AFL salary cap 2025: what it means for your take-home pay

AFL salary cap 2025: understanding your after-tax income as a player

If you are an AFL player or considering a career in the AFL, knowing how the afl salary cap 2025 affects your pay is essential. The cap is the total amount each club can spend on player salaries, but your individual contract determines what lands in your bank account after tax and the Medicare levy.

What the 2025 AFL salary cap means for players

The AFL salary cap is negotiated through the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the AFL and the AFL Players’ Association. The current five-year deal runs from 2023 to 2027 and covers both AFL and AFLW players under a single revenue-sharing model . While the exact cap figure for 2025 is not publicly listed as a single dollar amount, the CBA sets minimum base payments and match payments for different categories of players.

For example, a first-year senior-listed player in 2025 receives a minimum base payment of $100,000, plus a senior match payment of $5,000 per game. Rookie-listed players also receive at least $100,000 base plus match payments, with additional bonuses for senior games played. These minimums are significantly above the national minimum wage of $26.44 per hour ($1,004.90 per week, or $52,255 annually). Even the lowest-paid AFL player earns nearly double the minimum wage before match payments.

How your take-home pay compares to benchmarks

The Benchmarks page shows that the average full-time adult ordinary time earnings in Australia are $2,083.70 per week, or about $108,352 per year. A first-year AFL player’s base salary of $100,000 is slightly below that average, but once match payments and bonuses are added, many players exceed the average. For example, a player who plays 10 senior games at $5,000 each adds $50,000, bringing total to $150,000 – well above the full-time ordinary time benchmark.

Tax and Medicare on your AFL salary

Your AFL income is taxed like any other employment income. For the 2026–27 tax year, the resident tax rates are:

• $0 – $18,200: nil
• $18,201 – $45,000: 15c for each $1 over $18,200
• $45,001 – $135,000: $4,020 plus 30c for each $1 over $45,000
• $135,001 – $190,000: $31,020 plus 37c for each $1 over $135,000
• $190,001 and over: $51,370 plus 45c for each $1 over $190,000

The Medicare levy is 2% of your taxable income, applied in full once your income exceeds $35,013 (the single upper threshold). If your income is between $28,011 and $35,013, you pay a reduced rate of 10c per dollar over the lower threshold. For most AFL players earning above $100,000, the full 2% levy applies.

Superannuation and other deductions

Employer super contributions are 12% from 1 July 2026, paid on top of your salary. If your contract is quoted as "plus super", the super is not deducted from your take-home pay. However, if your contract is "including super", the super component is part of your total package and reduces your cash salary. Always check your contract wording.

Soft cap and total player payments

The AFL also has a "soft cap" on football department spending, which includes coaching and support staff. In 2025, the soft cap for AFL programs is $7.675 million, rising to $8.175 million by 2027 . This does not directly affect your player salary but influences the resources your club can provide.

Estimating your after-tax amount

To see how much of your AFL salary reaches your bank account, use the Take-home pay calculator. Enter your base salary, match payments, and any bonuses to get an estimate after tax and Medicare. Remember that this is an estimate only – your actual tax may vary due to HELP/HECS repayments, the Medicare levy surcharge, or salary packaging.