{"id":902819,"date":"2026-09-23T18:49:25","date_gmt":"2026-09-23T18:49:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/902819\/"},"modified":"2026-09-23T18:49:25","modified_gmt":"2026-09-23T18:49:25","slug":"what-time-does-the-2026-toyota-afl-grand-final-start","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/902819\/","title":{"rendered":"What time does the 2026 Toyota AFL Grand Final start?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fans cheer at the final siren of the 2025 Toyota AFL Grand Final between Brisbane and Geelong. Picture: AFL Photos<\/p>\n

THE 2026 Toyota AFL Grand Final between Brisbane and Fremantle starts at 2.30pm AEST on Saturday, September 26.<\/p>\n

This will be the first time that these two clubs have faced each other in any final, let alone a Grand Final, in AFL history.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Fremantle is into the Grand Final for just the second time in the club’s 32 seasons in the AFL, following its loss to Hawthorn in the 2013 decider. If the Dockers win, they will claim the club’s first premiership and end the AFL’s second-longest current premiership drought behind St Kilda (60 years and counting).\u00a0<\/p>\n

Brisbane is into its fourth consecutive Grand Final and is looking for its third successive premiership, following wins over Sydney in 2024 and Geelong in 2025. If the Lions win, they will be the first team to win three successive premierships since Hawthorn in 2013-15.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Lions are chasing their sixth premiership as the Brisbane Lions, following the famous three-peat successes in 2001-03 and wins in 2024-25, and their 14th overall as a merged entity including Fitzroy’s eight VFL premierships.\u00a0<\/p>\n

How to watch the Grand Final<\/p>\n

Fans in Australia can watch the game on TV exclusively LIVE on Channel Seven<\/a> and\u00a07plus<\/a> in 1080p HD. Match coverage begins at 2pm AEST, ahead of the first bounce at 2.30pm AEST.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Fans outside Australia can catch the game via Watch AFL<\/a>. Check out the full broadcast guide here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Starting times for those watching around Australia<\/p>\n

AEST (local): 2.30pm \u2013 ACT, NSW, QLD, TAS, VIC
ACST: 2pm – SA, NT
AWST: 12.30pm \u2013 WA<\/p>\n

Starting times for those watching around the world<\/p>\n

United Kingdom: 5.30am, Saturday
Europe: 6.30am, Saturday\u00a0
USA: 9.30pm, Friday (west coast); 12.30am, Saturday (east coast)
Dubai: 8.30am, Saturday
New Zealand: 5.30pm, Saturday
Thailand: 11.30am, Saturday
Japan: 1.30pm, Saturday
Bali: 12.30pm, Saturday<\/p>\n

Who is performing at the Grand Final?<\/p>\n

The Telstra AFL Pre-Match Entertainment will be headlined by Aussie pop icon Kylie Minogue<\/a>, who will be supported by a host of Australian artists<\/a> for the Pre-Match Entertainment, including ARIA Award-winning artist G Flip who will open for Kylie; Michael Paynter who will sign the national anthem;\u00a0and September favourite\u00a0Mike Brady\u00a0AM.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The umpires revealed<\/p>\n

Veteran umpire Brett Rosebury will officiate in his 10th Grand Final, alongside fellow field umpires Hayden Meyer (third GF), Brendan Hosking (second GF) and Nick Foot (second GF). Nathan Williamson is the emergency field umpire.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Medal and Cup presenters<\/p>\n

Geelong great Paul Chapman, who won the 2009 Norm Smith Medal, will present this year’s medal to the player judged best on ground.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Ron Barassi Medal<\/a> will be presented to the captain of the premiership team by Richmond Team of the Century member Roger Dean, who captained the Tigers to the 1969 premiership.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sydney’s 2005 premiership coach Paul Roos\u00a0will present the Jock McHale Medal to the winning coach.<\/p>\n

If Fremantle wins, the premiership cup will be presented by inaugural Dockers player Shaun McManus. The Lions are yet to name their cup presenter, after triple premiership player Jonathan Brown did the honours in 2025.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Four-time Hawthorn premiership player and two-time Norm Smith medallist Luke Hodge\u00a0is the Toyota Premiership Cup Ambassador.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Andrew Dillon (left) and Luke Hodge pose for a photo during the AFL Finals Launch on August 24, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos<\/p>\n

What’s the weather going to be like?<\/p>\n

The forecast for Saturday is partly cloudy, with a top of 19 degrees and a slight chance of a shower in Melbourne.\u00a0<\/p>\n

How to follow the Grand Final on AFL.com.au and the AFL Live Official App<\/p>\n

– Live coverage throughout the day including full match centre<\/a> with all the stats and video highlights
– The latest weather information straight from the Bureau of Meteorology
– Latest pictures from our photographers
– All the news from the game including comprehensive match report, player ratings and in-depth post-match interviews with players and coaches<\/p>\n

What happens if scores are level at full-time?<\/p>\n

1. Goal umpires confirm scores are identical;
2. There is a six-minute\u00a0and 30 second\u00a0break;
3. Teams change ends;
4. Three minutes of Additional Time shall be played, plus time-on;
5. At the end of the first AdditionalTimeperiod, 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\u00a0time-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.
\u00a0
The following shall also apply for Additional\u00a0Time\u00a0periods:
\u00a0
Interchange cap
Clubs shall receive 10 interchanges for the total two x three-minute period Additional Time (excluding the activation of the Substitute). Any leftover interchanges from the total period of Additional\u00a0Time\u00a0do not carry over into a subsequent period.<\/p>\n

Please note that the 10 interchanges include\u00a0any interchanges when the players immediately change ends at the end of the first Additional Time period.
\u00a0
Runners
Runners may access the playing arena after a goal or a significant stoppage in play (e.g. 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 are changing ends.<\/p>\n

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