The AFL’s New South Wales Facilities Fund will return once again in 2026 to support the next wave of facility upgrades across the state.
The AFL’s New South Wales Facilities Fund endeavours to provide community AFL clubs with the means to enhance their facilities and grounds, ensuring the continued growth and inclusivity of Australian Rules Football at the grassroots level.
Applications for round 1 of the Facilities Fund will open on Monday, February 16.
Clubs, schools, organisations and councils are invited to apply for the Facilities Fund to unlock vital funding for facility upgrades and improvements, before applications close at midnight on Sunday, March 29.
Head of AFL NSW/ACT Andrew Varasdi said: “A key priority of the AFL is to support our community to deliver key facility projects.
“The AFL’s New South Wales Facilities Fund epitomises this commitment, and we are thrilled to offer this initiative once again in 2026.
“The Facilities Fund supports projects that ensure our participants have access to quality infrastructure and inclusive facilities.
“These projects and the upgrades they deliver underpin the ongoing growth of our game across the state, and we’re excited to continue this through the Facilities Fund in 2026.”
27 community projects shared in almost $1 million worth of funding across the two rounds of the New South Wales Facilities Fund in 2025, which offered grants ranging from $10,000 to $50,000.
These projects saw infrastructure upgrades including female-friendly changeroom improvements, safety as well as lighting and ground surface enhancements.
Since 2020, the AFL has dedicated over $23 million to community facility funding, which has helped deliver 36 lighting projects, 67 new gender neutral changerooms and six new ovals in Greater Sydney alone.
In 2025, there were over 78,000 registered AFL participants in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.
For more information about the AFL’s NSW facility management and development, visit here.