State of Origin is BACK! Details confirmed for WA v Victoria clash
STATE of Origin will return for the first time in more than 25 years, with the AFL confirming Western Australia will play Victoria in Perth next February.WA will host the 'Big V' at Optus Stadium on Saturday, February 14, the first State of Origin game since May, 1999.The selection of both teams and player eligibility criteria will be announced in the coming months.But the prospect of a WA side led by the likes of Chad Warner, Patrick Cripps and Luke Jackson taking on a Victoria team featuring Nick Daicos, Marcus Bontempelli and Patrick Dangerfield is sure to whet the appetite for the historic clash.The mid-February time slot mirrors the game between the Indigenous All Stars and Fremantle this year, which drew a crowd of 37,865 to Optus Stadium.The match will be broadcast on Channel 7 and Fox, as well as 7Plus and Kayo streaming platforms.The very first State of Origin match was played in 1977 and games between WA, Victoria and South Australia were regular features in the 1980s and 1990s, but waning popularity saw them scrapped late last century.There have been two one-off representative games since then; the Hall of Fame Tribute Match between Victoria and the Dream Team in 2008 and the Bushfire Relief Match in 2020 between Victoria and the All Stars.Western Australia and Victoria have not played each other since 1992."State football is one of the great traditions of our game, with fans and players alike calling for its return for some time and we are thrilled to see it back," said AFL CEO Andrew Dillon."Origin inspires passion, State pride and draws upon years old rivalries that are central to the history of our game and our very greatest players."I would like to thank Premier Roger Cook and the WA Government for their support in delivering this exciting event for our code."It will be a special moment to see a Big V and a Sandgroper jumper back on the field before we start our 2026 Toyota AFL Premiership Season."More to come
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