The stage is set for a blockbuster 2026 season of the Victorian Netball League, with the state’s premier competition set to light up 17 venues across Victoria.
While the State Netball Centre in Parkville will once again anchor the season as the home of finals and the majority of matches, the VNL will truly belong to the state in 2026. All 12 clubs will host home games, taking elite netball into communities far and wide. Two new venues, Mullum Mullum Stadium and Community Bank Stadium, join the VNL calendar, alongside the return of Waverley Netball Centre, back in action after last hosting in 2024.
The season will unfold across 18 rounds, building towards a four-week finals series and culminating in the Grand Finals on Wednesday 12 August. And it all begins with a bang. Round One features Grand Final rematches in both divisions, with City West Falcons v Hawks Netball and Melbourne University Lightning v Geelong Cougars set to reignite rivalries from the opening whistle. Fans will also be treated to a Suncorp Super Netball curtain-raiser, with Bendigo Strikers v Boroondara Express ahead of the Melbourne Mavericks v GIANTS clash on Saturday 14 March.
Netball Victoria's partnership with Latrobe City Council will also bring Round 1 of the Victorian Netball League to Traralgon’s Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium in March. The Gippsland Stars will take on Peninsula Waves, and Casey Demons start their season against Wilson Storage Southern Saints.
The league will hit the road during the school holidays, with ‘VNL on the Road’ rounds seeing all matches played away from the State Netball Centre across the April (April 2–20) and July (June 27–July 12) holiday periods. Themed rounds will also shine a spotlight on what matters beyond the scoreboard, including First Nations Round on May 27, aligned with National Reconciliation Week, and Pride Round on June 10, celebrated during Pride Month.
Adding further intrigue to the season is a host of headline player movements, with stars including Elle McDonald (Bendigo Strikers), Jessica Haynes (Casey Demons), Mwai Kumwenda (Peninsula Waves), Megan Allen (Western Warriors), Charli Hoey (Hawks Netball), Mackenzie O’Dwyer (North East Blaze), Sam Silvester (Gippsland Stars), Alex Moody (Boroondara Express), Tully Bethune (City West Falcons) and Alex Booker (Geelong Cougars) set to make their mark in new colours.
The countdown to 2026 is on.
View the 2026 fixture
