The AFL Grand Final is played on Saturday 26 September 2026 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Australian Rules Football’s premiership decider is the most-watched sporting event in Australia each year, the culmination of a 23-round home-and-away season followed by a four-week finals series. The 2026 edition marks the 130th VFL/AFL Grand Final and the climax of the league’s 131st season.
What is the AFL Grand Final?
The AFL Grand Final is the championship match of the Australian Football League, contested between the two teams that emerge from the finals series played through September. The AFL runs an eight-team finals system: the top four teams after the regular season earn a double-chance qualifying finals bracket, while teams ranked fifth to eighth play elimination finals. Over four weeks of knockout football the field narrows to a single match, played under the MCG’s September sunshine before a capacity crowd of roughly 100,000 spectators.
The winning club lifts the Premiership Cup and its players are awarded premiership medals. The best player on the ground receives the Norm Smith Medal, named after the legendary Melbourne coach. The leading goalkicker is honoured with the Jock McHale Medal for the winning coach, and the losing captain traditionally addresses the crowd in the post-match presentation. Grand Final day is a public holiday in Victoria, underlining the cultural weight of the fixture within Australia.
How AFL Grand Final day works
The day begins with the Grand Final Parade through Melbourne on the eve of the match, followed by traditional Grand Final day entertainment including the pre-match concert, the national anthem and the delivery of the match ball by a team of AFL legends. First bounce is traditionally scheduled for mid-afternoon Australian Eastern Standard Time. The game is contested over four 20-minute quarters of playing time, plus time on for stoppages, meaning real elapsed quarters regularly exceed 30 minutes. If scores are level at full time, 10-minute extra time periods are played until a winner is decided. The drawn grand final, a feature of AFL history until 2015, has been replaced by a definitive result.
When is the AFL Grand Final?
The 2026 AFL Grand Final is played on Saturday 26 September 2026, with first bounce expected at 2:30pm AEST. The official start time is confirmed in the weeks leading up to the match. The preceding Grand Final Parade runs through central Melbourne on Friday 25 September, starting mid-morning and finishing at Yarra Park alongside the MCG.
Where is the AFL Grand Final?
The Melbourne Cricket Ground hosts the AFL Grand Final under a contract that runs to at least 2057. The MCG is the largest stadium in the southern hemisphere, with a current capacity of 100,024. Located in Yarra Park, Richmond, the ground has staged every Grand Final since 1902 with only brief wartime exceptions and the 2020 and 2021 pandemic editions played in Brisbane and Perth respectively. The playing surface is a full-sized Australian Rules oval measuring approximately 160 metres long and 141 metres wide, among the largest in world football.
Public transport dominates arrivals on match day, with dedicated Grand Final day services running on metropolitan trains and Yarra Trams, and Richmond Station acting as the primary pedestrian gateway. Most travelling supporters walk the final 10 minutes through Yarra Park.
Key Contenders
Predicting the 2026 Grand Final matchup a year out is impossible, but a handful of clubs are expected to feature heavily in finals contention. Brisbane Lions, the 2024 premiers, have built a deep list under coach Chris Fagan and sit at the top of the competition’s recent form lines. Collingwood, the 2023 premiers, remain a regular finals presence and one of the league’s wealthiest clubs by membership. Sydney Swans, Geelong Cats, Port Adelaide and Greater Western Sydney rank among the other sides best placed to push deep into September, while the reigning 2025 premier will start the 2026 season as one of the favourites.
Traditional Melbourne heavyweights including Essendon, Richmond, Carlton and Hawthorn carry the largest fanbases and historical weight, while the West Australian clubs West Coast Eagles and Fremantle Dockers bring passionate travelling support whenever they reach the decider. The Grand Final format rewards teams that peak in September, and recent history shows that regular-season dominance does not guarantee premiership success.
How to Watch
The AFL Grand Final is broadcast free-to-air in Australia on Channel Seven and via streaming on 7plus. Fox Footy and Kayo Sports carry the match on subscription, with extended pre-match and post-match coverage. Radio coverage is anchored by ABC Grandstand, Triple M and the ABC commentary team. In the United Kingdom and Ireland, the Grand Final airs on BT Sport and TNT Sports with highlights on selected digital platforms. Fans in the United States can watch via ESPN+ and Watch AFL, the AFL’s own international streaming service that covers most territories including Canada, New Zealand, continental Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
History and Records
The first VFL Grand Final was played in 1898 after Essendon and Geelong finished level at the top of the original eight-club league. The match became the established title-deciding format from 1902 onwards and has run almost continuously ever since. Essendon and Carlton share the record for the most premierships with 16 each, followed by Collingwood on 16 (including the 2023 title) and Richmond on 13. Hawthorn, one of the competition’s dominant modern clubs, has won 13.
Leigh Matthews, Gary Ablett Sr, Wayne Carey, Dustin Martin and Nick Riewoldt rank among the most celebrated Grand Final performers. Martin became the first player to win three Norm Smith Medals, claiming the award in 2017, 2019 and 2020. The 1970 Grand Final between Carlton and Collingwood remains the highest-attended VFL match, drawing 121,696 to the MCG, while the 1977 drawn Grand Final between North Melbourne and Collingwood ranks among the most famous of all time.
Recent premiers include Brisbane Lions (2024), Collingwood (2023), Geelong (2022), Melbourne (2021) and Richmond (2017, 2019, 2020). Brisbane’s 2024 title was its fourth in club history and first since the back-to-back-to-back triumphs of 2001 to 2003 under Leigh Matthews.
Tickets and Attendance
AFL Grand Final tickets are among the most sought-after in Australian sport. The majority of seats are allocated directly to members of the two competing clubs through their respective ticketing ballots. AFL members with Silver level or above also receive priority access, and the MCC (Melbourne Cricket Club) allocates a substantial block of members’ reserve seats. General public release, if any, typically opens through Ticketmaster in the week before the game and sells out within minutes. Resale prices on secondary markets routinely exceed several thousand Australian dollars for premium seating. Corporate hospitality packages remain available through official AFL partners at significantly higher price points.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the 2026 AFL Grand Final?
Saturday 26 September 2026, with first bounce expected at 2:30pm AEST.
Where is the AFL Grand Final held?
The Melbourne Cricket Ground in Yarra Park, Richmond, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
How can I watch the AFL Grand Final?
Channel Seven and 7plus (free-to-air in Australia), Fox Footy and Kayo (subscription), BT/TNT Sport in the UK, and Watch AFL internationally.
Who won the 2025 AFL Grand Final?
The 2025 premier will be confirmed after September 2025. Brisbane Lions won the 2024 premiership, defeating Sydney Swans.
How big is the MCG?
The Melbourne Cricket Ground holds 100,024 spectators, making it the largest stadium in Australia and the southern hemisphere.