Image: austadiums.com

The AFLW have announced that the Round 1 clash between Essendon and Hawthorn has been moved from ETU Stadium to Marvel Stadium due to unprecedented demand for tickets.

The match, scheduled for Saturday August 27, is the first in the competition for both the Bombers and Hawks. The two clubs join Port Adelaide and Sydney as the four expansion teams in season seven.

Tickets for the match are set to go on sale on Monday 15 August via Ticketmaster.

AFL General Manager Women’s Football Nicole Livingstone said the demand for tickets was reflective of the growth of the competition.

“We know the appetite for NAB AFLW is huge, but the strength of sales across all nine Round One matches and having an inaugural game sell out in a day is amazing. To be able to see two teams – and traditionally archrivals, no less – debut to a packed Marvel Stadium is the stuff dreams are made of," Livingstone said.

“The league is whole; matches are being played in front of thousands of fans and girls across the country are aspiring to be elite players when they grow up – we’re in an incredible place coming into our seventh season and I couldn’t be prouder of every single person who got us here.

“I want to thank every fan who has already bought their tickets to Round One, be it at IKON, Marvel, Blundstone Arena, North Sydney Oval – wherever the team you love is playing that weekend, I have no doubt they’ll do you proud. If you haven’t got yours yet, get in quick or risk missing out on being part of history.”

The match is scheduled to begin at 7:10pm AEST.