Sport
28 May, 2026
Elite women’s footy returns
ELITE women’s football is returning to Far North Queensland, with the Hawthorn Football Club set to take on reigning AFLW premiers North Melbourne Kangaroos in a blockbuster Friday night clash at Cazalys Stadium on Friday 18 September.
The highly-anticipated AFLW fixture will once again bring the excitement and professionalism of elite women’s sport to Cairns as part of the Northern Nest partnership, now entering its fourth year.
The match is expected to attract strong local interest and deliver significant benefits to the region – from inspiring the next generation of female athletes to boosting participation in grassroots football and generating valuable economic activity for local businesses and tourism operators.
The match will also kick off a huge weekend of football for the region, with AFL Cairns Grand Finals to be played on Saturday 19 September, creating a festival atmosphere for local footy fans.
AFL Cairns general manager Craig Lees said the opportunity to bring AFLW back to Cairns reflected Hawthorn’s ongoing commitment to growing the game in Far North Queensland and strengthening connections within our community.
“We’re really excited to have the Northern Nest back for our fourth year in the region,” he said.
“We love the work Hawthorn does to grow the game in Cairns since their first game here in 2023.
“We’ve seen a 30% increase in women and girls playing footy in our local competition.
“Having last year’s premiers, North Melbourne, come to Cazalys is huge for our community.
“This is our chance to get people to the footy and build a genuine festival week starting with our AFL Cairns league best and fairest on Sunday night, the Northern Nest on Friday night and then our AFL Cairns grand final on Saturday. It’s a massive opportunity for the region.”
The Friday night showdown against last season’s premiers promises to be one of the marquee AFLW matches of the year, with fans able to experience two of the best teams in the competition.
Community programs, fan engagement activities and school visits are also expected to form part of the AFLW week in Cairns, further strengthening the connection between elite sport and the local community.
Further match and ticketing details will be announced in coming months.