2026 Attendances

[PonsfordMagpie]

Starting a new thread to discuss 2026 attendances.

State of Origin will kick things off tomorrow.

 

[RodneyMaynard]

58,141 announced on the broadcast. Strong turnout

 

[kranger]

 

[Cmarsh]

58,141 announced on the broadcast. Strong turnout

The concept has had life breathed back into it.

The challenge now for the AFL is to come up with a sustainable model that maintains fan and player interest and doesn't squeeze the lemon too hard.

 

[Fambam84]

Excellent crowd, proves there's appetite for SoO which is great to see. I have no doubt Adelaide Oval would sell out in minutes if SA were to host the Vics there next year.

 

[Cmarsh]

Excellent crowd, proves there's appetite for SoO which is great to see. I have no doubt Adelaide Oval would sell out in minutes if SA were to host the Vics there next year.

AO ground availability might clash with cricket if held in February though.

 

[Fambam84]

AO ground availability might clash with cricket if held in February though.

I'm sure they'll strike an agreement with the SACA to play the remaining domestic cricket fixtures at Karen Rolton Oval.

 

[Rob]

AO ground availability might clash with cricket if held in February though.

What cricket? Shield? Im sure that can be moved for the 50 people that go.

Might need the SA government to cough up though.

 

[kalex6251]

The concept has had life breathed back into it.

The challenge now for the AFL is to come up with a sustainable model that maintains fan and player interest and doesn't squeeze the lemon too hard.

expect this will get panned [and fair enough too - not a fan of origin so have at it] .... but in the interests of devising a workable model ...........

• year 1 ....... Vic v Allies (comprising players from all states bar Victoria)
• year 2 ....... West Aus v Allies (West Aus players excluded)
• year 3 ....... South Aus v Allies (South Aus players yadda yadda yadda)

repeat cycle

could even implement a division 2 (or whatever you want to call it) involving Qld, NSW, Tassie - games to run at same time

okay ...... rip it a new one

 

[Walshawk]

Opening Round:-
Swans v Blues - 66 tix left Predict 42k
Lions v Dogs - 1k left 36k
Suns v Cats - 1k left 23k
Giants v Hawks - heaps left, have not opened all sections 16k
Saints v Pies tracking for around 80k will be biggest Saints home crowd ever.

Gather Round all games on track to sell out except Dees v Bombers.

 

[Cmarsh]

Opening Round:-
Swans v Blues - 66 tix left Predict 42k
Lions v Dogs - 1k left 36k
Suns v Cats - 1k left 23k
Giants v Hawks - heaps left, have not opened all sections 16k
Saints v Pies tracking for around 80k will be biggest Saints home crowd ever.

Gather Round all games on track to sell out except Dees v Bombers.

It will probably still just be about full come game day, but the decision to go with one of the lower supported clubs in the Dogs rather than a big 4 club to go to the Gabba for opening round was an interesting if not puzzling choice by the AFL.

 

[PonsfordMagpie]

Almost a certainty this will be St Kilda's biggest home crowd in history.

 

[Underarm]

It will probably still just be about full come game day, but the decision to go with one of the lower supported clubs in the Dogs rather than a big 4 club to go to the Gabba for opening round was an interesting if not puzzling choice by the AFL.

1. They want to share around the away sides. No clubs want to be playing away travelling games every single year.

2. Opening game + flag unfurling should be enough to sell the game out. Leave the big drawing opposition for later in the year.

The Giants/Hawks game was a bit ambitious though, but still will be higher than it usually would have got.

 

[Angus Young]

Almost a certainty this will be St Kilda's biggest home crowd in history.

Massive.

 

[dave10]

Early days I know but Essendon Vs Hawthirn is selling very well. I think it’s going significantly better than last year three weeks out. Basically sold out of ground level of Ponsford now, I assume they will open Q level in Ponsford pretty soon.

MCC members have only just started selling so it’s early days.

Last year drew 80,735 for comparison. This could realistically draw 85,000.

 

[Raz Man]

Early days I know but Essendon Vs Hawthirn is selling very well. I think it’s going significantly better than last year three weeks out. Basically sold out of ground level of Ponsford now, I assume they will open Q level in Ponsford pretty soon.

MCC members have only just started selling so it’s early days.

Last year drew 80,735 for comparison. This could realistically draw 85,000.

I saw a post on a Hawks Twitter account saying there are expecting 92,000! If true...woweee! Oh and Hello All, for another year of discussing all things crowdssss!

 

[Cmarsh]

Does anyone have any crowd figures from the recent preseason games? Can't see them published anywhere that I have looked.

 

[Hawkk]

I saw a post on a Hawks Twitter account saying there are expecting 92,000! If true...woweee! Oh and Hello All, for another year of discussing all things crowdssss!

Would love to see this — but where’s the hype for this game?

Given how little expectation there is around Essendon this season, anything above 75,000 would be a real statement and show that the round 1 match has a real future.

This rivalry is starting to follow a similar trajectory to Carlton v Richmond in the early 2010s which kept building year after year. Both Carlton v Richmond and Essendon v Hawthorn were sleeper rivalries before the AFL and TV networks decided to start marketing VFL rivalries beyond just Carl v Coll v Ess.

There is a chance that the first three MCG home and away games could all draw 75,000 plus which would have to be a first in history.

 

[Hawkk]

1. They want to share around the away sides. No clubs want to be playing away travelling games every single year.

2. Opening game + flag unfurling should be enough to sell the game out. Leave the big drawing opposition for later in the year.

The Giants/Hawks game was a bit ambitious though, but still will be higher than it usually would have got.

The Gold Coast v Geelong is very close to selling out. Geelong have a very large following on the Gold Coast, so was always going to be close to a sell out anyway.

As for the Giants v Hawks, they are now selling tickets midway up the Cumberland Stand which is a pretty good sign for a decent attendance (maybe 16,000 to 18,000?)

 

[dave10]

Would love to see this — but where’s the hype for this game?

Given how little expectation there is around Essendon this season, anything above 75,000 would be a real statement and show that the round 1 match has a real future.

This rivalry is starting to follow a similar trajectory to Carlton v Richmond in the early 2010s which kept building year after year. Both Carlton v Richmond and Essendon v Hawthorn were sleeper rivalries before the AFL and TV networks decided to start marketing VFL rivalries beyond just Carl v Coll v Ess.

There is a chance that the first three MCG home and away games could all draw 75,000 plus which would have to be a first in history.

Will be interesting to see how tickets sell the next week. Bombers performance yesterday doesn’t help create the hype needed!

 

[Hawkk]

Will be interesting to see how tickets sell the next week. Bombers performance yesterday doesn’t help create the hype needed!

Officially fully ticketed.

As this is one of Hawthorn’s four member replacement games, Hawks members will have until next Friday to snap up upgraded tickets. That should see Q1-Q7 and the back of the Ponsford snapped up.

I’m a little surprised the demand is so high for this game and I hope the AFL persist with the round 1 fixture (even if round 1 is likely Easter Monday next year)

This has the potential to be an 80,000 event fixture every year (especially if it’s prime time).

 

[Rouel_14]

Officially fully ticketed.

As this is one of Hawthorn’s four member replacement games, Hawks members will have until next Friday to snap up upgraded tickets. That should see Q1-Q7 and the back of the Ponsford snapped up.

I’m a little surprised the demand is so high for this game and I hope the AFL persist with the round 1 fixture (even if round 1 is likely Easter Monday next year)

This has the potential to be an 80,000 event fixture every year (especially if it’s prime time).

Don’t bother.

The AFL will do what suits them anyway.

Richmond and Calrton spent a decade on Building opening the season a now they aren’t even the first Melbourne game of the year, let alone first game.

Maybe Hawks and Richmond should campaign to play every Anzac Day as it seems there’s no loyalty to clubs building their own marquee events.

Clubs/AFL need to get creative and come up with their own rather than take what others have made.

 

[dave10]

Officially fully ticketed.

As this is one of Hawthorn’s four member replacement games, Hawks members will have until next Friday to snap up upgraded tickets. That should see Q1-Q7 and the back of the Ponsford snapped up.

I’m a little surprised the demand is so high for this game and I hope the AFL persist with the round 1 fixture (even if round 1 is likely Easter Monday next year)

This has the potential to be an 80,000 event fixture every year (especially if it’s prime time).

Correct me if I’m wrong, the Q level of the Ponsford hasn’t been released yet has it? Or is that ‘only’ for Hawks members so I can’t see it on ticketek?
Also, I think the back 1/3 of Q level in Olympic Stabd is still to be sold.

I don’t know how the AFL Reserve is selling, usually this section isn’t close to full for this fixture.

 

[manicmagpie]

Correct me if I’m wrong, the Q level of the Ponsford hasn’t been released yet has it? Or is that ‘only’ for Hawks members so I can’t see it on ticketek?
Also, I think the back 1/3 of Q level in Olympic Stabd is still to be sold.

I don’t know how the AFL Reserve is selling, usually this section isn’t close to full for this fixture.

The AFL Members has sold the front third of the top deck - about 70% at the moment.

 

[dave10]

Looking at Carlton Vs Richmond. This match also seems to be selling slower than I’d expected.

Basically all top deck Ponsford still unsold with plenty of Q level seating in both Olympic and Southern Stands available. Richmond’s underwhelming pre season reflected in slower Ponsford Stand sales and probably the main culprit for the seemingly slower pre sales this year?

Last year this drew 80,009. I think on current sales it’s going to fall short of 80,000 this year.