The opening round of this year’s AFL season has set an impressive new attendance record, with 431,505 fans attending matches from March 13 to 16. This figure represents an increase of approximately 38,000 spectators compared to the average for round one, marking a remarkable turnout. Such a high total has only been achieved five times in the league’s history.
The previous record was 413,405 fans, but this year’s figures surpassed that milestone comfortably. Remarkably, the match between Hawthorn and Essendon also achieved the highest individual attendance ever recorded, breaking the previous record from 2017 by 2,441 fans.
The match between Carlton and Richmond attracted more than 80,000 spectators, marking only the eighth time this fixture has drawn such a large crowd. Furthermore, the remake of the grand final between the Sydney Swans and the Brisbane Lions saw the largest attendance for a home-and-away clash between the two teams in 19 years, with 34,906 fans in attendance.
AFL CEO Andrew Dillon expressed gratitude to the fans for their overwhelming support, stating that round one always brings excitement to the clubs. He acknowledged the hard work put in by clubs to engage with fans and create compelling match-day experiences. Dillon thanked everyone involved—from fans to venues to broadcasters—for making this inaugural round one memorable.