One special day at Arden Street

Welcome to AFLW returned in 2026, bringing together more than 220 participants from across Melbourne for a memorable day celebrating football, community and belonging at North Melbourne's spiritual home, Arden Street Oval.

The event was made even more special as The Huddle celebrated a significant milestone, welcoming its 200,000th participant through our programs and activities.

Participants joined us from various group across Melbourne, including from two of our AFL Schools Connect schools, Werribee Primary School Garrang Wilam Primary School, alongside families from the Truganina South and Point Cook Community Hubs, which form part of The Huddle's Huddle Up! in Community Hubs program. Together, they represented the diverse and vibrant communities that make Melbourne and in particular Wyndham such a special place.

Decked out in blue and white, participants settled in for a perfect afternoon at the footy as North Melbourne's back-to-back reigning AFLW premiers took on the Sydney Swans. After several days of rain, the sunshine arrived at the perfect time, creating a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere for families to connect, share a picnic and enjoy the match together.

One participant reflected on the experience, saying:

"The picnic vibe was an awesome way to enjoy a day at the football. And the Kangaroos won!"

Throughout the day, participants enjoyed a range of activations and activities around the ground, including opportunities provided by our friends at Latrobe Health. These experiences helped create a festival-like atmosphere and encouraged families to engage with the game in new ways.

A highlight for many was the opportunity to step onto Arden Street Oval during half-time for a kick of the footy. Young people proudly took to the same field as their AFLW heroes, creating memories that will stay with them long after the final siren.

For many participants, the day was about more than football.

"Wanted to connect with the community, develop my understanding of AFL, enjoy being involved in community activities, the program has a great opportunity to engage and learn new things."

Others were grateful for the welcoming environment created throughout the event.

"The staff went above and beyond to make the experience the best."

While many attendees were experiencing their first AFLW match, others already had an interest in the game and welcomed the opportunity to become more involved.

"I was already interested in AFL, and this event gave me a free opportunity to experience it."

Families also spoke about the sense of community they experienced throughout the day.

"A truly amazing experience. We had a wonderful time and really enjoyed seeing different communities come together through the AFL game."

At its heart, Welcome to AFLW is about creating opportunities for our community to experience Aussie Rules in a relaxing atmosphere, as a community. Through football, participants were able to connect with one another, experience a new part of Australian culture and strengthen their sense of belonging within the community.

As we celebrated both another successful Welcome to AFLW event and The Huddle's 200,000th participant milestone, the day served as a powerful reminder of the role sport can play in bringing people together.

A huge thank you to everyone who attended and to our partners, staff and volunteers who helped make the day possible. We look forward to welcoming even more people to future Welcome to AFL and Welcome to AFLW events.