Destinations & ItinerariesBy Clever Tourists · Published · Last updated
The 2027 Toyota AFL Grand Final is on Saturday 2 October 2027 at the MCG, at 2:30pm. Stay in East Melbourne to walk through Yarra Park, or in Richmond for pubs on the doorstep; the eastern end of the CBD is the best base if you want the most rooms and a tram. The AFL's own article carries a headline saying 3 October, but its text says Saturday 2 October, and 2 October is the Saturday, so we are using that date. The hotel search above opens on Friday 1 to Sunday 3 October. Before you book, know that almost no tickets reach the public, so most visitors need a package. We were in Melbourne from 21 to 25 January 2023, months away from any AFL finals, so the details below come from the AFL and the MCG.
The AFL's announcement of the 2027 season has a headline that says the Grand Final will be played on 3 October, while its body text says Saturday 2 October. In 2027, 2 October is the Saturday and 3 October is the Sunday, so the headline looks like the error. We are treating Saturday 2 October as the official date, but if you are booking non-refundable flights, recheck it on afl.com.au.
The 2:30pm start was reported as locked in for both 2026 and 2027. The move into October happens because the 150th Anniversary Test in March pushed the AFL season back. It is the first October decider since 2016 outside the COVID seasons; the 2026 Grand Final date was 26 September.
The Friday before the Grand Final is normally a public holiday in Victoria, but the 2027 date had not been announced when we checked, so we are not printing one. The Grand Final parade has traditionally been held in the CBD on the Friday. Check the 2027 arrangements.
Very few Grand Final tickets go on public sale. In 2026, according to the AFL, about 35,000 went to members of the two competing clubs and about 75,000 to AFL and MCC members combined. The AFL's ticket allocation page has the full table.
The 2026 price range was A$172 to A$536, per the AFL. No 2027 prices were published when we checked. Tickets should only be bought through Ticketek or AFL Event Office packages, and for a visitor who is not a club or MCC member, a package is the realistic route.
The teams are only known about a week before the match, so supporters of the two clubs book late and all at once. If you already hold a package or know you are going, get your room well before that.
The MCG publishes these walking figures: Jolimont station about 5 minutes, 350 metres to Gate 2, on the Hurstbridge and Mernda lines; Richmond station 850 metres, on the Lilydale, Belgrave, Alamein, Glen Waverley, Frankston and Sandringham lines; and Flinders Street about 20 minutes, 1.6 km via William Barak Bridge. Trams 75 and 48 stop at Stop 11, and tram 70 at Stops 7B and 7C.
A change that catches people out: since the Metro Tunnel opened, Cranbourne, Pakenham and Sunbury trains no longer stop at Richmond or use the City Loop. Older advice to change at Richmond may not work for those lines.
Yarra Park and the CBD fill from early morning on Grand Final day, so leave more time than you would for a normal game.
From Melbourne Airport, take SkyBus to Southern Cross, then a tram or train across the city. Our Melbourne Airport guide compares the options.
The ranking is our own judgement, based on time to the ground. Times marked roughly are our estimates, not timetable figures, so check them in the Transport Victoria journey planner.
1. East Melbourne. Roughly 5 to 15 minutes on foot through Yarra Park. It is the closest quiet base. The catch: limited food and few budget rooms.
2. Richmond. Roughly 10 to 15 minutes on foot, with Swan Street pubs and Vietnamese food on Victoria Street. The catch: check your train line after the Metro Tunnel change, and expect noise on the night.
3. CBD east end, around Collins Street and Flinders Lane. Roughly 20 minutes on foot or 10 minutes by tram. Restaurants, and trams at the door. The catch: this is where demand is highest on the big days.
4. Docklands and Southern Cross. Roughly 15 to 20 minutes by tram 70 or 48. Handy for SkyBus and the rail hub. The catch: it can feel empty at night, and Docklands Stadium hosts a Rugby World Cup match the next day.
5. Southbank. Roughly 25 minutes on foot along the Yarra, with river views and late food. The catch: usually priced at the upper end of the city.
This is an unusually crowded weekend for Australia, and it is the main reason to book early.
• School holidays: Victoria's Term 3 ends on Friday 17 September 2027 and Term 4 starts on Monday 4 October, according to the Victorian Government, so the Grand Final falls on the last weekend of the holidays.
• Rugby World Cup: the tournament opens in Perth on Friday 1 October, and Melbourne hosts Scotland v Uruguay at Docklands Stadium on 3 October, per World Rugby. Rugby fans and football fans will share the CBD's rooms. See our Rugby World Cup guide.
• NRL Grand Final: projected for Sunday 3 October, with the venue unconfirmed. Wherever it lands, it is one more reason domestic flights could be full.
We have no sourced hotel rates for this weekend, so this is general advice: book free cancellation as soon as you have tickets or a package in sight. Our best time to visit Australia guide covers the weather, and the MCG logistics above also apply to the 150th Anniversary Test.
Saturday 2 October 2027 at the MCG, at 2:30pm. The AFL's headline says 3 October, but its article text says Saturday 2 October, and that date is the Saturday.
Rarely at general sale. In 2026 about 35,000 tickets went to competing club members and about 75,000 to AFL and MCC members, so a package through Ticketek or the AFL Event Office is the realistic route.
The 2026 price range was A$172 to A$536, per the AFL. 2027 prices had not been published when we checked.
East Melbourne, roughly 5 to 15 minutes on foot through Yarra Park. Richmond is roughly 10 to 15 minutes on foot and has more pubs and food.
Get our new Melbourne guides and practical tips by email: where to stay, what to eat, what things cost and the rules that catch travelers out.
Free. No spam, only new guides and tips.
Get the best deals on your Melbourne flight before fares rise — Kiwi.com.
