The best things in life are Freo and the best place to be is Cockburn when it comes to AFL Women’s and AFL footy at the Cockburn Central-based Fremantle Football Club.
The City of Cockburn is celebrating the Club’s AFL Women’s home games moving to Cockburn ARC Oval for 2026, while also backing the AFL team’s tilt at the Grand Final, where a 16-game winning purple patch has it sitting on top of the ladder.
Cockburn Council approved an allocation of $100,000 to support both the Dockers 2026 AFLW season and AFL Grand Final footy pursuits at its 14 July Ordinary Meeting.
An allocation of $50,000 will support community activation associated with the 2026 AFLW season at Cockburn ARC Oval while a second $50,000 allocation will be available for community activities if the Club’s AFL team qualifies for the 2026 AFL Grand Final, set down for 26 September in Melbourne.
City of Cockburn Mayor Logan Howlett said it was an exciting time for the City and the Dockers as its partnership, cemented with a Memorandum of Understanding in 2023, continued to provide benefits for the Cockburn and wider community.
“We are thrilled to support Fremantle Football Club’s AFL Women’s team as it prepares to host the first of six home games at Cockburn ARC Oval for the 2026 season, kicking off on 16 August,” Mayor Howlett said.
“The Dockers are co-located at Cockburn ARC in Cockburn Central and their decision to move AFLW matches to Cockburn is part of its Redevelopment Masterplan of Cockburn ARC Oval which aims to invest in the women’s program from a high-performance perspective.”
Mayor Howlett said the funding would attract investment, support business and visitor growth with vibrant events designed to allow the local and wider Perth community to join the Dockers AFLW and AFL journey in Cockburn.
“What a great opportunity for local and metropolitan Fremantle Football Club fans to be involved in these exciting developments, along with tangible prospects that will increase economic activity for businesses in Cockburn Central,” he said.
The $100,000 allocation for AFLW and AFL activations will be met with funds reallocated as part of the Council’s adopted 2026-27 event program and will not impact budget allocations for the approved Calendar of Events.