The AFL has announced a 10-match national women's exhibition series will be played across Australia beginning next month.

The league has already announced plans to establish a national women's competition from 2017.

Matches will be played between March and September across three rounds in five cities - Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney, Perth and Brisbane.

The first round will involve players training in state academies - the second round will feature state representative matches.

The final round will be a match between Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs, played on the bye weekend of September 2-4, between round 23 and the first week of the AFL finals.

The curtain-raiser to the final round game will be a match involving the best under-18 players.

AFL general manager of game and market development Simon Lethlean said the series would showcase the depth of women's football in Australia.

"As we countdown to the national competition in 2017, this series of exhibition matches will open up more opportunities to feature our leading players that are currently training with state academies across the country," AFL general manager of game and market development Simon Lethlean said in a statement.

"We are currently working with our venue and broadcast partners to maximise access and coverage opportunities throughout the exhibition match series."

The Adelaide Football Club has welcomed the news.

"A football-loving state like ours should be represented and we will continue to push hard to ensure a Crows team is participating," Crows chief executive Andrew Fagan said in a statement.