Bathurst 1000 reportedly facing AFL Grand Final clash

Channel Nine reported on its evening news on Tuesday that the AFL is considering moving its Grand Final to the second weekend of October for 2026 and 2027.

That would put it on the weekend traditionally used by Supercars to ensure that the Bathurst 1000 doesn’t clash with either of the major football Grand Finals.

Should the plan come to fruition as reported it would logically require a rethink from Supercars as to how its rapid-fire end to the season plays out, with the Gold Coast usually run just a fortnight after Bathurst.

According to the Nine report, the mid-October plan from the AFL is to accommodate a pre-season State of Origin series and would avoid a clash between the opening AFL round and the Australian F1 Grand Prix in Melbourne.

It would also push the AFL preliminary finals and Grand Final outside of the NRL season, which traditionally finishes on the first weekend of October.

“This is not an April Fools’ joke by any stretch,” said Nine’s sports reporter Eddie McGuire.

“This has been discussed at the highest echelons of the AFL, and that is to move the Grand Final in ’26 and ’27 into the second week of October.

“The start of the season would start with a State of Origin football match, possibly played over two weekends.

“The Grand Final move would stop clashes with the [Australian] Grand Prix at the start of the year, the NFL game for points at the MCG, which would fit nicely into the bye weekend between the end of the season and the [AFL] finals, and then the following year the 150th anniversary test match between Australia and England.

“But most importantly, it gives players and fans a better start to the season in the best conditions.

“It all means at the other end of the season, no clashes with rival codes for the three biggest games – the two preliminary finals and the Grand Final. So the AFL would maximise ratings and commercial activity.

“It would also be a daylight saving Grand Final in October 2026, which could lead to a night Grand Final.”

There was no mention in the report of the clash it would create with the Great Race.

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