Kylie Minogue has been cleared to play at a charity concert in honour of Australian singer John Farnham later this year, despite claims her commitments at the 2026 AFL Grand Final would mean she was off limits.
If she agrees, the Spinning Around hitmaker will join the likes of Keith Urban and Richard Marx at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena on September 20, where Celine Dion and Hugh Jackman will also appear via satellite.
Just days later, Minogue, 58, will headline the AFL final pre-game show at the MCG.
She is estimated to be paid $3 million for the gig.
According to reports, Farnham, 76, invited the pop princess to perform at The Songs of John Farnham: A Living Legend, but due to the “exclusivity” of her AFL performance, concert organisers claimed the offer was “blocked”.
The AFL has now denied this and declared Minogue is free to perform at the tribute concert if her schedule allows it.
“Schedule permitting, there is no issue from the AFL on Kylie paying tribute to John ahead of her Grand Final performance,” an AFL spokesman told Confidential.
The show’s promoter, Tony Cochrane, said he is “delighted” by the AFL’s decision and hopes Minogue will agree to their offer.
“Do we, as producers, want Kylie to do the show? Absolutely. Without a shadow of a doubt, Kylie is one of Australia’s greatest talents, and she’s very close to John,” he told the newspaper.
Farnham’s manager, Gaynor Wheatley, added that the You’re the Voice singer would love for Minogue to perform.
“We absolutely would welcome Kylie with open arms. We adore her,” she said.
Minogue and Farnham have been friends for years, and the popstar previously described herself as a “forever superfan” of his music.
The Aussie legends also performed together at the Tour of Duty Concert in 1999 in honour of Australian troops, singing a duet of Johnny O’Keefe’s Shout.
The September 20 concert will see artists performing Farnham’s songs to raise money for Head and Neck Cancer Australia.
The tribute concert is one of several projects celebrating Farnham’s legacy, alongside Whispering Jack: The John Farnham Musical, which is set to premiere in Sydney in November.
The beloved singer left the spotlight four years ago when he was diagnosed with mouth cancer.
He underwent a gruelling 12-hour surgery in August 2022 to remove the tumour and had eight weeks of radiation treatment.
As a result of the cancer treatment, Farnham confirmed he will never be able to perform again, and he has difficulty speaking and eating.
Last month, the 76-year-old admitted he initially rejected plans for a tribute concert, but changed his mind when organisers suggested it could raise money for a good cause.
“This (tribute concert) isn’t about me – it’s about giving something back and supporting a cause that means a great deal to me,” he told the Herald Sun.
“The fact that so many extraordinary artists from around the world have so generously agreed to be part of this night is incredibly humbling.”