Next year’s GDFNL grand final will return to its traditional spot in a move that will likely have a knock-on effect for the Bellarine decider.
This year’s grand final day was held on the Saturday before the AFL Grand Final, September 20, rather than the usual two weeks prior.
However, with the GDFNL removing the split round in July from its fixture, the decider will fall on September 12 in 2026.
That move will see the Bellarine grand final, which had traditionally preceded the GDFNL decider, played the following week (September 19), with that competition set to move to a 21-week home-and-away season with the entry of the Surf Coast Suns.
Each BFNL club will continue to play 18 games, with the introduction of two byes extending the season to 20 rounds.
K rock Football understands the AFL Barwon bye in the middle of the July school holidays will remain, resulting in a double bye for two clubs at that stage of the season.
It is also believed that the local governing body had been considering starting the Bellarine season on the final weekend of March rather than the first weekend of April, which coincides with Easter.
However, starting on Easter weekend allows the Bellarine to play its decider on September 19, with AFL Barwon continuing with the GFNL grand final on the public holiday Friday before the AFL Grand Final.
The GFNL season proper will start on Saturday, April 18. However, St Joseph’s and Leopold will again play at Lorne on Easter Saturday.
The GDFNL will continue with its rolling draw in 2026.
It means North Geelong will have to wait until Round 2 to unfurl its premiership flag, with the Magpies heading out to Bannockburn to start their title defence before hosting Thomson in Round 2.
The remainder of the opening round will see Anakie host Belmont Lions, Geelong West meet Bell Post Hill, Winchelsea take on Werribee Centrals, and Thomson clash with Inverleigh.
New Corio co-coaches Adam Bell and Ross Gemmill will get a baptism of fire when the Devils welcome East Geelong to Shell Oval.
Anzac Day falls on a Saturday in-season for the first time since 2015, which means Inverleigh and Bannockburn will share the spotlight on April 25.
Belmont Lions are fixtured to play their first matches away from Winter Reserve due to upgrade works.
However, it is understood they hope to be at home in Round 3.
X: @krockfootball
2026 GDFNL FIXTURE
| Round 1 | Saturday, April 11 | Anakie | Belmont Lions | Anakie Reserve |
| Geelong West | Bell Post Hill | West Oval | ||
| Corio | East Geelong | Shell Oval | ||
| Thomson | Inverleigh | Godfrey Street | ||
| Winchelsea | Werribee Centrals | Eastern Reserve | ||
| Bannockburn | North Geelong | Victoria Park | ||
| Round 2 | Saturday, April 18 | North Geelong | Thomson | Keith Barclay Oval |
| Inverleigh | Corio | Inverleigh Reserve | ||
| Winchelsea | Belmont Lions | Eastern Reserve | ||
| Bell Post Hill | Anakie | Myers Reserve | ||
| East Geelong | Geelong West | Richmond Cres. | ||
| Werribee Centrals | Bannockburn | Galvin Park | ||
| Round 3 | Saturday, April 25 | Inverleigh | Bannockburn | Inverleigh Reserve |
| Winchelsea | Corio | Eastern Reserve | ||
| Thomson | Belmont Lions | Godfrey Street | ||
| North Geelong | East Geelong | Keith Barclay Oval | ||
| Werribee Centrals | Bell Post Hill | Galvin Park | ||
| Anakie | Geelong West | Anakie Reserve | ||
| Round 4 | Saturday, May 2 | Bannockburn | Bell Post Hill | Victoria Park |
| North Geelong | Belmont Lions | Keith Barclay Oval | ||
| Winchelsea | East Geelong | Eastern Reserve | ||
| Geelong West | Corio | West Oval | ||
| Thomson | Werribee Centrals | Godfrey Street | ||
| Anakie | Inverleigh | Anakie Reserve | ||
| Round 5 | Saturday, May 9 | East Geelong | Bannockburn | Richmond Cres. |
| Inverleigh | Winchelsea | Inverleigh Reserve | ||
| Corio | Anakie | Shell Oval | ||
| Bell Post Hill | North Geelong | Myers Reserve | ||
| Belmont Lions | Werribee Centrals | Winter Reserve | ||
| Geelong West | Thomson | West Oval | ||
| Round 6 | Saturday, May 16 | Belmont Lions | Bannockburn | Winter Reserve |
| East Geelong | Anakie | Richmond Cres. | ||
| Inverleigh | Geelong West | Inverleigh Reserve | ||
| Bell Post Hill | Winchelsea | Myers Reserve | ||
| Corio | Thomson | Shell Oval | ||
| Werribee Centrals | North Geelong | Galvin Park | ||
| Round 7 | Saturday, May 23 | Bell Post Hill | Belmont Lions | Myers Reserve |
| Corio | Bannockburn | Shell Oval | ||
| Anakie | Thomson | Anakie Reserve | ||
| Inverleigh | North Geelong | Inverleigh Reserve | ||
| East Geelong | Werribee Centrals | Richmond Cres. | ||
| Geelong West | Winchelsea | West Oval | ||
| Round 8 | Saturday, May 30 | Belmont Lions | East Geelong | Winter Reserve |
| North Geelong | Corio | Keith Barclay Oval | ||
| Bell Post Hill | Thomson | Myers Reserve | ||
| Werribee Centrals | Inverleigh | Galvin Park | ||
| Winchelsea | Anakie | Eastern Reserve | ||
| Bannockburn | Geelong West | Victoria Park | ||
| Round 9 | Saturday, June 13 | Corio | Werribee Centrals | Shell Oval |
| Inverleigh | Belmont Lions | Inverleigh Reserve | ||
| Anakie | Bannockburn | Anakie Reserve | ||
| Geelong West | North Geelong | West Oval | ||
| East Geelong | Bell Post Hill | Richmond Cres. | ||
| Thomson | Winchelsea | Godfrey Street | ||
| Round 10 | Saturday, June 20 | Werribee Centrals | Geelong West | Galvin Park |
| North Geelong | Anakie | Keith Barclay Oval | ||
| Bell Post Hill | Inverleigh | Myers Reserve | ||
| Bannockburn | Winchelsea | Victoria Park | ||
| East Geelong | Thomson | Richmond Crescent | ||
| Belmont Lions | Corio | Winter Reserve | ||
| Round 11 | Saturday, June 27 | Thomson | Bannockburn | Godfrey Street |
| Corio | Bell Post Hill | Shell Oval | ||
| Inverleigh | East Geelong | Inverleigh Reserve | ||
| Anakie | Werribee Centrals | Anakie Reserve | ||
| Winchelsea | North Geelong | Eastern Reserve | ||
| Geelong West | Belmont Lions | West Oval | ||
| Round 12 | Saturday, July 4 | Belmont Lions | Anake | Winter Reserve |
| Werribee Centrals | Winchelsea | Galvin Park | ||
| Inverleigh | Thomson | Inverleigh Reserve | ||
| East Geelong | Corio | Richmond Cres. | ||
| North Geelong | Bannockburn | Keith Barclay Oval | ||
| Bell Post Hill | Geelong West | Myers Reserve | ||
| Round 13 | Saturday, July 11 | Corio | Inverleigh | Shell Oval |
| Thomson | North Geelong | Godfrey Street | ||
| Geelong West | East Geelong | West Oval | ||
| Bannockburn | Werribee Centrals | Victoria Park | ||
| Anakie | Bell Post Hill | Anakie Reserve | ||
| Belmont Lions | Winchelsea | Winter Reserve | ||
| Round 14 | Saturday, July 18 | Thomson | Corio | Godfrey Street |
| Anakie | East Geelong | Anakie Reserve | ||
| Bannockburn | Belmont Lions | Victoria Park | ||
| North Geelong | Werribee Centrals | Keith Barclay Oval | ||
| Winchelsea | Bell Post Hill | Eastern Reserve | ||
| Geelong West | Inverleigh | West Oval | ||
| Round 15 | Saturday, July 25 | Bell Post Hill | Bannockburn | Myers Reserve |
| East Geelong | Winchelsea | Richmond Cres. | ||
| Belmont Lions | North Geelong | Winter Reserve | ||
| Inverleigh | Anakie | Inverleigh Reserve | ||
| Corio | Gw Giants | Shell Oval | ||
| Werribee Centrals | Thomson | Galvin Park | ||
| Round 16 | Saturday, August 1 | North Geelong | Bell Post Hill | Keith Barclay Oval |
| Thomson | Geelong West | Godfrey Street | ||
| Anakie | Corio | Anakie Reserve | ||
| Winchelsea | Inverleigh | Eastern Reserve | ||
| North Geelong | Bell Post Hill | Keith Barclay Oval | ||
| Werribee Centrals | Belmont Lions | Galvin Park | ||
| Round 17 | Saturday, August 8 | Bannockburn | Inverleigh | Victoria Park |
| East Geelong | North Geelong | Richmond Cres. | ||
| Corio | Winchelsea | Shell Oval | ||
| Geelong West | Anakie | West Oval | ||
| Bell Post Hill | Werribee Centrals | Myers Reserve | ||
| Belmont Lions | Thomson | Winter Reserve | ||
| Round 18 | Saturday, August 15 | Bannockburn | Corio | Victoria Park |
| North Geelong | Inverleigh | Keith Barclay Oval | ||
| Thomson | Anakie | Godfrey Street | ||
| Werribee Centrals | East Geelong | Galvin Park | ||
| Winchelsea | Geelong West | Eastern Reserve | ||
| Belmont Lions | Bell Post Hill | Winter Reserve | ||
| Qualifying Final | Saturday, August 22 | St Albans Reserve | ||
| Elimination Final | Sunday, August 23 | St Albans Reserve | ||
| Second Semi-Final | Saturday, August 29 | St Albans Reserve | ||
| First Semi-Final | Sunday, August 30 | St Albans Reserve | ||
| Preliminary Final | Saturday, September 5 | St Albans Reserve | ||
| Grand Final | Saturday, September 12 | St Albans Reserve |
