Next year's AFL Grand Final will be staged in October, with the 2015 season kicking off across the Easter long weekend.

At a meeting with the clubs' CEOs on Thursday, the AFL confirmed the Grand Final will be played on Saturday, October 3.

The first match next season will be played on Thursday, April 2 – the day before Good Friday. Carlton remains hopeful of playing Richmond on that night in the season opener.

It is "most unlikely" any football will be played on Good Friday next season, however an AFL spokesman confirmed Good Friday football "may be considered" from 2016 onwards.

The later than usual start to the season is due to the 2015 Cricket World Cup being staged in Australia and New Zealand this summer.

The World Cup final will be played at the MCG and the AFL has delayed its season until all grounds are available.

There will only be one bye during the home and away season.

The AFL also confirmed the majority of matches in next year's pre-season NAB Challenge will be played at regional and suburban grounds, to take the game to regions that don't usually host matches.
There have been 25 Grand Finals played in October throughout the competition's history and the results were:

1/10/1910 - South Melbourne 4.14 (38) d Carlton 4.12 (36)
11/10/1919 – Collingwood 11.12 (78) d Richmond 7.11 (53)
2/10/1920 – Richmond 7.10 (52) d Collingwood 5.5 (35)
15/10/1921 – Richmond 5.6 (36) d Carlton 4.8 (32)
14/10/1922 – Fitzroy 11.13 (79) d Collingwood 9.14 (68)
20/10/1923 – Essendon 8.15 (63) d Fitzroy 6.10 (46)
10/10/1925 – Geelong 10.19 (79) d Collingwood 9.15 (69)
9/10/1926 – Melbounre 17.17 (119) d ollingwood 9.8 (62)
1/10/1927 – Collingwood 2.13 (25) d Richmond 1.7 (13)
11/10/1930 – Collingwood 14.16 (100) d Geelong 9.16 (70)
10/10/1931 – Geelong 9.14 (68) d Richmond 7.6 (48)
1/10/1932 – Richmond 13.14 (92) d Carlton 12.11 (83)
13/10/1934 – Richmond 19.14 (128) d South Melbourne 12.17 (89)
5/10/1935 – Collingwood 11.12 (78) d South Melbourne 7.16 (58)
3/10/1936 – Collingwood 11.23 (89) d South Melbourne 10.18 (78)
5/10/1946 – Essendon 22.18 (150) d Melbourne 13.9 (87)
2/10/1948 – Melbourne 10.9 (69) drew with Essendon 7.27 (69)
9/10/1948 –Melbourne 13.11 (89) d Essendon 7.8 (50)
5/10/1963 – Geelong 15.19 (109) d Hawthorn 8.12 (60)
7/10/1972 – Carlton 28.9 (177) d Richmond 22.18 (150)
1/10/1977 – North Melbourne 21.25 (151) d Collingwood 19.10 (124)
6/10/1990 – Collingwood 13.11 (89) d Essendon 5.11 (41)
1/10/1994 – West Coast 20.23 (143) d Geelong 8.15 (63)
2/10/2010 – Collingwood 16.12 (108) d St Kilda 7.10 (52)
1/10/2011 – Geelong 18.11 (119) d Collingood 12.9 (81)