Footy fans can start planning for next year’s Gather Round, with the AFL confirming the festival will return to South Australia from the 8th to 11th of April 2027.
The dates will coincide with school holidays around the country, with a new players’ parade featuring stars from all 18 AFL clubs also planned for the Friday.
The venues for next year’s matches are yet to be confirmed, but Premier Peter Malinauskas says the Adelaide Hills and Barossa are being considered.
Mount Barker previously hosted Gather Round matches in 2023 and 2024, but the region missed out last year and the year before.
The Barossa hosted a match this year at Barossa Park, while Adelaide Oval and Norwood Oval also participated.
Premier Malinauskas said the government was considering its options for 2027, including potentially sticking with the existing Barossa and Norwood format.
“There’s also a very real possibility we stick with the format that works between the Barossa and also The Parade,” he told Adelaide Now.
The Premier ruled out McLaren Vale as unlikely for next year, saying it would require further investment in infrastructure.
This year’s Gather Round attracted a record 270,018 spectators across nine matches, with 37 per cent travelling from interstate.
An independent evaluation found the 2026 event contributed $115 million to the South Australian economy, taking the total economic contribution since Gather Round began in 2023 to more than $400 million.
The event generated more than 233,000 visitor nights across the state, including almost 59,000 nights outside Adelaide.
South Australia is contracted to host Gather Round until at least 2029.
