Australian sport news
Independent news and guides on the AFL, NRL, cricket and football: what happened, what comes next and how it all works.
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In season now
What is being played in Australia this month, worked out from today's date. The countdowns run to the next fixed dates on the calendar. The month-by-month view is in the sports calendar.
- AFLWGrand Final on the final weekend of November
- NRLGrand Final in early October at Stadium Australia, Sydney
- NRLWGrand Final shares the day and venue with the NRL
- Sheffield ShieldFour-day state matches; five-day final in late March
- WBBLEight city teams; final in early to mid December
- A-League MenFinals series and Grand Final in May
- NBLRegular season to February, finals in March and April
- 4 daysto the Newlands Test, 27 October 2026. Series decider in Cape Town, 7.30pm AEDT.
- 23 daysto the World Cup finals, 15 November 2026. Women's and men's finals at Suncorp Stadium.
- 27 daysto the AFL National Draft, 19 November 2026. Round one, then the rest the next night.
- 50 daysto the BBL|16 opener, 12 December 2026. Renegades v Scorchers in Chennai.
- 64 daysto the Boxing Day Test, 26 December 2026. Australia v New Zealand at the MCG.
Latest from the desk
State of Origin explained
Rugby league's biggest rivalry picks players by where they started, not where they play. How Origin began in 1980 and how it works now.
The Sheffield Shield explained
Six states, four-day matches and a five-day final: how Australia's first-class cricket competition has worked since 1892-93.
How the NRL finals series works
Eight teams, four weeks, two out each week until the Grand Final. How the NRL finals bracket works and what each ladder spot is worth.
Kyrgios: the ban explained
Kyrgios served a one-month anti-doping suspension that ended on 3 September. He is free to play, but has not committed to any event this summer.
Constellation Cup 2026: Diamonds trail Ferns 2-0
The Silver Ferns won 56-50 and 62-50 in New Zealand. The Diamonds must win in Sydney on Sunday and Melbourne on Wednesday to draw the series.
The Big Bash League explained
Eight city teams, 20 overs a side and a summer-holiday window: a newcomer's guide to how Australia's T20 league is run.
16 stories and guides so far. Each section keeps its own list: start with AFL or cricket.
By code
AFL and AFLW
- AFLW 2026: the finals race with two rounds left
North Melbourne leads Geelong on percentage, four clubs fight for eighth, and the grand final is on a Friday night. As of 23 October.
- How the AFL finals system works
The AFL ran a final eight for 26 seasons, then added a wildcard round in 2026. Here is how every week of September works.
- AFL Draft 2026: dates, pick 1 and how it works
Round one is on 19 November at Marvel Stadium. Here is how the order works, what changed for bids, and who moved in the trade period.
Rugby league
- State of Origin explained: NSW v Queensland
Rugby league's biggest rivalry picks players by where they started, not where they play. How Origin began in 1980 and how it works now.
- Rugby League World Cup 2026: fixtures and results
The World Cup is under way in Australia, New Zealand and PNG, with the Kangaroos and Jillaroos both unbeaten and the finals at Suncorp Stadium on 15 November.
- How the NRL finals series works
Eight teams, four weeks, two out each week until the Grand Final. How the NRL finals bracket works and what each ladder spot is worth.
Cricket
- The Sheffield Shield explained
Six states, four-day matches and a five-day final: how Australia's first-class cricket competition has worked since 1892-93.
- The Big Bash League explained
Eight city teams, 20 overs a side and a summer-holiday window: a newcomer's guide to how Australia's T20 league is run.
- Australian cricket summer 2026-27: full schedule
England's white-ball tour, four Tests against New Zealand and a pink-ball 150th anniversary Test at the MCG: the whole 2026-27 home summer, date by date.
Football
- Australian Championship 2026: clubs, format, TV
Football's national second tier kicked off on 15 October with 16 clubs, nine of them former NSL sides. Here is how it works and how to watch.
- The A-League Men explained
Twelve clubs, a finals series, two trophies a year and no relegation: what a newcomer needs to know about Australia's top men's soccer league.
More sport
- Nick Kyrgios suspension: what happened
Kyrgios served a one-month anti-doping suspension that ended on 3 September. He is free to play, but has not committed to any event this summer.
- Constellation Cup 2026: Diamonds trail Ferns 2-0
The Silver Ferns won 56-50 and 62-50 in New Zealand. The Diamonds must win in Sydney on Sunday and Melbourne on Wednesday to draw the series.
The MCG guide
Opened in 1853, the MCG hosts the AFL Grand Final and the Boxing Day Test. Its history, stands, record crowds and the stations that serve it.
Why this desk exists
Most Australian sport coverage is built to keep you scrolling: live blogs, odds in the sidebar, the same quote rewritten six times. We wanted a page you could read once and come away knowing the dates, the format and what is at stake.
So every story here answers the questions a fan actually has. When is it on, where, who is playing, how does the competition work and what happens next. When something is not confirmed we say so.
We cover the codes Australians follow most, men's and women's, and we keep a reference shelf of guides that we update when the rules change. The AFL moved to a top-ten finals system this year, for example, and the guide says so.
There is no betting content on this site and there never will be. If something here is wrong, tell us and we will fix it, with a note at the foot of the story.
The Sport News Australia desk