Channel 7 says AFL season reached 15.5 million viewers in 2026 – Channel 7 says the 2026 AFL Premiership Season reached 15.5 million Australians across Seven and 7plus Sport, as the network prepares for a major finals run.
The result gives Seven a strong ratings story heading into the Four’N Twenty Legends Game for Prostate Cancer, the inaugural AFL Wildcard Round and the 2026 AFL Finals Series. It also underlines why live sport remains central to free-to-air television and broadcaster streaming growth.
According to Seven, the regular season audience was up from 14.6 million in 2025. The network says 7plus Sport reach increased from 2.5 million to 4.7 million.
AFL audience grows on Seven
Seven says AFL retained its position as Australia’s most watched winter sport, reaching 11% more people than Nine Network’s NRL coverage so far in 2026.
Seven’s live and free AFL coverage delivered an average national total TV audience of 585,000, up 7% on the 2025 regular premiership season. Viewing on 7plus Sport grew 127% to an average of 84,000.
The network says 14% of its AFL audience watched on 7plus Sport this season, compared with 7% in 2025.
Perth leads market growth
Perth was Seven’s fastest-growing AFL market in 2026, with audience up 40%. Seven attributed the growth to strong seasons from the West Coast Eagles and Fremantle Dockers.
Seven also reported AFL audience growth of 11% in both Brisbane and Sydney.
Key prime-time AFL sessions also rose year-on-year. Thursday Night Football was up 19%, Friday Night Football was up 5% and Sunday Night Football was up 1%.
Biggest matches
The Fremantle Dockers v Sydney Swans match on 9 July drew 930,000 viewers. Seven says it was the biggest audience for a regular season prime-time game since the 2022 season opener and the biggest Thursday night game in more than five years.
Other major results included the King’s Birthday match between Collingwood and Melbourne on 8 June, which drew 923,000 viewers. Fremantle Dockers v Adelaide Crows on 14 August reached 823,000 viewers, while Sydney Swans v Carlton on 5 March drew 774,000 viewers.
Finals coverage
A big AFL week begins on Thursday with the Four’N Twenty Legends Game for Prostate Cancer, exclusive to Seven. The inaugural AFL Wildcard Round begins on Friday night.
Seven says it will broadcast every game of the finals, including the AFL Grand Final, live and free on Seven and 7plus Sport.
Seven’s Head of AFL and Innovation, Gary O’Keeffe, said the Wildcard Round had kept more teams in contention and fans engaged for longer. Seven’s Director of Sales, Television and Streaming, Katie Finney, said the AFL continued to deliver scale for sponsors and advertisers across broadcast and streaming.
For more Channel 7 news and sport coverage, visit TV Central’s Channel 7 section.