Residents of Australia’s Victoria state are set to enjoy a public holiday on Friday, September 25, as the state marks the day before the 2026 Australian Football League (AFL) Grand Final.
The Victorian government has officially listed Friday before the AFL Grand Final as a public holiday. This year, the holiday falls on September 25, one day before the Grand Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
The holiday is commonly known as “Grand Final Friday” and gives residents a long weekend around one of Australia’s biggest sporting events.
The AFL Grand Final will be played on Saturday, September 26, with Brisbane Lions and Fremantle set to face each other in the decider.
A Grand Final parade is also scheduled in Melbourne on Friday, while authorities have arranged additional public transport services to accommodate large crowds attending the celebrations and the match.
Public transport operator V/Line has also announced a special Saturday timetable for trains and coaches on Friday because of the public holiday.
The public holiday is specific to Victoria and does not apply across the whole of Australia.
