The AFL NAB Cup schedule will see games played in Darwin, Perth, Melbourne, Launceston, Canberra, Adelaide, Geelong, Cape Town in South Africa, and on the Gold Coast.
Once teams have been eliminated from the knock-out pre-season competition, they will go into the NAB Challenge, which could take them as far as Alice Springs (NT), Berri (SA), Bunbury (WA), Cairns (QLD), Morwell (VIC), Shepparton (VIC) and Casey Fields in outer suburban Melbourne.
There will also be NAB Challenge matches played on the Gold Coast and in the nation's capital, Canberra.
"The AFL will program NAB Challenge matches across Australia, as part of our on-going work to expand our game," AFL chief operation officer Gillon McLachlan said in a statement released by the league on Wednesday.
"In our traditional football base, the NAB Challenge matches in regional SA, regional WA and regional Victoria will continue to be shared around different parts of each state to give the competition the widest exposure from year to year."
McLachlan also said the clubs would have adequate warning of potential road trips, depending on who was eliminated in the first week of the NAB Cup.
"The AFL has already determined which clubs will be programmed into which NAB Challenge venues in week one, after they are eliminated from the NAB Cup, so that all teams can prepare their likely training and travel schedule in advance," he said.
The indicative NAB Challenge fixture is as follows:
WEEK 1 – February 27-28, 2009
Friday 4.30pm Visy Park Bris/StK v WB/Ess
Friday 7.00pm Alice Springs Geel/Adel v Coll/WCE
Saturday 1.00pm Manuka Oval Carl/Nth v Frem/Rich
Saturday TBC AAMI/Visy Park Haw/Melb v Syd/Port
WEEK 2 – March 6-7, 2009
Friday - Matches to be played in Cairns, Shepparton
Saturday - Match to be played in Berri
Dates to be confirmed - Matches at three other locations
WEEK 3 – March 13-14, 2009
Saturday - Matches to be played at Gold Coast, Bunbury, Morwell, Casey Fields
Dates to be confirmed - Matches at three other venues
