The AFL has committed to an 18-team AFLW competition by 2023.
Sydney, Port Adelaide, Hawthorn and Essendon will receive licenses, completing the competition.
On top of that, seasons will now begin in December, rather than February, and be completed before the commencement of the men’s competition.
The AFL Commission has determined that there will be no expansion for the upcoming season, beginning December of 2021.
However, they want all 18 teams implemented by the season beginning in December of 2023.
“Based on their submissions and readiness”, the teams could enter the competition in the season beginning in December of 2022.
Read the full AFL statement below:
The Commission has committed to all 18 AFL clubs having a NAB AFLW team by the beginning of Season Eight – 2023, with the ability for clubs, based on their submissions and readiness, to be admitted into the competition as early as Season Seven – 2022.
The decision to expand the competition again, after the AFLW was expanded from eight teams to 10 teams in 2019 and then to 14 teams in 2020, comes as the number of girls and women playing football had grown to more than 600,000.
The four clubs seeking an AFLW licence have been given until July 9, 2021 to provide a submission on their readiness to enter the national competition, including detailing their team build strategy, corporate support and facilities.
The AFL Commission expects to make a decision on the club submissions at its meeting in August this year.
The AFL Commission has also endorsed a change in the timing of the NAB AFLW Competition to ensure the elite women’s season has its own window from Round One through to the Grand Final, removing any overlap with the Toyota AFL Premiership Season.
This timing provides an ability to optimise the audience and coverage, particularly for the NAB AFLW Finals Series, as well as supporting other considerations such as maximising attendance and participation objectives.
Season Six, which will increase from nine rounds to 10 rounds plus three weeks of finals, will now begin in December 2021 with the NAB AFLW Grand Final to be held in mid-March ahead of the opening round of the Toyota AFL Premiership Season.
In the short term, the AFL will work with the existing 14 AFLW clubs to ensure that when an 18-team competition occurs they will be in the best position to continue to grow and be competitive, while also working with the expansion teams on talent pathways and list building to ensure they have access to experienced players and that the emerging player pathways are supported to drive the demand for new talent.
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