IN a move that has caught many AFLW fans off guard, the AFL have released the fixture for the 2023 season.

There will only be 10 rounds this AFLW season, but the AFL Players Association have got a commitment from the AFL for an increase in games from 2024. The finals will run for four weeks, and mirror Season 7s structure.

Round One will commence on Friday September 1 with reigning premiers Melbourne set to host old rivals Collingwood at Ikon Park. Other key matches on the opening weekend include a Saturday afternoon Showdown at Norwood and a Sunday afternoon Battle of the Bridge.

A number of clubs will finally play each other for the first time this season, including Melbourne taking on Geelong, and Collingwood facing off against the Gold Coast Suns.

The Western Bulldogs get to return home to the Whitten Oval this season after a venue redevelopment left them unable to play there in Season 7. Richmond however will be on the move this season, forced to play all their games at Ikon Park because Punt Road is getting redeveloped.

Round Five falls on the weekend of the AFL Men’s Grand Final, and like last season the AFL have used the Grand Final public holiday in Victoria to put several fixtures on in Melbourne, but not quite to the scale of last season.

Other special rounds this season include Indigenous Round, which is set to take place over Rounds Seven and Eight, and Pride Round, which is set to take place in Round 10.

Check out the full fixture here.

The potential Grand Final venues for Season 7 have also been revealed. They are as follows:

• Alberton Oval for Port Adelaide
• Brighton Homes Arena for Brisbane and Gold Coast SUNS
• Fremantle Oval for Fremantle
• Henson Park for the Sydney Swans and GWS GIANTS
• IKON Park for Melbourne, Collingwood, Carlton, Essendon, Hawthorn, North Melbourne, St Kilda, Western Bulldogs, and Richmond
• GMHBA Stadium for Geelong Cats
• Leederville Oval for West Coast Eagles
• Norwood Oval for the Adelaide Crows