AFL Finals Series sees record viewership and attendance

The 2026 Toyota AFL Finals Series has achieved record-breaking viewership and attendance figures. Semi-final broadcasts reached 7.9 million Australians, with Friday night’s Fremantle versus Geelong match attracting an average audience of over 1.8 million.

Attendance has been high across the series, with 95,751 fans attending the semi-finals. This brings the total series attendance to 513,277, including six sell-out crowds. Fremantle recorded its highest-ever home crowd at Optus Stadium, while Brisbane’s match against Adelaide saw a sell-out crowd of 36,026 at the Gabba.

In the race for the Gary Ayres Medal, Fremantle’s Luke Jackson has taken the lead after earning 10 votes in the semi-final win over Geelong. Zac Bailey also secured 10 votes following Brisbane’s victory against Adelaide. The AFLCA has noted that voting will not include wildcard finals this year, and the board will review the process for the 2027 season.