Get ready, footy fans! The AFL is shaking things up, and it's going to change the game as we know it. Starting in the 2026 season, we're getting a brand-new 10-team finals series featuring a thrilling wildcard round! This means more action, more excitement, and more chances for your team to make a run for the premiership.
So, what's the big change? Well, the top 10 teams will now battle it out for the ultimate glory. This means the 9th and 10th placed teams will get a shot at post-season play.
Here’s how it will work: Before the usual finals schedule kicks off, we'll have two extra elimination finals during the pre-finals bye week. These will pit 7th vs. 10th and 8th vs. 9th to determine who makes it into the traditional top eight.
But here's where it gets controversial... This new format means that a team finishing 7th will have to win a grueling five finals matches to claim the premiership. In contrast, a team finishing 4th will only need a minimum of three wins. Does this make the premiership harder to win for some teams?
AFL CEO Andrew Dillon is excited, stating that this change will give more clubs and players the opportunity to compete for the ultimate prize. The league is committed to evolving the competition, building on recent additions like Gather Round and AFL Origin.
And this is the part most people miss... The introduction of the wildcard round comes after a season where the ladder was top-heavy, with only a few teams truly in contention late in the year. The average 10th-placed team has historically won just under half its games.
The VFL has already implemented a wildcard round since 2023, with the highest-ranked winner becoming 7th and the lowest-ranked winner taking 8th place. Interestingly, the team that finishes 10th has won its wildcard final before being well beaten the next week.
The top eight was introduced in 1994, and the finals format has been relatively consistent since then. This new format will give teams finishing 7th and 8th an extra home final, but it will make it much harder for them to win the flag, requiring them to win five straight games.
The 2026 fixture is expected to be announced soon.
What do you think of this major shake-up? Will it make the competition more exciting, or will it dilute the value of finishing high on the ladder? Share your thoughts in the comments below! Is this a good move for the AFL?
