The AFL has today confirmed the fixture for the 2026 Smithy’s VFL Qualifying and Elimination Finals.
Saturday, August 29
First Qualifying Final: Geelong Cats (1st) vs Tasmania (4th)
GMHBA Stadium, 12:05pm AEST
Broadcaster: AFL.com.au
First Elimination Final: Essendon (5th) vs Williamstown (8th)
Windy Hill, 12:05pm AEST
Broadcaster: ABC
Second Elimination Final: Port Melbourne (6th) vs Sydney Swans (7th)
ETU Stadium, 12:35pm AEST
Broadcaster: AFL.com.au
Second Qualifying Final: Werribee (2nd) vs Box Hill Hawks (3rd)
Melbourne Avalon Airport Oval, 2:05pm AEST
Broadcaster: AFL.com.au
Broadcast timeslots, club preferences and travel considerations were determining factors when scheduling match times for all Smithy’s VFL qualifying and elimination finals.
All four matches will be played on Saturday, August 29 which ensures clubs playing in next week’s semi finals have the same number of days break.
Geelong hosts Tasmania in the first qualifying final at GMHBA Stadium, where the Cats are chasing their first VFL finals win since the 2013 preliminary final against a Devils’ outfit which finished fourth in its debut campaign.
Werribee hosts the Box Hill Hawks at Melbourne Avalon Airport Oval in the second qualifying final. The 2024 premier is back on the finals stage after missing the top ten in its premiership defence last year, while the Hawks are playing their third qualifying final in four seasons.
The two qualifying final winners will advance directly to the preliminary finals in a fortnight, while the two losers will host next week’s semi finals.
Essendon and Williamstown meet at Windy Hill in the first elimination final, while Port Melbourne and the Sydney Swans clash in the second elimination final at ETU Stadium.
Both the Bombers and Borough are returning to the finals for the first time since 2019 and will host last week’s wildcard finals winners, with the Seagulls and Swans both comprehensive victors in the opening week of the 2026 Smithy’s VFL Finals Series.
The Essendon vs Williamstown match will be broadcast live and free by ABC TV VIC, the network’s main channel in Victoria, and ABC iview nationally. All other matches will be broadcast live and free on AFL.com.au and the AFL Live Official App.
TICKETING
Admission prices for the 2026 Smithy’s VFL Finals Series are as follows:
For matches played in Victoria during wildcard finals through to the preliminary finals, admission prices will be adults $15, concession/pensioners $10 and children under 15 free.
For finals played in Tasmania during wildcard finals through to the preliminary finals, admission prices will be adults $25, concession/pensioners and juniors $12.50 and children under 3 free.
Entry will be free for finals played in New South Wales.
For the 2026 Smithy’s VFL Grand Final, admission prices will be adults $20, concession/pensioners $15 and children under 15 free.
Tickets can be purchased from midday Tuesday each week of the 2026 Smithy’s VFL Finals Series via www.intix.com.au/org/vfl.
BROADCAST
The AFL is pleased to confirm that one match each week of the 2026 Smithy’s VFL Finals Series will be broadcast live and free by ABC TV VIC, the network’s main channel in Victoria, and ABC iview nationally.
The Seven Network will broadcast Tasmania Football Club’s home finals via Seven Tasmania and 7plus Sport nationally.
All matches, including the 2026 Smithy’s VFL Grand Final, will be streamed live and free on AFL.com.au and the AFL Live Official App.
FINALS SERIES STRUCTURE
Wildcard Finals
Saturday, August 22
First Wildcard Final: Sydney Swans 22.14 (146) def Frankston 11.12 (78)
Second Wildcard Final: Williamstown 19.7 (121) def Carlton 12.11 (83)
Qualifying and Elimination Finals
Saturday, August 29
First Qualifying Final: Geelong Cats (1st) vs Tasmania (4th)
Second Qualifying Final: Werribee (2nd) vs Box Hill Hawks (3rd)
First Elimination Final: Essendon (5th) vs Williamstown (8th)
Second Elimination Final: Port Melbourne (6th) vs Sydney Swans (7th)
Semi Finals
Weekend of September 5-6
First Semi Final: Loser of First Qualifying Final vs Winner of First Elimination Final
Second Semi Final: Loser of Second Qualifying Final vs Winner of Second Elimination Final
Preliminary Finals
Weekend of September 12-13
First Preliminary Final: Winner of First Qualifying Final vs Winner of Second Semi Final
Second Preliminary Final: Winner of Second Qualifying Final vs Winner of First Semi Final
Grand Final
Sunday, September 20
Grand Final: Winner of First Preliminary Final vs Winner of Second Preliminary Final
Please click here to view the 2026 Smithy’s VFL Finals Series graphic.
FINALS VENUES
For all matches from the wildcard finals through to the semi finals, the higher-placed team on the Smithy’s VFL ladder at the conclusion of the home and away season will have the option to host, subject to meeting venue infrastructure requirements.
The preliminary finals will be hosted by the two qualifying final winners, subject to the club’s home venue meeting venue infrastructure requirements.
The 2026 Smithy’s VFL Grand Final will be played at IKON Park on Sunday, September 20 unless two non-Victorian teams are competing.
In the event of two non-Victorian teams reaching the 2026 Smithy’s VFL Grand Final, the match will be played in the state of the higher-placed team.
