AFL 26 Australia: Release Date, Price, Switch 2, and Why It Is Not EA
AFL 26 is the Melbourne-made footy game, already a year into its cycle, with a Switch 2 port that arrived in March. Here is the calendar, the till, and the publisher people keep getting wrong.
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AFL 26 Australia: Release Date, Price, Switch 2, and Why It Is Not EA
Image credit: © Nacon / Australian Football League
Image credit: © Nacon / Australian Football League. AFL 26 and related trademarks belong to their respective owners. Used for editorial coverage on GamePlayer.
Official Steam store promotional artwork used for editorial review and news coverage. GamePlayer does not own this artwork and does not claim the associated trademarks.AFL 26 is the search that only really exists in this country — 2,400 Australian lookups a month for a licensed footy game people still file next to EA in their heads. It is not EA. It is Big Ant Studios in Melbourne, Nacon on the box, and the AFL on the licence.
The AFL’s own announcement put it on shelves Thursday 8 May 2025. Steam dated the PC build 7 May. Nintendo’s Switch 2 page put the handheld a year later: 31 March 2026. All of those dates are in the past. This page is the Australian logistics note, not a brownlow count of the sim.
No review score. The AFL 26 hub is the collection point until a GamePlayer playthrough exists.
What shipped
Official pitch, not a verdict: licensed AFL clubs and players, the 2025-season dressing, local multiplayer, and online that wants a platform subscription on console. PSN’s listing has described up to four players offline and online play that requires PlayStation Plus. Xbox’s page flags a Game Pass core subscription for console multiplayer — that is the online tax, not a copy of the game in the catalogue.
File size on PlayStation’s tracker has sat around 37 GB (PS5) and 43 GB (PS4). Treat those as “leave room,” not scripture.
Platforms and the Switch 2 lag
Day one (May 2025): PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC.
Later: Nintendo Switch 2 on 31 March 2026, per Nintendo AU.
There was no Switch 1 version in that launch wave. If a marketplace listing claims otherwise, it is either a different year or a different product.
Cross-gen digital on PlayStation is a real SKU — PSN AU sells a PS4 & PS5 package. Read the product title. A cheap PS4 disc is not automatically a PS5 install.
Australian prices
| Storefront | What we are seeing |
|---|---|
| Steam AU | A$99.95 Standard, as of 13 October 2026 |
| Xbox AU | A$99.95+ |
| PlayStation Store AU | A$99.95 Standard; a Pro Team Credits bundle has been listed around A$122.95 |
| EB Games / JB Hi-Fi | Physical, members, the later preowned copy — check the week you walk in |
We do not freeze a Sunday catalogue price and pretend it is still true on Thursday. The RRP pattern has been ninety-nine dollars, not the $119 sports-annual default 2K and EA like to open at.
Credits bundles are currency. If you do not play the mode that spends them, they are a donation to Nacon.
Storefronts:
- Steam — AFL 26
- Xbox AU
- PlayStation Store AU
- Nintendo AU — Switch 2
- The AFL’s own launch note: afl.com.au
Game Pass, Plus, and the patience myth
As of this filing, AFL 26 is a purchase on the PlayStation Store, not a Plus Extra catalogue item. Xbox lists cloud play if you already own the game and have the right Game Pass SKU — that is streaming a copy you paid for, not a day-one inclusion. Do not cancel a pre-order because a cousin said “it will be on Game Pass.”
Related
- AFL 26 hub
- EA Sports FC 26 Australia — the other winter living-room sport, actually EA
- NBA 2K26 Australia — editions theatre from 2K
AFL 26 Australia: Release Date, Price, Switch 2, and Why It Is Not EA: quick answers
- When did AFL 26 come out in Australia?
- Thursday 8 May 2025 on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC (Steam dated 7 May). Nintendo Switch 2 followed on 31 March 2026.
- How much is AFL 26 in Australia?
- Steam AU, Xbox AU, and PlayStation Store AU have listed Standard around A$99.95. A Pro Team Credits bundle has sat higher on PSN. Check EB and JB for physical.
- Is AFL 26 on Nintendo Switch 2?
- Yes. Nintendo’s Australian Switch 2 page dates it 31 March 2026. It was not a day-one handheld.
- Is AFL 26 made by EA Sports?
- No. Big Ant Studios developed it in Melbourne. Nacon published it under licence from the AFL. EA Sports FC 26 is a different game and a different search.
- Does GamePlayer have an AFL 26 review score?
- No. This is a release and storefront guide. A scored review waits for a GamePlayer playthrough.
Written by Callum Wright, News editor. Brisbane news desk. Tracks patches, storefronts, and the Australian release calendar.
Letters
The desk is listening
Reader notes on AFL 26 Australia: Release Date, Price, Switch 2, and Why It Is Not EA. Email stays off the page. House rules.
Checking the letters tray…
Related reading
- AFL 26 hub — reviews, guides, and FAQ.
- Best PS5 games 2026 — Australian living-room list.
- Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Australia — tiers, AUD pricing, when to subscribe.
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