AFL to introduce wildcard weekend for 2026 season with top 10 to play finalsAaron KirbyThe NightlySun, 9 November 2025 2:33PMCommentsCommentsEmail Aaron Kirby
The AFL will introduce a wildcard weekend in the first week of finals for the 2026 season.
In the latest change-up to the game for 2026, the top 10 teams at the end of the home-and-away season will now feature in September action.
During the weekend that has hosted the pre-finals bye, seventh will host 10th and eighth will host ninth, with a place in an elimination final up for grabs.
The move has been endorsed by club bosses and is a coup for the broadcasters, with two extra finals expected to attract sell-out crowds and added attention.
Had the initiative been activated this year, it would have seen the Suns face Sydney for the right to take on Fremantle the next week, as well as Hawthorn play the Western Bulldogs, who missed the top eight by one game despite claiming 14 wins.
Teams that finish in the top six will still get the bye week to rest ahead of the elimination and qualifying finals.
The finals format change will also mean every top-eight club hosts a home final, with teams finishing below the top six now needing to win five games to claim the premiership.
There are concerns about the legitimacy of teams that finish ninth and tenth as genuine finals teams.
While the Dogs were only four points away in 2025, the Swans were three games off the pace.
AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon said the two extra finals were a win for the fans.
“We’re thrilled to deliver fans an extra weekend of finals footy, while giving more clubs and players the opportunity to play finals footy and win a Premiership,” he said.
“The Wildcard Finals Round reflects our ongoing commitment to evolve our competition structure, building on recent additions like Gather Round and AFL Origin, ensuring our game continues to grow.
“This also means that all teams who finish in the top eight of ten will host a home final, giving fans a chance to see their club play at home in September.”
Wildcard weekend adds to what is set to be a new-look AFL season in 2026, with a raft of rule changes, including the last touch rule, to change the way teams play.
Next year also sees the return of the history-laden State of Origin format with Western Australia to take on Victoria at Optus Stadium in February.
Some of the game’s biggest stars have already put their hands up to pull on the black swan and big V.
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