Overview
- Seventh will host 10th and eighth will host ninth on the weekend currently used for the pre‑finals bye, starting in 2026.
- Winners progress into the existing final‑eight format, with the top six retaining the week off before elimination and qualifying finals.
- All teams that finish in the top eight of ten will host a home final, and sides placed seventh to 10th face an extra hurdle to win the premiership.
- AFL CEO Andrew Dillon framed the move as delivering an extra weekend of September football for supporters and players.
- Backers tout sell‑out crowds and added TV inventory, though some question whether ninth‑ and 10th‑placed teams should be considered genuine finalists, with 2025 hypotheticals including Gold Coast vs Sydney and Hawthorn vs Western Bulldogs.