Shifting Sands of AFL Broadcasts: Quality Over Club Loyalty Takes Centre Stage
The AFL landscape is undergoing a significant transformation, with broadcasters signalling a clear shift away from prioritising traditional powerhouse clubs in prime-time viewing slots. The era where the biggest clubs automatically secured the most coveted game times is potentially drawing to a close. Insiders suggest that as the 2026 season unfolds, the focus will increasingly be on showcasing the most compelling contests, regardless of the participating clubs’ historical fan bases or membership numbers.
This evolving viewer preference is directly influencing scheduling decisions, particularly for the crucial Thursday-night timeslot. While the 2025 season saw some initial success, the overall performance of Thursday night games on Channel Seven, the host broadcaster, proved to be a mixed bag. The average national ratings per game dipped to 576,000, a decrease from the previous year’s 630,000, even though more games were allocated to this marquee slot. This decline, especially in the latter stages of the season, has been attributed to a waning interest in games featuring clubs that were already out of finals contention.
Channel Seven’s Director of Sport, Chris Jones, highlighted this trend, drawing parallels with the Big Bash League in cricket. He explained that once upon a time, scheduling was heavily dictated by large market teams like the Melbourne Stars and Sydney Sixers. However, he observed that if teams like Essendon or Carlton weren’t performing well late in the AFL season, viewership numbers would suffer. “People just want to watch great sporting contests at the moment,” Jones stated.
A compelling piece of evidence for this shift comes from Seven’s own ratings. The highest-rated regular-season game in 2025, outside of finals and public holidays, featured the Gold Coast Suns – a club with one of the smallest membership bases in the league – against Collingwood. This result, Jones noted, would have been unimaginable just a few years prior, underscoring a growing viewer appetite for quality matchups over sheer team popularity.
Consequently, the AFL’s “floating fixture” will be strategically employed later in the 2026 season. Broadcasters are keen to bolster the Thursday-night ratings by ensuring that teams genuinely in contention for the finals are prominently featured. “We are certainly prioritising at the back end of the year those teams that are there in the mix for the [top] 10,” Jones confirmed. “We will be trying to drive as many of those teams into Thursday and Friday night as possible.” The rescheduling of an Essendon versus Gold Coast game due to cyclone impacts, which saw the Bombers out of finals contention, was cited as an example that did not help boost late-season Thursday night viewership.
The AFL’s decision to introduce a wildcard round, effectively expanding the finals race to a top-10 system, is also expected to generate greater interest and keep more teams in contention for longer. This aligns with the broadcasters’ objective of maximising engagement throughout the season. Furthermore, Sunday-night games are now considered on par with Thursday and Friday nights as “marquee slots” in the broadcast schedule.
A Packed Footy Media Landscape
Beyond the game scheduling, the AFL media landscape is also set for a busy year, with an expanded offering of football shows across various platforms. Channel Seven will be introducing a third episode of its flagship news program, The Agenda Setters, on Wednesday nights, with Collingwood premiership captain Darcy Moore joining as a regular panellist.
Following a period of significant media upheaval in the first year of the league’s substantial $4.5 billion, seven-year broadcast deal, 2026 is predicted to be a year of consolidation for Seven and Fox Footy. However, there are still new additions to the broadcast teams. Former Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley is set to become a prominent game-day voice on Fox Footy, joining established figures like Jason Dunstall, Garry Lyon, and Jack Riewoldt. Seven has also bolstered its roster with former Hawthorn champion Shane Crawford and Triple M caller Jack Heverin. Collingwood’s Scott Pendlebury will also make appearances on Seven for selected rounds.
Tom Morris, a former prominent news reporter from Nine, has joined Seven and is expected to contribute to game-day coverage and Agenda Setters. However, a contract clause means he cannot appear on Seven News until July 1. Meanwhile, premiership great Dermott Brereton has departed Fox Footy after a reduction in his role, leaving a void for long-time viewers.
Here’s a breakdown of the key AFL media offerings:
Sunday Programs
- Sunday Footy Show (Nine, 9Now): Kicking off at 10 am, this long-running show is known for its analysis and light-hearted moments. Anchored by Tony Jones, the panel includes Matthew Lloyd, Nathan Brown, and veteran journalist Damian Barrett. Former Adelaide Crows captain Rory Sloane has also found his rhythm on the panel.
- Sunday Footy Feast (Seven, 7Plus): Running from noon to 2:30 pm, this pre-game show was a welcome addition last season. Hosted by Jason Richardson with regular panellists Campbell Brown and Kate McCarthy, it offers a platform for Seven’s football personalities to dissect the upcoming games. There’s potential for this show to evolve into a more polished, ESPN-style production.
- Sunday Ticket (Fox Footy, Kayo): This show, airing from 12:30 pm to 1:20 pm, sets the stage for the afternoon matches, featuring insights and news from Jack Riewoldt, Kath Loughnan, David King, and various commentators.
- 7Mate, 7Plus: The Wash Up (6 pm): A one-hour review show providing post-game analysis and a chance for fans to engage with the results.
- 7Plus: Kane’s Call (7 pm): While not yet confirmed, it’s expected that Kane Cornes will have a platform to share his opinions on the weekend’s major talking points, following his impactful contribution to Seven’s coverage last season.
- Fox Footy: Bounce (8:30 pm): Hosted by Jason Dunstall, this program offers a lighter, comedic look back at the week’s events in the AFL.
- Fox Footy: First Crack (9:30 pm): Considered one of Fox Footy’s most underrated shows, this program delivers sharp analysis and strong opinions, often featuring David King and Leigh Montagna.
Monday Programs
- Fox Footy: AFL Tonight (6 pm): A comprehensive wrap-up of the day’s news and events, hosted by Drew Jones and AFLW star Ruby Schleicher.
- Fox Footy: AFL360 (6:30 pm): Garry Lyon co-hosts this award-winning show with Gerard Whateley, offering in-depth discussion and analysis.
- 7Mate, Seven, 7Plus: The Agenda Setters (7 pm): This highly-rated news and analysis show made a significant impact in its debut year. The Monday night version was hosted by Craig Hutchison, with contributions from Kane Cornes and Nick Riewoldt, and news updates from Caroline Wilson. Tom Morris is expected to join the show.
- Fox Footy: On the Couch (7:30 pm): Jack Riewoldt steps into the host role for this detailed analytical program, featuring a panel including Jonathan Brown, Nathan Buckley, and Jordan Lewis.
- 9Now, Nine: Footy Classified (7:30 pm): Hosted by Sam McClure, this respected show is a go-to for news and strong analysis, produced by McGuire’s JAM TV.
Tuesday Programs
- Fox Footy: AFL Tonight (6 pm)
- Fox Footy: AFL360 (6:30 pm)
- Seven, 7Plus: The Agenda Setters (7 pm)
- Nine, 9Now: Footy Classified (7:30 pm)
Wednesday Programs
- Fox Footy: AFL Tonight (6 pm)
- Fox Footy: AFL360 (6:30 pm)
- 7Plus: Unfiltered with Hamish McLachlan (7:30 pm): McLachlan delivers insightful long-form interviews, often with a news element.
- Seven, 7Plus: Agenda Setters (7:30 pm): The new Wednesday night edition will see Craig Hutchison host alongside Nick Riewoldt and Mitch Cleary, with Collingwood captain Darcy Moore as a regular panellist.
- Seven, 7Plus: The Front Bar (8:30 pm): This program offers a nostalgic and light-hearted look at the game, featuring past greats and comedians Sam Pang and Mick Molloy, expertly managed by host Andy Maher.
Thursday Programs
- Fox Footy: AFL Tonight (6 pm)
- Fox Footy, Kayo: Live game coverage (from 6:30 pm): Panel includes Sarah Jones, David King, Jason Dunstall, and Leigh Montagna.
- Seven: Live game coverage (7 pm): Hosted by Rebecca Maddern and Hamish McLachlan, with commentary from Brian Taylor and Hamish McLachlan, and expert analysis from Kane Cornes, Nick Riewoldt, and Luke Hodge. Mitch Cleary and Xander McGuire will provide news updates.
- Seven: Extra time, post-game: Analysis and reports from the dressing room and press conferences.
Friday Programs
- Fox Footy: AFL Tonight (6 pm)
- Fox Footy: Live game coverage (from 6:30 pm): Panel includes Garry Lyon, Nathan Brown, Nathan Buckley, and Jordan Lewis. Commentary from Anthony Hudson, Gerard Whateley, Jason Dunstall, and Garry Lyon.
- Seven: Live game coverage (7 pm): Hosted by Abbey Holmes and James Brayshaw, with commentary from James Brayshaw and Alister Nicholson, and expert analysis from Matthew Richardson, Dale Thomas, and Scott Pendlebury. Xander McGuire will provide news updates.
- Seven: Extra time, post-game: Further news and analysis, looking ahead to the weekend.
Saturday Programs
All Saturday games during the home-and-away season will be broadcast exclusively on Fox Footy in Victoria, Tasmania, and the Northern Territory, with exceptions for Anzac Day games and Dreamtime at the ‘G (which is moved to Friday night). These exceptions will also be shown on Seven and 7plus.
From Opening Round until round eight, Fox Footy holds exclusive rights to “Super Saturday” nationally, meaning live games are only available on Foxtel or Kayo. During this period, Saturday games involving non-Victorian teams will be broadcast on delay on Seven and 7plus into their home markets.
From round nine onwards, games involving South Australian and Western Australian teams will be broadcast live and free on Seven and 7plus into their respective home markets. Similarly, games in New South Wales and Queensland will be broadcast live and free on Seven and 7plus from round 11.
All finals matches during the first three weeks will be available on both Seven/7plus and Foxtel/Kayo. However, the Grand Final will be an exclusive broadcast on Seven and 7plus.
- Fox Footy: Saturday Countdown (Noon-1:20 pm)
- Fox Footy: Game one (1:20 pm)
- Fox Footy: Twilight Countdown (4 pm)
- Fox Footy: Game two (4:15 pm)
- Fox Footy: Saturday Night Countdown (6:50 pm)
- Fox Footy: Games three and four (7:35 pm)
- Fox Footy: Saturday Debrief (10 pm)
