Perth's Sporting Calendar: A Month-by-Month Guide to What's On Through the Year

Perth is a city in almost constant sporting motion. The combination of a benign climate, a passionate sporting culture and a broad mix of elite and community events means there is rarely a weekend without something meaningful happening on a field, in a pool or on a court somewhere in the metropolitan area. Here is a practical guide to how the sporting year unfolds, so you can plan ahead, buy tickets early and make the most of what Perth has to offer.

Summer (December to February) is dominated by cricket and open-water swimming. The Perth Scorchers play Big Bash League and WBBL matches at Optus Stadium and the WACA Ground through January, and a day-night BBL match at the WACA is one of Perth's great summer outings, drawing noisy crowds and a festive atmosphere. The Rottnest Channel Swim takes place in late January or early February, while the United Cup tennis brings world-ranked players to RAC Arena for a mixed-team format that fills the CBD with an international sporting buzz. Little Athletics centres run their Saturday morning carnivals through this period, and parkrun attendance peaks with the long summer mornings.

Autumn (March to May) brings the AFL season into gear, which is the central event in Perth's sporting life from late March through September. West Coast Eagles and Fremantle Dockers home games at Optus Stadium are highlights of the social calendar, with the first derby of the season typically falling in April or May and generating city-wide anticipation. The Perth Marathon and the HBF Run for a Reason anchor the road running calendar in this period, while Super Netball, the NBL Blitz and the early rounds of Super Rugby Pacific keep the weekend programme full.

Winter (June to August) is peak AFL season, with both Perth clubs typically in contention through the middle rounds and the city's attention firmly on the ladder. Lawn bowls pennant continues through the cooler months at clubs across the metro area. The Chevron City to Surf for Activ in August is a signature event of the Perth winter calendar, filling the western suburbs with runners on a Sunday morning and drawing one of the largest sporting crowds of the year. The Perth Glory A-League season also runs through winter at HBF Park, offering a different but passionate football atmosphere.

Spring (September to November) brings AFL finals, which for a city with two competing clubs creates an intensity of sporting conversation that is genuinely unique to Perth. Optus Stadium hosts finals matches that draw near-capacity crowds. Once the AFL season concludes, attention shifts to the Perth Wildcats and Perth Lynx as the NBL and WNBL seasons begin in earnest. Surf Life Saving WA launches its Nippers programs, Little Athletics centres start their new season, and the warm-weather return of outdoor sport across dozens of codes signals that the cycle is beginning again.

Sources: Optus Stadium events Perth Scorchers West Coast Eagles

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