COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT

The Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) is the document signed by both the AFL Players’ Association and AFL that sets out all the minimum terms and conditions of players’ employment.

2023-2027 JOINT CBA

This five-year deal was finalised in September and will run to the end of the 2027 seasons.

Under the 2023-2027 deal, both AFL and AFLW players came together under the one agreement for the first time in the code’s history, tying the league’s 1300 elite players under a revenue share model and enshrining them as true partners in the game.

Key areas of the current CBA include:

  • Players sharing in 31.7 per cent of the industry’s assessable revenue.
  • Annual bridging of the gender pay gap.
  • Increase of player payments for AFLW and AFL players.
  • Increased games, and 12-month, multi-year contracts for AFLW players.
  • Significantly improved funding for past players with equitable access for players.
  • Increased funding for programs and services, including for mental health care.
  • Simplified and greater leave for AFL players.
  • Improved Pregnancy and Parental Management Policy for AFLW players.
  • Introduction of a Human Rights Framework.
  • Introduction of a mid-season trade period.
  • Three-contracts for top draftees.
  • Agreement for Gather Round to stay.
  • Introduction of a Marketing Fund for players.

If you are an AFLW Player, Club or Agent and have any questions, please contact the AFLPA.

PREVIOUS AFL CBA

This six-year deal was finalised in June 2017 and ran until the end of the 2022 season. Under the 2017-2022 CBA, player wages were tied to the industry’s revenue for the first time in the history of the game.

* Please note, this document does not reflect the revised CBA agreement between the AFL and AFLPA for 2021. For more information about those changes refer to this media statement.

The key areas of the this CBA included:

  • Minimum player payments
  • Injury payments
  • Leave, travel and accommodation entitlements
  • Free Agency
  • Grievance procedure
  • Player appearances
  • Player Retirement Scheme
  • Code of conduct and player rules
  • Use of image
  • Match and grand final tickets

PREVIOUS AFLW CBA

A three-year Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which guaranteed year-on-year growth of the NAB AFLW Competition and provided certainty for all AFLW players and clubs and was finalised in October, 2019.

Please note that the 2019-2022 AFLW CBA was amended by a Heads of Agreement signed by AFLPA and AFL on 19th May 2022 to cover Season 7 of the AFLW.

An item found in the original CBA continued to apply unless that item was covered in the Heads of Agreement. The infographic that explains the key features in this agreement between AFLPA and AFL for Season 7 of the AFLW Competition.