The AFL Grand Final is set to be pushed to a twilight time slot in 2028, as there is ongoing discourse about the best time to play the decider.
The AFL Grand Final has long begun at 2:30 pm, usually as the September (sometimes October) sun covers the majority of the MCG, with parts of shade due to the impressive grandstand.
Conjecture over when the game would most suit reached fever pitch when the COVID-19-impacted seasons forced the AFL to push the 2020 decider to the evening in the Gabba, while the following year saw a twilight fixture in Perth.
According to a report on Channel Seven, the sunsetting time slot is expected to win out as Tasmania enters the competition, with the AFL believed to want a major overhaul of the fixture as the 19th side joins the league.
The AFL has been in competition with the NRL for the longest time, with the rival code producing a twilight match on Sunday.
However, the TV ratings recorded a 230,000 difference in favour of the AFL, with more tuning in to see Brisbane's thrilling nine-point win over Fremantle, and ultimately its third straight premiership.
The 2026 AFL Grand Final was the code's most-watched on record, with 4.52 million people tuned in on average, up 8 per cent, and the coverage reached a total of 6.5 million people.
However, an argument for the twilight fixture would be that it would enhance the entertainment product, which would increasingly favour the pre-game shows.
The broadcast would also be enhanced, given there would be less sunlight to contend with, which generally casts shadows over parts of the MCG.
The AFL locked in the afternoon slot for this year and next season, but is open to a change in 2028.
"If it makes sense, of course, everything should always be on the table," AFL Commission chair Craig Drummond said in March earlier this year.
"You've got to consider a whole range of stakeholders – not just one particular market or group of stakeholders.
"We are very focused on the fans and the quality of the footy product, but we're not saying that in the future we wouldn't look to reassess."
