Fans queue before the Elimination Final between Geelong and Carlton at the MCG, September 4, 2026. Picture: Getty Images

ALMOST a quarter of a million people attended finals in four states across the weekend as the AFL celebrates a 2026 viewership record from Friday night.

The 96,680 crowd that watched Geelong beat Carlton at the MCG was the second highest attended elimination final in VFL/AFL history, beaten only by the 97,828 who watched Hawthorn beat the Western Bulldogs in 2024.

On broadcast, the Cats-Blues game was also the most viewed premiership fixture of any code in 2026 so far.

A total of 244,757 fans attended the four qualifying and elimination finals across Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the fifth-highest such weekend in VFL/AFL history and the highest featuring four states and four different venues.

The attendance during the Qualifying Final between Fremantle and Hawthorn at Optus Stadium, September 3, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

The four bigger weekends on record all featured at least two games at the MCG, with huge crowd numbers in Perth, Sydney and Adelaide - albeit at smaller venues - adding to the record weekend.

In addition to the monster crowd at the MCG on Friday night, the sell-out of 59,446 at Optus Stadium on Thursday night was Fremantle's biggest ever for a final.

Despite Sydney's recent off-field scandal, a crowd of 37,261 watched the Swans thrash Brisbane at the SCG while 51,370 saw Adelaide beat the Western Bulldogs on Saturday night, the fifth-highest attended final at the venue.

Swans fans after the Qualifying Final between Sydney and Brisbane at the SCG, September 5, 2026. Picture: Getty Images

The 2026 record broadcast reach of the Cats v Blues game on Seven and Foxtel topped 4.2 million, beating the previous mark of 3.87 million set 24 hours earlier.

It comes after the inaugural wildcard finals last weekend drew a total of 172,769 fans in attendance and 7.4m viewers across two games, and follows an all-time crowd record set in the home-and-away season.

Four of the six finals games so far this season have been sold out, with an average attendance of just under 70,000.

"The elimination and qualifying finals delivered another epic weekend of football with blockbuster crowds across the country turning out in full force to cheer on their sides and watch some unbelievable football," AFL CEO Andrew Dillon said.

"With millions tuning in nationally, it's been a bumper two weeks of finals and we can't wait to see another massive weekend of matches in Perth and Brisbane."

Tickets for the semi-finals at Optus Stadium and the Gabba this weekend will go on sale on Monday.