Ratings | AFL Origin scores big with Seven viewers – 1.98 million tune in for the first AFL Origin in more than 25 years.
The Seven Network’s 2026 AFL season coverage has kicked off with the highly anticipated return of AFL Origin, which reached 1.98 million Australians on Seven and 7plus Sport last night.
The sold-out match at Perth’s Optus Stadium, which saw Victoria claim victory over Western Australia, had an average total TV audience of 843,000, which was up 34% on last year’s full season average. More than 182,000 people streamed the match on 7plus Sport, which was up 227% on the 2025 season average and 41% on the Finals.
The clash marked the return of AFL Origin for the first time in more than 25 years, with the last match played in 1999 between Victoria and South Australia in Melbourne.
Seven’s line-up featured iconic voices Brian Taylor and James Brayshaw calling the play-by-play commentary, Seven’s expert commentators Kane Cornes and Luke Hodge, alongside Abbey Holmes, and West Australian favourite and former AFL superstar Nic Naitanui on the boundary.
Seven’s Head of AFL and Innovation, Gary O’Keeffe, said:
“Last night’s return of AFL Origin was a resounding success, with fans on both sides embracing the rivalry and the passion that only State against State can deliver.
“This morning’s exclusive announcement on Sunrise confirming Origin will return next year is incredibly exciting. We look forward to working closely with the AFL again to build on this momentum and make it even bigger and better in 2027.
“Our attention now turns to delivering an exceptional broadcast experience for the 2026 AFL Premiership Season, starting with opening night at the SCG between the Sydney Swans and Carlton on Thursday, March 5, live and free on Seven and 7plus Sport.”
Seven’s National Sport Sales Director, Rob Maclean, said:
“Seven’s major events and sport this past year have delivered consistent total TV growth, fuelled by a surge in streaming audiences. The strength of the AFL Origin audience across Seven and 7plus is further evidence of the value of live sport in today’s landscape.
“7plus is playing an increasingly important role for brands wanting to connect with footy-loving audiences. AFL Origin’s streaming audience, well above the 2025 season average, highlights the scale of that opportunity.”
Seven’s coverage of the 2025 AFL Grand Final reached 6.2 million Australians, with an average total TV audience of 4.18 million. It scored a record audience on 7plus Sport, with 985,000 streaming the match alone, up 51% year-on-year.
The Grand Final capped off a stellar 2025 AFL season for Seven, which reached 17.4 million Australians, including 4.4 million on 7plus Sport. The 2025 full season average audience was 630,000, while an average of 1.05 million tuned in for the Finals series – up 5% on 2024.
The 2026 Toyota AFL Premiership Season kicks off on Thursday, 5 March, live and free on Seven and 7plus Sport, with the Sydney Swans taking on Carlton at the SCG.
Media Release – Seven
Link to 7plus HERE
TV Central AFL content HERE
Ratings | AFL Origin scores big with Seven viewers
