Perth Sports Guide: 5 Major Teams, Venues & Events

Perth's sporting culture is dominated by the AFL rivalry between the West Coast Eagles and the Fremantle Dockers, one of Australia's most passionate intracity sporting rivalries, with the Western Derby (Eagles vs Dockers) at Optus Stadium among the best-attended club football matches in the AFL competition. The opening of Optus Stadium (capacity 60,000) in 2018 gave Perth a world-class multi-purpose venue that has hosted the AFL Grand Final (2021, the first held outside Melbourne) and multiple international cricket Tests.

AFL (West Coast Eagles and Fremantle Dockers) — the West Australian AFL rivalry is the foundation of Perth's sporting identity, with the West Coast Eagles (Optus Stadium, home since 2018; previously Subiaco Oval) and the Fremantle Dockers (Optus Stadium) competing in the Western Derby four times per season. The Eagles' premierships (1992, 1994, 2006, 2018) and the Dockers' Grand Final appearance (2013) have shaped the WA AFL story. Optus Stadium's 60,000 capacity Western Derbies are among the AFL's highest-attended matches each season.

Cricket (Perth Test) — the Perth Test at Optus Stadium (replacing the WACA for Test cricket) provides Western Australia's highest-profile international cricket occasion, with the WACA Ground (the home of WA cricket since 1893) continuing to host domestic cricket and the Marsh Sheffield Shield. The WACA is famous among cricket purists for its fast and bouncy pitch that has historically favoured fast bowling above all other Test grounds in Australia.

Perth Scorchers (BBL cricket) — the Perth Scorchers are the Big Bash League's most successful franchise (five BBL Championships) and the highest-attended cricket franchise in the competition on a per-match basis. The Scorchers' Optus Stadium home games are among the most energetic sporting atmospheres in Perth.

Perth Glory (A-League) and Perth Wildcats (NBL) — the Perth Glory (men's and women's A-League) and the Perth Wildcats (National Basketball League, with the most successful NBL franchise record in Australian basketball history, ten championships) provide Perth with quality football and basketball alongside the dominant AFL and cricket offerings.

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