Kylie Minogue set for iconic homecoming at 2026 AFL Grand Final
Kylie Minogue is heading home to Melbourne, officially confirmed as the headline act for the 2026 AFL Grand Final pre-game entertainment.
The “Princess of Pop” will take centre stage at the Telstra Pre-Game Entertainment on Saturday, September 26, marking her first-ever performance at an AFL Grand Final.
Despite speculation around a possible twilight shift, the AFL has confirmed the match will stick to its traditional 2:30pm AEST start at the MCG.
For Kylie, a proud Melburnian, it’s a full-circle moment on one of Australia’s biggest stages. “Yes please!” she said of the chance to perform in front of more than 100,000 fans at the “forever iconic” venue.
The booking also marks a return to Australian talent for the league, with Kylie the first local headliner since 2021. Recent years have featured international acts including Katy Perry, Snoop Dogg and KISS.
The show will again be produced by Mushroom Group, with Matt Gudinski overseeing a set expected to draw heavily from Kylie’s decades-spanning catalogue, from ‘Can’t Get You Out of My Head’ to ‘Padam Padam.’
AFL CEO Andrew Dillon called the performance a celebration of the scale of the day, describing the Grand Final as “the biggest event on the Australian sporting calendar” and welcoming back “an Australian icon.”
