The AFL Grand Final will take place at the MCG on Saturday, September 26, between the Fremantle Dockers and the Brisbane Lions.
It will be the first time these two teams have faced each other in any final, let alone the AFL decider.
The Lions are on the hunt for three consecutive flags while the Dockers are hoping to hoist the premiership cup for the first time in their history.
Brisbane is entering its fourth consecutive grand final, and its eighth for the century. Saturday will be Fremantle's second time featuring in the last Saturday of September.
This is Zero Hanger's guide on how to watch the match on TV or via live streaming.
The game will commence at 2:30pm (AEST), while pre-game coverage will begin at 7:00am (AEST) on Channel 7, 7mate and 7plus.
The Telstra AFL Pre-Match Entertainment will be headlined by Australian pop star Kylie Minogue, who will be supported by a host of Australian artists for the Pre-Match Entertainment, including ARIA Award-winning artist G Flip, who will open for Kylie; Michael Paynter, who will sing the national anthem; and September favourite Mike Brady AM.
What is the AFL Grand Final?
The AFL Grand Final will decide this year's premiership winner, with the Fremantle Dockers and Brisbane Lions to battle for the premiership cup.
Both clubs have reached the decider the long way around, losing the qualifying final before hosting semi-finals and storming past Sydney and Hawthorn in front of hostile crowds.
The Dockers and Lions only met once in 2026, with Fremantle, who claimed the minor premiership, also earning bragging rights after a 25-point win at the Gabba.
Fremantle power trio Patrick Voss, Jye Amiss and Josh Treacy combined for 11 goals to deliver the victory.
How to watch the AFL Grand Final on TV
You can watch the AFL Grand Final in Australia live on Channel 7 from 2:00pm (AEST) on Saturday, September 26.
Channel 7 can be found at Channel 70 in high definition, or 71 in standard definition.
Pre-match coverage starts from 7:00am (AEST).
How to live stream the AFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is available on 7plus for select connected TV, set-top-box and gaming console devices.
You will be able to view the AFL Grand Final on Foxtel IQ (Gen 3-5 boxes), Hubbl, VIDAA OS TVs (Hisense & Toshiba), Roku TCL TVs, Amazon Fire TV, iOS devices (iPhone and iPad), Android devices (both phones and tablets), Telstra TV, Fetch TV, Apple TV (4th Generation and newer), Android TV (compatible with Google-certified Android TV OS), Samsung TV (compatible with Samsung Tizen OS), PlayStation 4 and 5, Chromecast and LG TV (models released in 2017 and newer).
The game will also be streamed live on the AFL Live Official App on mobile and tablet devices, which you can download from the App Store or Google Play.
Fans outside Australia can catch the game via Watch AFL.
The 2026 AFL Grand Final umpires
The AFL has backed in field umpires Hayden Meyer (third GF) and Nick Foot (second GF) as half of the quartet who will adjudicate Saturday's Grand Final between Fremantle and Brisbane at the MCG.
Meyer and Foot will be joined by Brett Rosebury (10th GF) and Brendon Hosking (second GF) as the decider umpires, with Nathan Williamson as the emergency,
Boundary umpires are Matt Tomkins (seventh GF), Michael Barlow (fifth GF), alongside Grand Final debutants Jordan Russell and Benjamin Fely. Michael Marantelli is the emergency boundary umpire.
Goal umpires Dylan Benwell (GF debut) and Matthew Dervan (fifth GF) will officiate at either end, with Steven Piperno named as the emergency goal umpire.
Medal and Cup presenters
Geelong premiership hero and 2009 Norm Smith Medallist Paul Chapman will award the medal to the player judged best on ground.
Richmond premiership captain and Team of the Century member Roger Dean will deliver the winning premiership skipper the Ron Barrassi Medal.
Sydney's 2005 premiership-winning coach Paul Roos will deliver the Jock McHale Medal to the winning coach.
If Fremantle wins, inaugural Docker Shaun McManus will present the cup.
If Brisbane wins, Brownlow Medallist and three-time flag winner Simon Black will deliver the cup.
Hawthorn champion Luke Hodge is the premiership cup ambassador.
What happens if the AFL Grand Final is a draw?
The following procedure shall apply in the event of a draw at the end of ordinary time:
- Six-minute break.
- An additional two x three-minute halves (plus time on) will be played as required until a result is determined.
PROCESS:
1. Goal umpires confirm scores are identical;
2. There is a six-minute break;
3. Teams change ends;
4. Three minutes of Additional Time shall be played, plus time-on;
5. At the end of the first Additional Time period, the siren will sound, and teams will immediately change ends without a break;
6. The ball will be bounced (or thrown up) in the centre, and a further three minutes of play (plus time-on) will commence;
7. At the conclusion of this period, the siren will sound, and the team with the highest score is declared the winner.
8. If scores are still tied, steps three to eight are repeated until a result is determined.
The following shall also apply for Additional Time periods:
Interchange cap
Clubs shall receive 10 interchanges for the total two x three-minute halves, along with the Additional Time period (excluding the activation of the Substitute). Any leftover interchanges from the total period of Additional Time do not carry over into a subsequent period. Please note that the 10 interchanges include any interchanges when the players immediately change ends at the end of the first Additional Time Period.
Runners
Runners may access the playing arena after a goal or a significant stoppage in play (eg. a stretcher is called).
Runners are also permitted to access the playing arena at the conclusion of each three-minute (plus time-on) period of Additional Time as players change ends.
