:05pm Piranha Park | Coburg vs. Northern Bullants | ||
Sun May 18 2:05pm Trevor Barker Beach Oval | Sandringham vs. Werribee | ||
Sun May 18 2:05pm Arden St Oval | North Melbourne vs. Richmond | ||
BYES | Essendon, Brisbane, Frankston |
Round 9
| Date/Venue/Time (AEST) | Fixture/Score | Goals | Best |
Fri May 23 11:05am Windy Hill | Richmond vs. Essendon | ||
Fri May 23 5:05pm Windy Hill | Footscray vs. Geelong | ||
Sat May 24 11:35am Box Hill City Oval | Box Hill vs. Brisbane | ||
Sat May 24 12:05pm Fankhauser Reserve | Southport vs. Frankston | ||
Sat May 24 1:05pm Piranha Park | Coburg vs. Sydney | ||
Sat May 24 2:05pm Genis Steel Oval | Northern Bullants vs. Casey Demons | ||
Sat May 24 4:05pm IKON Reserve | Carlton vs. Williamstown | ||
Sun May 25 11:00am Albury Sports Ground | GWS vs. Port Melbourne | ||
Sun May 25 11:05am RSEA Park | Sandringham vs. Gold Coast | ||
Sun May 25 2:05pm Victoria Park | Collingwood vs. North Melbourne | ||
| BYES | Werribee |
Round 10
| Date/Venue/Time (AEST) | Fixture/Score | Goals | Best |
Fri May 30 12:05pm Brighton Homes Arena | Brisbane vs. Essendon | ||
Sat May 31 9:35am People First Stadium | Gold Coast vs. Coburg | ||
Sat May 31 12:05pm RMIT University Oval | Northern Bullants vs. Southport | ||
Sat May 31 12:30pm ENGIE Stadium | GWS vs. Richmond | ||
Sat May 31 1:35pm Tramway Oval | Sydney vs. Casey Demons | ||
Sat May 31 2:05pm Box Hill City Oval | Box Hill vs. Collingwood | ||
Sat May 31 7:35pm Kinetic Stadium | Frankston vs. Sandringham | ||
Sun Jun 1 2:05pm ETU Stadium | Port Melbourne vs. Werribee | ||
Sun Jun 1 2:05pm DSV Stadum | Williamstown vs. Geelong | ||
BYES | North Melbourne, Coburg, Footscray |
Round 11-21 to be added
How will the VFL 2025 season be structured?
The 2025 VFL season features the same 21 teams as 2024 across 21 rounds - with each team to play 18 matches.
The season will begin on March 22 and will conclude with the grand final on September 21.
Which clubs and teams will be in VFL 2025?
VFL 2025 will feature the same 21 teams that competed in the 2024 edition.
AFL standalone clubs
- Brisbane Lions
- Carlton
- Collingwood
- Essendon
- Footscray Bulldogs (Western Bulldogs)
- Geelong
- Gold Coast Suns
- GWS Giants
- North Melbourne
- Richmond
- Sydney
AFL-aligned clubs
- Box Hill Hawks (Hawthorn)
- Casey Demons (Melbourne)
- Sandringham (St Kilda)
VFL standalone clubs
- Coburg
- Frankston
- Northern Bullants
- Port Melbourne
- Southport Sharks
- Werribee
- Williamstown
What is the VFL 'wildcard round'?
Similar to what occurs in American sports prior to the playoffs, four VFL teams will get the opportunity to qualify for the finals after the season has been completed.
Firstly, the top six teams on the VFL ladder at the end of the home and away season will qualify for the finals.
The four teams finishing from 7th to 10th will playoff in a sudden death match the week after the regular season finishes (7v10, 8v9), with two winners progressing to the final eight finals teams.
This 'wildcard round' will be held on the weekend of August 24-25 and the six finals teams not participating will enjoy a week off before the finals begin.
VFL 2025 representative game
A select VFL representative team will take on a SANFL representative team in both the men's and women's competitions across in AFL Gather Round on April 11-12.
It will be the first time the VFLW and SANFL Women's State team will be involved in a match.
The VFLW will take on the SANFL Women's team on April 11, before the VFL and SANFL square off on April 12.
Both the VFL and VFLW will have a bye during this weekend and only VFL/VFLW/SANFL listed players will be able to compete.
Last year's representative game between the VFL and SANFL was the first between the competitions since 2017.
Where do the reserves for Adelaide, Port Adelaide, West Coast and Fremantle play?
Four AFL clubs do not use the VFL competition as a feeder or 'reserves' league for their senior teams.
The South Australian clubs - Adelaide and Port Adelaide - have 'reserves' teams of the same in the South Australian Football League (SANFL).
AFL clubs based in Western Australia - West Coast and Fremantle - use the West Australian Football League (WAFL) as their feeder competition.
West Coast use a team of the same name, while Fremantle are affiliated with Peel Thunder.