The GIANTS today announced a watershed agreement had been reached with the ACT Government, extending their hugely successful partnership for a further decade, ensuring the GIANTS remain Canberra’s AFL team through to at least 2032 which will mark 21 years since the club began playing home games in the ACT.

Since entering the league in 2012, the GIANTS have established themselves as Canberra’s team, playing at least three AFL Premiership Season games a season at the iconic Manuka Oval in addition to pre-season games and an AFLW Premiership Season match every year.

The partnership has always represented much more than just elite football content, with the GIANTS helping to grow the game at the grassroots level as well as running community and Academy programs throughout the Territory.

After establishing an initial 10-year agreement before entering the AFL competition, the partnership between the ACT Government and the GIANTS has, by any metric, been a true success story, with the club becoming an integral part of the sporting landscape in the nation’s capital.

GIANTS Chief Executive Officer David Matthews thanked the ACT Government for their ongoing support of the GIANTS and Australian Football more broadly:

"This is a significant announcement and an important partnership for the GIANTS,” Mr Matthews said.

“The ACT Government and the people of Canberra have been an integral part of our club since our inception and the long-term commitment from both sides signifies our ongoing dedication to the ACT.

“We thank Chief Minister Barr, the ACT Government and the Canberra community for their ongoing support and making this such a successful partnership with even greater growth ahead of us. Over the past decade we have seen our ACT membership numbers build considerably while home games at Manuka Oval continue to sell out on a regular basis.”

GIANTS Chairman, Tony Shepherd AO, said the GIANTS are thrilled to continue as Canberra's team.

“The GIANTS are the AFL and AFLW team for the people of Canberra and we will continue to be for a long time to come. When the GIANTS first started there were a lot of ACT-based AFL supporters who joined our GIANTS family because they knew we were committed to delivering regular elite content and a significant contribution to the wider community," said Mr Shepherd.

“We’re proud of everything we’ve achieved together over the first 11 years of our partnership as we’ve continued to deliver significant growth across every aspect, from the community to the elite level of the men’s and women’s games.

“With the game in such great health in the ACT and this new long-term agreement with the ACT Government in place, we can’t wait to see where the next decade together takes us.”

Chief Minister of the ACT Government, Andrew Barr MLA, said:

“Canberra has established a long-term partnership with the GIANTS, and this unique co-located model has been highly successful,” Minister Barr said.

“The GIANTS are now well established in Canberra with a loyal supporter base including more than 6,400 members based in Canberra and the surrounding region.

“Regular AFL fixtures at Manuka Oval have already delivered significant economic benefits for the ACT through direct expenditure, tourism and destination marketing.

“The GIANTS and AFL reach a national audience which provides a significant opportunity to promote Canberra, raise awareness of the city and support growth of our tourism sector.

“The ACT Government welcomes the GIANTS’ commitment to Canberra for the coming decade.”

The agreement includes:

  • At least three AFL Premiership matches at Manuka Oval each year (with an option to purchase a fourth Premiership match annually should it become available)
  • One pre-season match annually (if pre-season games are scheduled by the AFL)
  • Up to two AFLW Premiership matches at Manuka Oval per year (one plus another where the premiership schedule allows)
  • Prominent exposure of the Brand CBR logo on the playing guernsey of both teams for the first time
  • Expanded opportunities to market Canberra leveraging the GIANTS and AFL profile, particularly into the Sydney market
  • Enhanced marketing and brand exposure at stadiums, events and free-to-air broadcasts
  • Enhanced engagement at a local club level by both AFL and AFLW teams.

The fixture for the 2023 Toyota AFL Premiership Season, including three matches at Manuka Oval, was released on Saturday with the GIANTS to take on the Brisbane Lions, Western Bulldogs and Gold Coast Suns in the nation's capital.