The 2026 AFL Women's Australia v Ireland match, known for sponsorship reasons as NAB AFLW Australia v Ireland, is an upcoming women's Australian rules football match organised by the AFL Women's (AFLW).[1]
| 2026 AFLW Australia v Ireland | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Date | 1 August 2026 | ||
| Stadium | North Sydney Oval | ||
Background
editThe growth of women's Australian rules football that followed the inception of the AFLW competition in 2017 quickly provided an outlet for a significant amount of Irish female Gaelic footballers to develop a professional Australian rules football career in the AFLW.[2][3][4] Over time this led to calls from several players for a match pitting Australia and Ireland against one another to be played, with media reports differing over whether such a contest would be an Australian rules football or International rules football match; the latter being a hybrid code combining elements of Gaelic football and Australian football.[5][6] The International Rules Series between the Australia and Ireland men's teams had last been held in 2017, and a women's series unsanctioned by the AFL was contested in 2006.
In April 2026 the league's official website reported the proposed match, to be played under the laws of Australian rules football, would be formalised in the coming weeks.[7] The fixture was announced on 14 May 2026, making it the first professional-level Australian rules football match to be played between Australia and another country.[8][9] The match will be held two weeks prior to the start of the 2026 AFL Women's season, following the previous season which featured a record 40 Irish players playing on AFLW lists, three of which won club best-and-fairest awards, and five who were named in the All-Australian team.[10] It will also be the first representative match in the AFLW since 2017, when Victoria defeated the Allies.[11]
The coaches were confirmed on 27 May, with two-time North Melbourne premiership coach Darren Crocker appointed coach of the Australia team, and newly appointed Sydney coach Colin O'Riordan named coach of the Irish team. O'Riordan had been a recent retiree from the AFL and the was first Irish-born person to be appointed coach of an AFLW team.[12] Eight players for each side were announced on 21 June, including the first Irish player to be named in an All-Australian team Orla O'Dwyer and Melbourne captain Kate Hore.[13][14] The full 25-player Irish team was unveiled on 23 June, at which point the league revealed that the usual complement of 16 on-field players would be supplemented by an extended interchange of nine players, up from five in the regular season.[15] The full Australian team was announced the following day, with five North Melbourne players named in the squad, the highest of any club.[16] In total 13 of the clubs were represented in the Australian team.[17]
Teams
editScorecard
edit| AFLW Australia v Ireland | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 1 August (4:15 pm) |  Australia |
v |  Ireland |
North Sydney Oval | |
| Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 |
|||||
References
edit- ↑ Smale, Simon (15 May 2026). "Australia vs Ireland AFLW clash locked in for North Sydney Oval in August". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
- ↑ Marnie Vinall (28 October 2024). "Attacking flair, speed and a knack for scoring: How the Irish influx is shaping the AFLW". ABC News.
- ↑ "How Irish players are dominating down under". Off The Ball. YouTube. 3 September 2025.
- ↑ "Record five Irish players on AFLW All-Australian team". RTE News. 24 November 2025.
- ↑ Sarah Black (4 September 2024). "'AFL, please do it': Irish star lends voice to International Rules". afl.com.au.
- ↑ "Irish boom could prompt AFLW international game". ESPN. 27 November 2025.
- ↑ Riley Beveridge (9 April 2026). "Historic first as AFLW gears up for inaugural International Rules game". afl.com.au.
- ↑ Liv Carlisle (15 May 2026). ""This event goes beyond a single match": AFLW confirms Australia vs Ireland clash". Yahoo! Sport.
- ↑ Beveridge, Riley (14 May 2026). "League confirms details for historic AFLW Australia-Ireland blockbuster". afl.com.au.
- ↑ "Australia and Ireland set for historic NAB AFLW clash". AFL.com.au. 15 May 2026.
- ↑ "AFLW locks in historic Australia-Ireland clash for August". MSN. 16 May 2026.
- ↑ Riley Beveridge (27 May 2026). "Dual flag coach, new Swans mentor to lead Australia and Ireland rep footy sides". afl.com.au.
- ↑ Hannah Kennelly (21 June 2026). "'Something in the water': The massive footy boom Ireland didn't see coming". The Age.
- ↑ Sarah Black (21 June 2026). "First batch of players unveiled for Australia v Ireland clash". afl.com.au.
- ↑ Sarah Black (23 June 2026). "'Immense pride': Full Irish squad announced to face Australia". afl.com.au.
- ↑ Ben Waterworth (24 June 2026). "Revealed: 25-player squads for historic Australia-Ireland AFLW clash unveiled… and big venue on standby for switch". Fox Sports.
- ↑ "Kangaroos dominate Australia's AFLW squad for Ireland international". ABC News. 24 June 2026.