After great success in 2025, the 2026 Toyota AFL Open will be returning to La Trobe University Sports Precinct in Bundoora, Victoria from Monday 12 – Wednesday 14 October. Since its introduction, the Toyota AFL Open has united the former Toyota AFL National Inclusion Carnival and Toyota Wheelchair AFL National Championships into one showcase event, strengthening pathways and providing a national stage for athletes of all abilities.
The AFL is pleased to further build on the growth of the Women & Girls Inclusion competition by introducing a dedicated Women & Girls Inclusion division to the official 2026 competition. All states and territories will be represented, with the Northern Territory and Tasmania combining to form a team.
The event will feature the return of a Blind and Low Vision exhibition match as well as the introduction of a Deaf and Hard of Hearing exhibition game, showcasing the expanding opportunities within modified versions of Australian football.
In a significant milestone year, the 2026 event will also celebrate 10 years of the national wheelchair competition, recognising the significant contribution and longstanding support of Disability Sports Australia (DSA) and the Australian Defence Force (ADF).
More details, including team announcements and match schedules for the 2026 Toyota AFL Open will be announced closer to the event.
The Toyota AFL Open Inclusion division is an annual representative competition for participants aged 16+ with intellectual disability. It allows Australia’s top footballers to represent their State or Territory, while showcasing their significant abilities to the broader community.
Each State and Territory is represented at this competition with teams travelling from all over the country.
You can view the by-laws here and a plain language version of the by-laws here.
The event sees two teams of 12 compete on the field, with 4 on the bench. It follows traditional Australian Football rules and is classified under Sport Inclusion Australia, meaning players must meet guidelines to ensure the integrity of the game is upheld.
Although football is the key focus of the event, players also develop other skills through a series of education sessions, clinics with local special schools, and simply living away from home for the week. The aim of the event is to develop these footballers into well-rounded role models within their community.
The Toyota AFL Open Wheelchair division is an annual football competition for the nation’s best wheelchair athletes from across the country. This event provides Australia’s most talented footballers the chance to represent their State/Territory, and to showcase their ability and skills to the broader community.
Each State and Territory is represented at this competition, with the added addition of a team from the RSL.
You can view the by-laws here and the wheelchair classification manual here.
