The Australian Football League (AFL) is the top Australian rules football league in the world, and one of the country’s most popular sports in terms of spectator attendances. Each AFL season is comprised of a regular season – the home and away portion of the competition – and the finals. At the end of the finals is the all-important Grand Final, an iconic annual fixture held at Melbourne Cricket Ground which determines the season’s winners in front of over 100,000 fans.
AFL Finals Format & Schedule
The AFL finals, also known as the AFL finals series, is contested by the teams which finish first to eighth in the AFL regular season table – also called the ladder. The finals fixtures are split into 4 groups: qualifying and elimination finals, semifinals, preliminary finals, and the grand final.
The first round of fixtures, the qualifying and elimination finals, involve all 8 teams. In the first qualifying final, the team which finished first in the league plays against the team which finished fourth, and in the second qualifying final, the teams which finished second and third play against each other. Home advantage is granted to the teams which finished first and second. The 2 elimination finals are contested by the teams which finish fifth and eighth (first elimination final) and sixth and seventh (second elimination final), respectively. Home advantage goes to the teams which finished fifth and sixth.
In the semifinals, only 4 teams are involved. The first semifinal sees the losers of the first qualifying final play against the winners of the first elimination final. For example, this could involve the teams which finished fourth and eighth in the regular season table. The second semifinal is contested by the losers of the second qualifying final and the winners of the second elimination final.
The third stage of the finals is the preliminary finals. In the first preliminary final, the winners of the first qualifying final play against the winners of the second semifinal. In the second preliminary final, the winners of the second qualifying final and second semifinal play against each other. The Grand Final is then contested by the winners of these 2 semifinals.
Each stage of the finals takes place in a different week. For example, the qualifying and elimination finals are contested during “Week 1” of the finals, and the Grand Final is contested during “Week 4”. The Grand Final is typically held on the last Saturday in September. In 2023 it will be held on Saturday 30 September. You can find the current AFL season schedule here.
Who is Competing in the AFL Finals?
The 8 teams which qualified for the 2023 AFL finals are:
- Collingwood (first)
- Brisbane Lions (second)
- Port Adelaide (third)
- Melbourne (fourth)
- Carlton (fifth)
- St. Kilda (sixth)
- GWS Giants (seventh)
- Sydney Swans (eighth)
Both Collingwood and the Brisbane Lions won their qualifying finals in Week 1 (against Melbourne and Port Adelaide respectively). In the elimination finals, Carlton beat the Sydney Swans, and the GWS Giants defeated St. Kilda. In Week 2 of the finals (the semifinals), Melbourne will play against Carlton, and Port Adelaide will host the GWS Giants. At the preliminary finals stage, Collingwood and the Brisbane Lions await at the victors of both semifinals.
2023 AFL Finals Ticket Prices
AFL finals fixtures are often staged at large stadiums in major Australian cities, due to the importance of the fixtures, the demand for tickets, and the fact that often many of the teams which reach this stage play their home games at major venues. Finals matches often command higher ticket prices than regular season fixtures. Despite the large stadiums and higher ticket prices, however, official allocations of match tickets for finals games can still sell out. Tickets for the Grand Final invariably sell out, regardless of who is playing.
During the first week of the 2023 AFL finals, the cheapest adult match ticket was AUD $35, including fees, however the average price of an adult ticket was closer to AUD $65. Premium and hospitality tickets for finals fixtures can cost upwards of AUD $100.
How to Get Cheap Tickets
The most affordable seats in the stadium are generally those located behind the posts, either at the very front of the stands, close to the pitch, or in the uppermost rows, furthest from the action. Tickets for family-friendly Alcohol-Free Zones may also be cheaper than tickets for elsewhere in the stadium. Moreover, some venues may have general admission or standing areas; although tickets for these sections do not entitle the holder to a reserved seat, they are often among the most affordable on offer at a game. Koobit compares the prices offered by official ticket sellers and secondary suppliers, to help you find the best ticket for you at the most affordable price available.
Where to Buy Tickets
Whilst it is in theory possible to buy AFL finals tickets at stadium ticket offices, in-person, fans should seek to buy them online, as demand for these tickets is high every year, and allocations for some fixtures are exhausted days in advance. Purchasing tickets online allows fans to access sales as soon as they open, easily compare prices from across different parts of the stadium, and even compare prices from different ticketing suppliers. Tickets bought online can be downloaded and then presented digitally at the stadium turnstiles.
How to Get to a Game
The vast majority of AFL finals matches are staged in major cities, at large, well-connected stadiums. In 2023, for example, the Week 1 fixtures (qualifying and elimination finals) were held at Melbourne Cricket Ground and The Gabba, in Brisbane. As such, those travelling to finals games can typically make use of a wide range of car parking options and public transport connections. Special match day transport options for stadium ticket holders may even operate, complementing a city’s standard travel options, such is the size of these events. Koobit provides travel and parking information for AFL venues: visit a stadium page for more information or click through to an event and view the Travel & Parking section, for event-specific information.
To stay up to date with the latest schedule and ticketing information for this season and beyond, visit the Australian Football League (AFL) page.