AFL CEO Andrew Dillon has announced a significant increase in Thursday night football games for the 2025 season, with a total of 23 games scheduled in that timeslot.

This decision comes in response to strong demand from fans and broadcasters, with Dillon expressing excitement about delivering more Thursday night games.

In 2025, the AFL will feature an unprecedented number of Thursday night matches, with games planned in all but two home-and-away rounds.

The season will kick off on March 6, 2025, with a match between the Brisbane Lions and Geelong at the Gabba, marking the start of the new schedule.

In addition to the opening match, Carlton will face Richmond in a traditional round-one matchup, enhancing the excitement of the season's start.

This upward trajectory in the number of Thursday night games showcases the increasing popularity of this scheduling format among fans.

This announcement precedes the complete season fixture release scheduled for November 14, 2024.

The 2025 season will also mark the beginning of the AFL's landmark $4.5 billion broadcast rights deal, the largest sports rights agreement in Australian history, which will run until 2031.

Notably, only two weeks during the regular season will lack Thursday night matches, underscoring the league's commitment to this popular timeslot.

Preliminary reports indicate that teams like Essendon will appear four times on Thursday nights, while Carlton, Hawthorn, Geelong, Western Bulldogs, and Brisbane Lions will each play three times in the first 16 weeks.

As the season progresses, seven of the nine weeks leading up to the finals will feature Thursday night matches, providing flexibility for teams competing for finals spots.

The increase in Thursday night games reflects a growing trend, rising from 9 games in 2022 to 12 in 2023, and then to 14 in 2024.