In 2026, 22 teams are competing in the VFL, the equal-most (with
2021) to contest a VFA/VFL premiership in a single division. It is the first time that clubs from four different states will be represented in the same season. The club had last competed as Preston in
1999 (when it was nicknamed the "Knights"). At the same time, it was reported that the club could be in danger of folding because of debt, with the club asking the
Australian Football League (AFL) to financially assist. On 6 October 2025, after years of uncompetitive performances, having struggled to pay its players and staff in 2025, and with questions over its long-term viability without the annual subsidies that clubs had received from the league prior to the pandemic-interrupted
2020 season, the VFL revoked the club's licence. It was the not the first time Preston's history that it had faced similar circumstances – in
1912 it amalgamated with , in
1997 its licence was withdrawn but was restored after one month, and in
2020 it almost folded after ended their
affiliation. Initially, Preston club officials expressed optimism about regaining a VFL licence in 2027 or 2028. However, faced with no viable path to readmission, the club entered voluntary liquidation after a meeting of members on 15 December 2025.
St Kilda for 's return as a standalone team competed in the VFL with its own
reserves team during the
2000 season, before entering into an
affiliation with (later renamed ) in
2001. The agreement ended after the
2008 season and St Kilda affiliated with in
2009. In April 2025, Sandringham rejected a proposal from St Kilda to be renamed to the "Sandringham Saints" and move all home matches from
Trevor Barker Beach Oval to
Moorabbin Oval. The proposal also would have resulted in Sandringham permanently using St Kilda's colours of red, black and white (which it had already worn as an away jumper beginning in
2019). On 30 June 2025, St Kilda announced it would end its affiliation with Sandringham following the 2025 season. The AFL granted a VFL licence to St Kilda the same day, while Sandringham continued in the competition as a standalone team. Sandringham defeated in
round 2 after trailing by 34 points at half-time, which was its first victory as a standalone team since the
1999 VFL semi-final.
Tasmania On 5 September 2025, the
Tasmania Football Club was granted a licence to compete in the VFL from 2026, ahead of its planned entry into the AFL from the 2028 season.
Jeromey Webberley was appointed as the club's inaugural VFL coach, while former player
Jye Menzie became the club's first player when he was signed on 30 September 2025. Tasmania played its first official practice match against at
RMIT Oval on 7 March 2026, losing 14.8 (92) to 10.12 (72). It played its first home-and-away season match against at
North Hobart Oval in
round 1, winning 14.12 (96) to 11.13 (79). It is the first time a club from
Tasmania has competed in the VFL since the
original Tasmania Football Club, which competed from
2001 until the end of
2008. ==Clubs==