AFL announces 2023 National Championships fixtures
THE AFL has today revealed the schedules for this year’s Under 18 and Under 16 National Championships. Running from April through August, the respective carnivals will see Australia’s future footballing stars battle it out on the national stage.
In a release from AFL House, fixture dates and locations for each carnival were confirmed, with starting times, squads and broadcast details set to be confirmed closer to each Championship.
>> SCROLL for the full fixtures
The Under 16 Girls National Development Championships will get underway first, starting with a triple-header in Queensland on April 11. The 10-team competition will be played across four states for the first time, with each team playing two matches until the close on April 30.
The Under 18 Girls commence their championship on the latter date, as Western Australia and South Australia lock horns at Pentanet Stadium in Joondalup. Six teams will do battle in the carnival which comes to a head in August.
A tighter schedule is in the offing for this year’s Under 18 Boys championship, with the usual six sides competing between June 4 and July 15. South Australia and the Allies are first up at Thebarton Oval, while a Vic Country and Metro blockbuster rounds things out at IKON Park.
The Under 16 boys format is slightly different, with the two Victorian sides instead kicking things off on June 10. Tasmania, the Northern Territory, and all four Northern Academies will also feature in a bumper tournament set largely to be played in Queensland from July 3-7.
2023 AFL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
UNDER 18 BOYS
Teams: Allies (comprising ACT, New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland and Tasmania), South Australia, Victoria Country, Victoria Metro and Western Australia
| DATE | HOME TEAM | AWAY TEAM | VENUE |
| Sun, June 4 | South Australia | Allies | Thebarton Oval, SA |
| Sun, June 11 | South Australia | Victoria Metro | Thebarton Oval, SA |
| Sun, June 11 | Allies | Western Australia | Thebarton Oval, SA |
| Sun, June 18 | Victoria Country | South Australia | IKON Park, VIC |
| Sat, June 24 | Western Australia | South Australia | Optus Stadium, WA |
| Sat, July 1 | Western Australia | Victoria Country | TBC, WA |
| Sun, July 2 | Allies | Victoria Metro | Brighton Homes Arena, QLD |
| Sun, July 9 | Victoria Metro | Western Australia | RSEA Park, VIC |
| Sun, July 9 | Victoria Country | Allies | RSEA Park, VIC |
| Sat, July 15 | Victoria Country | Victoria Metro | IKON Park, VIC |
UNDER 16 BOYS
Teams: Brisbane Lions Academy, Gold Coast SUNS Academy, GWS GIANTS Academy, Northern Territory, South Australia, Victoria Country, Victoria Metro, Sydney Swans Academy, Tasmania and Western Australia
| DATE | HOME TEAM | AWAY TEAM | VENUE |
| Sat, June 10 | Victoria Country | Victoria Metro | IKON Park, VIC |
| Sat, June 17 | GWS GIANTS Academy | Sydney Swans Academy | Blacktown Int. Sportspark, NSW |
| Sat, June 24 | Northern Territory | Tasmania | Highgate Rec. Reserve, VIC |
| Sun, June 25 | Western Australia | South Australia | TBC, WA |
| Sun, June 25 | Brisbane Lions | GC SUNS Academy | Brighton Homes Arena, QLD |
| Mon, July 3 | GC SUNS Academy | Tasmania | Heritage Bank Stadium, QLD |
| Mon, July 3 | GWS GIANTS Academy | Northern Territory | Heritage Bank Stadium, QLD |
| Mon, July 3 | Brisbane Lions | Sydney Swans | Heritage Bank Stadium, QLD |
| Tue, July 4 | Victoria Metro | Western Australia | Heritage Bank Stadium, QLD |
| Tue, July 4 | Victoria Country | South Australia | Heritage Bank Stadium, QLD |
| Thu, July 6 | Tasmania | GWS GIANTS Academy | Fankhauser Reserve, QLD |
| Thu, July 6 | GC SUNS Academy | Sydney Swans Academy | Fankhauser Reserve, QLD |
| Thu, July 6 | Northern Territory | Brisbane Lions Academy | Fankhauser Reserve, QLD |
| Fri, July 7 | South Australia | Victoria Metro | Fankhauser Reserve, QLD |
| Fri, July 7 | Western Australia | Victoria Country | Fankhauser Reserve, QLD |
UNDER 18 GIRLS
Teams: Allies (NSW-ACT, Northern Territory and Tasmania), Queensland, South Australia, Victoria Country, Victoria Metro and Western Australia
| DATE | HOME TEAM | AWAY TEAM | VENUE |
| Sun, April 30 | Western Australia | South Australia | Pentanet Stadium, WA |
| Sun, July 2 | Allies | Victoria Metro | Brighton Homes Arena, QLD |
| Sun, July 9 | Victoria Metro | South Australia | Avalon Airport Oval, VIC |
| Sat, July 15 | South Australia | Queensland | Adelaide Oval, SA |
| Sun, July 30 | Queensland | Victoria Country | Brighton Homes Arena, QLD |
| Sun, August 6 | Queensland | Allies | Heritage Bank Stadium, QLD |
| Sat, August 12 | Victoria Country | Victoria Metro | TBC, VIC |
| Sun, August 13 | Allies | Western Australia | Blacktown Int. Sportspark, NSW |
| Sat, August 19 | Western Australia | Victoria Country | Pentanet Stadium, WA |
UNDER 16 GIRLS
Teams: Brisbane Lions Academy, Gold Coast SUNS Academy, GWS GIANTS Academy, Northern Territory, South Australia, Sydney Swans Academy, Tasmania, Victoria Country, Victoria Metro and Western Australia
| DATE | HOME TEAM | AWAY TEAM | VENUE |
| Tue, April 11 | GC SUNS Academy | Sydney Swans Academy | Bond University, QLD |
| Tue, April 11 | Brisbane Lions Academy | GWS GIANTS Academy | Bond University, QLD |
| Tue, April 11 | Northern Territory | Tasmania | Bond University, QLD |
| Thu, April 13 | Victoria Country | Victoria Metro | Deakin Reserve, VIC |
| Fri, April 14 | Sydney Swans Academy | GWS GIANTS Academy | Blacktown Int. Sportspark, NSW |
| Fri, April 14 | GC SUNS Academy | Tasmania | Heritage Bank Stadium, QLD |
| Fri, April 14 | Brisbane Lions Academy | Northern Territory | Heritage Bank Stadium, QLD |
| Sun, April 23 | Victoria Country | Western Australia | Arden Street Oval, VIC |
| Sun, April 23 | Victoria Metro | South Australia | Arden Street Oval, VIC |
| Sun, April 30 | Western Australia | South Australia | Pentanet Stadium, WA |
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