Image via Peter Malinauskas/Facebook
Gather Round will remain in South Australia until at least 2029, with the AFL and state government confirming a new three-year partnership to keep one of the country’s biggest sporting events in SA.
The announcement follows another record-breaking Gather Round in April, which attracted more than 270,000 fans across the Festival of Footy.
Since launching in 2023, Gather Round has attracted more than one million attendees to matches across Adelaide Oval, Norwood Oval, Mt Barker Stadium in the Adelaide Hills and Barossa Park, following the development and use of new infrastructure in the region.
The 2023, 2024 and 2025 events generated a combined economic impact of more than $285 million and attracted more than 132,000 interstate visitors, cementing the event as a major tourism and sporting drawcard for South Australia.
From 2027, Gather Round will also introduce a new player parade, bringing players from every AFL club together for a free fan-facing event. The new addition will give supporters the chance to see some of their favourite players up close as part of the wider event program.
“Gather Round is a phenomenal event and is rightly here to stay in South Australia,” Premier Peter Malinauskas said.
“We have shown that we are the best state to deliver a successful Festival of Footy like no other.
“Gather Round is about much more than football – it brings people together, showcases our restaurants and wine regions on a national stage and pours tens of millions of dollars into our economy every year.
“Next year’s Gather Round will be even better with the introduction of a parade featuring players from each club, giving fans the opportunity to get up close with their favourite players.
“Gather Round belongs in South Australia. We thank the AFL for working collaboratively to cement our state as the home of one of the nation’s premier annual sporting events,” Malinauskas said.
The event has also delivered flow-on benefits for local football. Since Gather Round began, the South Australian Football Facilities Fund, delivered in partnership with the State Government, AFL and SANFL, has supported 111 projects across metropolitan and regional South Australia.
AFL CEO Andrew Dillon said Gather Round had become one of the biggest events in the country.
“Gather Round has become one of the biggest and best events in the country and we are thrilled to once again partner with South Australia,” he said.
“From packed- and sold-out stadiums, the Macca’s Footy Festival, the Parade at Norwood, Bounce around the Barossa and everything in between, Gather Round has captured the imagination of footy fans and delivered an event like nothing else in Australian sport.”
Dates and venues for the 2027 Gather Round in South Australia will be confirmed in the coming months.
