Kylie Minogue has been announced as this year's AFL Grand Final entertainment
Come into her world
By 
GOOD THINGS come to those who wait because Kylie Minogue is (finally) locked in as the AFL Grand Final entertainment act for 2026.
It may seem like an obvious choice, but for many it’s more asking what took the AFL so long to lock in one of our biggest local artists with serious stadium-filling credentials and a strong connection to Melbourne.
In an official statement, Minogue is said to have jumped at the offer. “The AFL grand final at Melbourne’s one and only, forever iconic MCG? Yes please! As a Melburnian, I’m so excited to be coming home for the biggest day in the Aussie sporting calendar.” AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon added she had been on the shortlist for a long time.
The game itself will stick with a 2.30pm start on 29 September, with the AFL confirming the daytime slot through 2027. There’s still ongoing discussion about a future shift to twilight or night, but nothing changes for now.
For Minogue, the booking has a neat bit of history attached. In 1986, while she was on Neighbours, she performed at a Fitzroy Football Club fundraiser. Players Matt Rendell and Scott Clayton even helped demonstrate her kicking style on the day. From a local club event to the Grand Final stage is about as clean a full circle as it gets.
It also arrives during a busy stretch. Minogue’s name has been on high rotation in fashion conversations after she became the reference point for Chanel’s latest campaign, which recreated her iconic ‘Come Into My World’ video clip, starring another local hero, Margot Robbie. It’s a reminder of how much of her catalogue still circulates.
The AFL’s recent run of pre-game acts has leaned heavily international, from Snoop Dogg to Katy Perry and The Killers. Bringing Kylie Minogue out onto the stage is a well-earned shift to homegrown talent. We wait with baited breath for the set list.
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