Like many other sporting events, the AFL Grand Final has become essential to Australian culture.
So much so that the Friday before Grand Final Day has been declared a public holiday in Victoria.
AFL Grand Final 2025 Tickets, Dates, Times, Parade & Entertainment
The AFL Grand Final is not just a huge sporting event; the half-time entertainment is also a massive part of the day. Many local and international music stars perform here, making the AFL Grand Final one of the most-watched TV events of the year.
AFL Grand Final Week Events
Each year, there are several events held in and around Melbourne leading up to the AFL Grand Final:
- Brownlow Medal: The Brownlow Medal Count will be held on Monday, September 22, at Crown Palladium in Melbourne.
- Footy Festival (Wednesday, 24th – Saturday, 27th September): Footy Festival is back this September and bigger than ever before, taking over Yarra Park from Wednesday, September 24 to Saturday, September 27. Entry is free and features entertainment for all ages, including player appearances, giveaways, AFL Play zone, music and some of Melbourne’s best food trucks and bars.
- AFL Grand Final Parade (Friday, 26th September): The Friday before Grand Final Day has been declared a public holiday. Celebrate the Toyota AFL Grand Final teams, Brownlow and Coleman medalists and more. The Toyota AFL Grand Final Parade is an iconic part of the Australian sporting landscape, and it returns bigger and better in 2025. With more fan-friendly locations to watch the Parade, it is a must-do during Grand Final week for all footy fans.Starting at Melbourne Park Oval, travelling through the heart of Melbourne’s sporting precinct to Birrarung Marr, past the world-famous MCG and finishing at the AFL Footy Festival, the Parade will impress again.
- North Melbourne Grand Final Breakfast (Saturday, 27th September): The original and the best breakfast event for the past 58 years; guests are treated to a gourmet two-course breakfast, premium CBCo beverages and live entertainment, including a musical performance from one of Australia’s hottest acts. Guests will be treated to expert analysis from some of the biggest names in the game, with the event hosted by Fox Footy’s best talent in the countdown to the first bounce.
Where & How To Buy Tickets
The demand for AFL Grand Final tickets always outstrips supply, and tickets to this event are some of the most sought-after in Australian sport.
Tickets will be available to club members before going on sale to the general public. The date and time for each on-sale will be communicated following the confirmation of match details at the completion of the previous week’s games. Once confirmed, all up-to-date finals ticketing information and links to buy tickets for all matches will be available.
During the members’ pre-sale, Club members are required to purchase a finals ticket equivalent to the type of membership they hold (i.e., Adult members can only purchase an Adult final ticket).
The remaining tickets not sold during the member priority period will be available for purchase to the general public. The date and time for each on-sale will be communicated following the confirmation of match details after the previous week’s games. Once confirmed, all up-to-date finals ticketing information and links to buy tickets for all matches will be available.
Tickets to the game will sell out quickly, so if you’re interested in attending the AFL Grand Final, get in early to avoid disappointment. If you can’t get tickets to the game, head down to the AFL Live Site at Yarra Park to watch the game live!
Getting To The MCG
On AFL Grand Final Day, the entry process into the MCG may take longer than usual. To ensure you are inside the MCG in time for the match to start, arrive early and leave plenty of time for the entry process.
Download your ticket before arriving at the MCG. To gain entry into the match, scan your digital ticket at the turnstiles.
Parking in Yarra Park
No general public parking is available for this match. Parking is available for accessibility and accredited pass holders only.
Parking for disability permit holders can be pre-booked via Ticketek.
Precinct Road Closures
Brunton Avenue will be closed between 6am – 10:30pm.
Jolimont Street & Terrace will be closed between 5am – 8pm.
Wellington Parade will be closed between 5pm – 8pm.
Vale Street will be closed between 5am – 8pm.
What to Know At The MCG
You will be required to enter via the gate listed on your ticket.
The MCG is a cashless venue. All food, beverage, merchandise, and ticketing outlets will be cashless, so transactions must be made with a debit or credit card.
The MCG is a smoke, e-cigarette and vape-free venue. Patrons found smoking or vaping inside the Ground will face immediate eviction.
With the parade on friday will the richmond footy club be there ?
Hi Berry,
Yes, the Grand Final Parade features both teams competing in the AFL Grand Final! Have a great time!
Jess
Where is the toyota live site help for september 27-30 for all free entainment?
Hi Berry,
Its held at Yarra Park, right next to the MCG.
Enjoy the Grand Final!
We’re looking at booking some tickets for the 2017 Grand Final for ourselves and some of our guests, regardless of the teams playing, we’d just like to get in early to get them. When is it Grand Final tickets go on sale? Thanks in advance.
Hi Oliver,
Unfortunately it has become very difficult for the general public to get a hold of Grand Final tickets anymore. If you are a member of the competing AFL club, you can get tickets through your club, but only when the team makes it to the final.
In 2016 there were no tickets on sale for non-competing club members (or general admission). I expect much the same for 2017. This means that the general public can only obtain tickets to the Grand Final by purchasing one of the expensive Grand Final packages. These can be purchased from the AFL site here and will probably go on sale in around August 2017. Packages start from a whopping $1600 per person. Register for their newsletter for updates on ticket sale dates.
Kind Regards,
Jess
Thanks for the response Jess. Guess I’ll be keeping an eye out for the packages around August.
Hello, we have a punters club that has 19 members who are coming down to the 2017 AFL Grand Final. Can you please advise who I need to speak with to secure 19 tickets? We are also looking at accommodation for the Friday and Saturday night in Melbourne.
Paul.
Hi Paul,
Unfortunately it has become very difficult for the general public to get a hold of Grand Final tickets anymore. If you are a member of the competing AFL club, you can get tickets through your club, but only when the team makes it to the final.
In 2016 there were no tickets on sale for non-competing club members (or general admission). I expect much the same for 2017. This means that the general public can only obtain tickets to the Grand Final by purchasing one of the expensive Grand Final packages. These can be purchased from the AFL site and will probably go on sale in around August 2017. Packages start from a whopping $1600 per person.
There are still heaps of ways to enjoy the AFL Grand Final in Melbourne. In 2016, there was a parade on the Friday before, there were live sites in Yarra Park (MCG carpark) where you could watch the game live on a big screen, pubs and restaurants played the game live, and the MCG opened its gates after the game for a concert.
I would recommend booking your own accommodation if you intend to come down, as you will likely be able to have your members share some rooms which will massively cut down on costs. You don’t mention your budget or the location you wish to stay in, but I assume the CBD/Richmond area, so you can be close to all the AFL action and events. Here are a few suggestions.
1. Causeway 353 Hotel – Collins Street Melbourne – Triple & Double Rooms available. Approx $153pp/per night.
2. Treasury on Collins – Collins Street Melbourne – Apartment style Triple & Double Rooms available. Approx $114pp/per night.
3. Aura on Flinders Serviced Apartments – Flinders Street Melbourne – Twin Beds Available. Approx $106pp/per night.
4. Mantra on the Park – Exhibition Street Melbourne – Triple & Double Rooms available. Approx $154pp/per night.
5. Mantra on Little Bourke – Little Bourke Street Melbourne – Triple & Double Rooms Available. Approx $138pp/per night.
Due to the size of your group, I would recommend booking early, as we did see a huge number of bookings flow through leading up to the final.
You may wish to take advantage of Booking.com’s “Free Cancellation” option on some of these rooms. So you can book now and change the details later if you need to. Just be careful to check the individual booking details to make sure the room you choose has this option.
I hope this is of assistance to you. Get in touch with any futher queries.
Best regards,
Jess
Hi, which train stop do you get off? Then where do you go? We will be travelling on the Frankston line.
Thanks
Hi Chantelle,
To get to the MCG, you will need to catch a train from Frankston and get off at Richmond Station. From here, just follow the crowds. There will be thousands of people flocking towards the MCG. You will simply walk across Brunton Avenue into Yarra Parklands and the MCG will be right there. It is a short 5 minute walk from the station (although the crowds will probably slow you down a bit!)
Have a great time at the Grand Final!
Jess
Hi,
Any recommendations for parking on the day?
Hi Tina,
My advice would be to take advantage of the free public transport from the city to the MCG.
The “free tram zone” usually reserved for the city centre will be extended from Wednesday the 28th of September to Grand Final Day on Saturday the 1st of October to include travel from the CBD out to the MCG. Services from the city to stops 9, 10 and 11 on Wellington Parade near the MCG will be free, as will services to stops 7a and 7b at Rod Laver Arena and stop 7c at MCG/Hisense Arena. Also, daily fares from the suburbs into the city will be capped at $6. So its really cheap to get in and out of the city.
If you would prefer to drive, parking will be available at Yarra Park (the parklands surrounding the MCG) with gate 5 opening from 5am and gate 6 opening from 8am. Get in nice and early, as it will fill up by 9am I would think… Parking costs $10 per car (cash only).
Or, you can park at Federation Square and walk down, or try the parking spots around the Rod Laver Arena and Hisense Arena.
Hope this assists. Have a great Grand Final Day!!
Jess
What time is the Grand Final bounce down Western Australian time on live TV?
Hi Lesley,
WA is 2hrs behind VIC so the game should be televised from 12.30pm (WA time). First bounce will come after the entertainment which usually runs for about 30 minutes.
Just also note that Daylight Savings kicks in from Sunday the 2nd of October, so don’t forget to push your clocks forward 1hr!
Regards,
Jess
Hi,
I am a non competing club member and am looking at purchasing tickets. Can you please advise the price range for general seating tickets so I get a rough idea before they go on sale?
Hi Rachel,
As a non-competing club member, there is no scheduled on-sale for the public to purchase Grand Final tickets. The general public can only obtain tickets to the Grand Final by purchasing one of the expensive Grand Final packages. Here is a link to the packages which are sold only through the AFL. Packages start from a whopping $1600 per person.
For further info on the AFL ticket policy, see the page on “eligability” here.
Best regards,
Jess
We are looking a buying 3 x AFL 2016 tickets as we will be in Melbourne over this period of the Grand Final. We are not members of any AFL club just really wanting to go and experience this great event. Our 13 year old son really wants to and I don’t know how to get any tickets.
Hi Neil,
As you are not a member of any club, it is very expensive to secure tickets. There are no “general public” tickets available this year unless you purchase a “package“ and this is because all tickets have been allocated to clubs, sponsors, corporate and MCC members. If you are interested in a package, you can click the link here.
If this is outside of your budget, I suggest finding a spot at one of the many locations around Melbourne which hosts a live view of the game.
You can head to any pub with a large screen who will view the game live, such as the Woolshed Pub down at Docklands, any of the bars along Southbank or at the Toyota AFL Live Site at Yarra Park (right near the MCG).
There are heaps of things on in the city, so if you can’t get a ticket, there are still heaps of ways to get involved. Head to the parade on Friday if you are in town or go into the MCG after the game for the Premiership Party (from 6pm) where the winning team will appear and celebrate with a large crowd.
Best regards,
Jess
Just wanting 2 tickets for the Grand Final, how do I go about getting these?
Hi Jenny,
Refer to the AFL site here. If you are a member of a club that qualifies, you can register to purchase. If you are not eligible through your club, it seems there are no “general public” tickets available this year unless you purchase a “package“. This is because all tickets have been allocated to clubs, sponsors, corporate and MCC members.
Regards,
Jess
Can you please advise me of where I buy tickets to the 2016 grand final? When I clicked on the novel link to buy tickets it took to the accommodation (booking.com).
Hi Rich,
We are not selling tickets as yet, hence we have linked to accommodation for the time being. Check back with us in a month or so, we will update the link once tickets are released. I understand some grand final packages are available for sale through the official AFL website.
Regards,
Jess