2026 AFL Grand Final Kick-Off Time, Date and Venue

• The 2026 AFL Grand Final between Fremantle and Brisbane starts at 2.30pm AEST on Saturday, 26 September at the MCG.
• Australians can watch the Grand Final live on Channel Seven and 7plus, with coverage starting at 2pm AEST.
• If you’d rather watch with a crowd, we’ve picked out standout Grand Final viewing locations, with links to our pub and sports bar guides for even more options.

For the first time in AFL history, Fremantle and Brisbane will face off in the Grand Final. The Dockers and Lions will go head-to-head in the 2026 AFL Grand Final at the MCG on Saturday, 26 September, with Fremantle chasing its first premiership and Brisbane attempting to make it three flags in a row.

First bounce is at 2:30pm AEST, which means 2pm for those tuning in from South Australia and the Northern Territory. As for Dockers fans back in Western Australia, they’ll be watching the game from 12:30pm. But if you decide it’s not worth heading out of the house, or you’ve already picked out your guest list for your Grand Final watch party, then Channel 7 is where it’s at. Whether you’re watching on free-to-air or streaming on 7plus, the whole event, from the pre-show to the celebrations at the end, will be broadcast across Australia, with coverage beginning at 2pm AEST.

But c’mon, it’s Grand Final Day! Even if you’re not an AFL tragic, even if you prefer NRL or Union, it’s not exactly an occasion that warrants staying at home. Whether you’d like to immerse yourself among the thousands of Dockers fans taking over Fremantle, step inside a Lions-heavy pub in Brisbane, or set up shop in front of the big screen in Melbourne‘s Federation Square, even without a ticket to the MCG, there’s always somewhere nearby serving cold beers (or Canadian Club if you’re one of those people). Just ask for the commentary to be turned up, kick back and enjoy the game.

And to help you find that perfect spot, we’ve rounded up some of the best places to watch the 2026 AFL Grand Final around Australia. Oh, and if you end up deciding at the eleventh hour that you’d rather be in Melbourne, we’ll cover that too.

How to Watch the 2026 AFL Grand Final on TV and Streaming

• Free-to-air: Channel 7
• Streaming in Australia: 7plus
• Streaming overseas: WatchAFL (for international viewers only, not available in Australia)

Watching the AFL Grand Final at home has always been an easy task. Once coverage starts at 2pm, switch on Channel 7, and the first bounce is at 2.30pm. If you’re a cord-cutter or prefer online streaming, you can watch the match live and free through 7plus, where the Grand Final will stream in 1080p HD on compatible devices.

But if you’ve spent most of the season watching AFL through Foxtel or Kayo, you’ll need to swap over, because the Grand Final is exclusive to Channel 7 and 7plus in Australia.

As for Australians travelling overseas and international viewers tuning in, you can stream the game via WatchAFL, the official international streaming service for the AFL. There you can watch the Grand Final live and on-demand outside Australia, with streaming available across compatible phones, tablets, computers and TVs. WatchAFL isn’t available within Australia, though, so you’ll need to switch back to Channel 7 or 7plus once you’re home.

What Time Does the 2026 AFL Grand Final Start?

The 2026 AFL Grand Final starts at 2.30pm AEST on Saturday, 26 September, with Brisbane and Fremantle facing off at the MCG.

But Australia is a big country, which means your local start time changes slightly depending on where you’re watching:

Location	Grand Final Start Time
ACT, NSW, QLD, TAS, VIC	2.30pm
SA, NT	2.00pm
WA	12.30pm

Scroll horizontally to view full table

Channel 7’s coverage begins at 2pm AEST, so eastern-state viewers have around half an hour of pre-game coverage before the first bounce. For Dockers fans back in Western Australia, that translates to an early afternoon start at 12.30pm.

Where to Watch the 2026 AFL Grand Final, City by City

So now you know when the game is on, but if you’re not keen on the couch, then let’s help you find the best spot to watch the 2026 AFL Grand Final in your city.

Melbourne

If you’re not one of the hundred thousand with a ticket to the MCG, stop crying; Federation Square is the next best place to be in Melbourne on Grand Final Day. The match will be shown live on the big screen in the Main Square from midday, giving everyone there a central, free option with plenty of atmosphere.

It’s also close enough to the MCG precinct that you’ll still feel like you’re in the middle of Grand Final Day without needing to get through the gates. If you’d prefer a pub, Melbourne isn’t exactly short on options either. We’ve already rounded up the best sports bars in Melbourne, and we also have our best pubs in Melbourne guide for an even wider selection of venues come Saturday.

Sydney

Anyone watching from Sydney will want to check Henley’s Bar & Kitchen in Darling Harbour. The venue is running a dedicated Grand Final screening with the game shown live and loud on big screens. And if you’d rather guarantee yourself a seat than spend the afternoon hovering near the bar, bookings are available.

Plus, being right on Darling Harbour also means you get a pretty easy pre- and post-game setup, with plenty of food and drink options nearby if you want to make a day of it. But if Henley’s isn’t your scene, we’ve already put together our guide to the best pubs in Sydney, for even more places to check out for Grand Final Day.

Brisbane

Most Lions fans will already know where they’re headed come Grand Final Day in Brisbane, but for those rocking up for the first time, the club has published an official Grand Final watch list, with Felons Barrel Hall among the recommended venues for supporters staying in Queensland.

Sitting on the river at Howard Smith Wharves, Felons gives you the kind of setting you’d want for a Lions Grand Final, with plenty of room to get comfortable and enough atmosphere that you won’t feel like you’re at another Saturday afternoon game.

If you’d rather cast your net a little wider than the wharves, the Lions’ official list also includes the Pineapple Hotel, The Star Casino, Norman Hotel and Story Bridge Hotel. Of course, there’s always the Man of Many guide to the best pubs in Brisbane with even more options to weigh up.

Perth and Fremantle

Western Australians, rise up for the Dockers, because Fremantle is where you’ll find the strongest Grand Final atmosphere. The City of Fremantle is setting up four free big-screen live sites across the city centre, including the Cappuccino Strip, Walyalup Koort, Esplanade Reserve and the corner of Market and High Streets.

The live sites will run from 8am to 8pm, with Walyalup Koort including an accessible viewing zone and Esplanade Reserve set up as a family-friendly option. Given Fremantle is chasing its first premiership, this is probably as close as you’ll get to the MCG atmosphere without actually being in Melbourne.

For anyone in Perth, Stadium Park at Optus Stadium is hosting a free Grand Final screening from 11am to 4pm, with the game on the outdoor Amphitheatre screen, plus food trucks and a bar. And for something more traditional, our guide to the best pubs in Perth has plenty of other options for Grand Final Day.

Adelaide

If you’re watching from Adelaide, The District at SkyCity is putting on quite a substantial Grand Final setup. Doors will open from 11am, with the game shown across the venue, including the Sports Bar’s 20-metre video wall, so you shouldn’t have much trouble finding a decent view.

It’s a ticketed option rather than a casual pub drop-in, with packages starting at $135 per person and including reserved seating, a three-hour drinks package, canapés and access to the after-party. If you’d rather keep things simpler, our guide to the best pubs in Adelaide has plenty of alternatives for Grand Final Day.

Hobart

Down in Hobart, Tasmania, Irish Murphy’s on Salamanca Place is our pick. The pub has a dedicated AFL Grand Final event running from 2pm to 6pm, which lines up neatly with Tasmania’s 2.30pm start time, giving you and anyone you bring along a straightforward place to saddle up for the afternoon.

It’s right in the middle of Salamanca, so there are plenty of options nearby if you want to keep the day going after the final siren. And if you don’t want to rely on the luck of Irish Murphy’s, our guide to the best pubs in Hobart has plenty more options to take a chance on for Grand Final Day.

Canberra

For the Canberrans, Thoroughbred Park’s Hops & Hooves Festival Race Day is where you can set up shop for the entire Grand Final Day, and more. Gates open from 12pm, with racing throughout the afternoon alongside the AFL Grand Final watch party.

It’s all a part of what the venue is calling “Canberra’s biggest watch party”, with far more on offer than your standard pub screening. There will be food vans, live music and race-day hospitality running alongside the game. But if you’d rather keep things more traditional, our guide to the best bars in Canberra has a few other places to check out for Grand Final Day.

Darwin

Up top in Darwin, the AANT Centre is putting on one of the more accessible Grand Final screenings on our list. Open to all ages, the event will see the entire match shown on a 15-square-metre screen inside the Studio Theatre, running from 1pm to 5.30pm.

Entry is only $5, which gets you your first drink. There will also be casual seating, a bar, hot food and snacks, plus a children’s play area, so it works just as well for families as it does for anyone looking to settle in for the afternoon.

How to Get to Melbourne for the AFL Grand Final

If watching from a pub isn’t quite enough and you’ve decided you’d rather make a last-minute run at Melbourne, flights are still the quickest option, but Grand Final week is already putting serious pressure on availability.

Qantas and Jetstar have added thousands of extra seats around the weekend, including more than 8,000 additional seats for Western Australian AFL tragics, with extra services operating between 23 and 28 September, so there should be more options for getting both into Melbourne and home again after the game.

Just be aware that fares and remaining seats are moving quickly. With Grand Final Day fast approaching, you’ll want to check availability ASAP. Of course, there’s always the train.

For those travelling from Sydney, the overnight NSW TrainLink XPT is another option if flights are getting ridiculous, while Adelaide travellers can look at The Overland. The Thursday service departs Adelaide at 6.55am and arrives at Melbourne’s Southern Cross at 6.50pm, giving you plenty of time to get set up before Saturday. That is, if seats are still available.

Once you’re in Melbourne, public transport is the easiest way to get around the MCG precinct. Transport Victoria is running additional services for Grand Final Day, so unless you’ve got a very good reason to drive into the middle of Melbourne on one of the busiest sporting days of the year, the train or tram is probably the smarter move. If you are driving round the city, just remember those hook turns.

Enjoy the 2026 AFL Grand Final, Wherever You Are

However you end up watching the 2026 AFL Grand Final, the most important thing is that you’ve got somewhere sorted before the first bounce. Whether that’s Federation Square, a packed Lions pub, one of Fremantle’s live sites, one of the other capital-city hotspots we’ve rounded up, or the couch with 7plus running in 1080p, there are worse ways to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Either way, we’re all looking forward to Saturday. With Brisbane chasing a third straight flag and Fremantle chasing its first, by the time the final siren sounds, one team will be celebrating, while the other will have to wait till next year. Until then, pick your spot, get there early, sing along to Holy Grail by Hunters & Collectors, and enjoy the game.