Five-time Perth Wildcats championship winning coach Trevor Gleeson will return to RAC Arena for the first time as an opposition coach on September 24 in what will be just his second game as the 36ers coach.

The NBL released the schedule for the upcoming season on Friday morning and they wasted no time organising for Gleeson and Bryce Cotton to play in Perth.

Gleeson will have had only one regular season game to get his new team ready for the Wildcats, with Adelaide opening the season against Melbourne United.

The Wildcats will open their season with a home game against South East Melbourne Phoenix before the mouthwatering clash against Adelaide.

Gleeson and Cotton combined to bring Perth enormous success. Perth signed Cotton midway through the 2016 season when they were on the bottom of the ladder and he helped them to win the championship, being named grand final MVP.

He went on to win three titles under Gleeson before the legendary coach moved to the US as an NBA assistant and then worked in Japan.

The match between Perth and Adelaide will be played just two days before the AFL grand final and with Fremantle currently sitting on top of the AFL ladder, that weekend could produce a series of blockbuster sporting events for WA sports fans.

The Wildcats will also play at home against New Zealand at 6.30pm on AFL grand final day.

Perth have an extraordinary start to the season with five consecutive games at home before travelling to Sydney to take on the Kings on October 17. Eight of their first nine games are at RAC Arena.

But they also cop an incredible away run with 10 of their 11 matches being played on the road between November 20 and January 9.

That includes a stretch of four games in nine days in Tasmania, New Zealand, Illawarra and Adelaide. Perth will also play on Christmas Eve.

PERTH WILDCATS SCHEDULE - HOME GAMES IN BOLD

Saturday September 19 v South East Melbourne Phoenix at RAC Arena

Thursday September 24 v Adelaide 36ers at RAC Arena

Saturday September 26 v New Zealand Breakers at RAC Arena

Friday October 2 v South East Melbourne Phoenix at RAC Arena

Saturday October 10 v New Zealand Breakers at RAC Arena

Saturday October 17 v Sydney Kings at Qudos Bank Arena

Friday October 23 v Melbourne United at RAC Arena

Wednesday October 28 v Sydney Kings at RAC Arena

Saturday October 31 v Illawarra Hawks at RAC Arena

Wednesday November 4 v Brisbane Bullets at Nissan Arena

Sunday November 8 v Cairns Taipans at RAC Arena

Thursday November 12 v Tasmania JackJumpers at RAC Arena

Saturday November 14 v Illawarra Hawks at RAC Arena

Friday November 20 v Cairns Taipans at Cairns Convention Centre

Thursday December 3 v Brisbane Bullets at Brisbane Entertainment Centre

Sunday December 6 v Sydney Kings at Qudos Bank Arena

Sunday December 13 v Melbourne United at Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium

Wednesday December 16 v Melbourne United at RAC Arena

Sunday December 20 v Cairns Taipans at Cairns Convention Centre

Thursday December 24 v Adelade 36ers at Adelaide Entertainment Centre

Friday January 1 v Tasmania JackJumpers at MyState Bank Arena

Sunday January 3 v New Zealand Breakers at Spark Arena

Wednesday January 6 v Illawarra Hawks at WIN Entertainment Centre

Saturday January 9 v Adelade 36ers at Adelaide Entertainment Centre

Friday January 15 v New Zealand Breakers at RAC Arena

Friday January 22 v Sydney Kings at RAC Arena

Sunday January 24 v South East Melbourne Phoenix at Victorian Stata Basketball Centre

Thursday January 28 v Adelaide 36ers at RAC Arena

Saturday January 30 v Illawarra Hawks at WIN Entertainment Centre

Friday February 5 v Cairns Taipans at RAC Arena

Sunday February 7 v Melbourne United at John Cain Arena

Wednesday February 10 v Tasmania JackJumpers at MyState Bank Arena

Friday February 12 v Brisbane Bullets at RAC Arena