The new-look east-coast second-tier competition will kickstart on April 17 and will be known as the Victorian Football League, the league confirmed in a statement.
The VFL will consist of 22 sides between Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland clubs for the 2021 campaign, with each club playing 16 matches across 19 rounds, with three allocated byes.
The top eight sides at the conclusion of the home-and-away season will progress to finals, commencing on August 28, with the VFL Grand Final set for the weekend of September 18/19.
The fixture will allow flexibility for matches due to the unprecedented circumstances that led to the cancellation of the second-tier system in 2020 due to COVID-19.
11 AFL clubs will have their directly affiliated sides featuring in the competition, while eight standalone clubs and three further affiliated clubs will also compete.
Standalone Clubs: Aspley, Coburg, Frankston, Northern Bullants, Port Melbourne, Southport, Werribee, Williamstown
Standalone AFL Clubs: Brisbane Lions, Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, Footscray, Geelong Cats, Gold Coast SUNS, GWS GIANTS, North Melbourne, Richmond, Sydney Swans
Aligned Clubs: Sandringham, Box Hill Hawks, Casey Demons
