Overview
The following information details the eligibility and arrangements for access to the Members' Reserve on AFL Grand Final Day. Access to the AFL Grand Final is dependent on your eligibility as outlined below.
No visitor tickets are available for the 2026 AFL Grand Final.
Seating Options
There are two seating options available for eligible members to access the Reserve:
- Reserved Seat Ballot to secure your seat in advance, or
- Access for unreserved seating and standing room on AFL Grand Final Day - which operates on a first-in, first-served basis and is subject to capacity.
Members wishing to access the AFL Grand Final must have paid their subscription for the 2026/27 membership season (which commences on September 1, 2026) for their membership card to be valid.
Access Eligibility
Access to the Members’ Reserve on AFL Grand Final Day is dependent on both your membership category and your paid renewal for the 2026/27 membership season. To be able to access the 2026 AFL Grand Final, you must meet all of the following:
Be a Full member or an Annual Guest Card holder
This includes all Honorary Life members, 50-Year members and Honorary Cricket, Playing and Temporary members
Have paid your renewal for the 2026/27 membership season
The new membership season begins on September 1, 2026
Ensure your membership photo is up-to-date
If a photo update is required, you will be notified via the MCC App, email or SMS by mid-August
Not Eligible
Unless otherwise advised by the Club, Restricted and Provisional members will not have access to the Members' Reserve on AFL Grand Final Day.
Should Restricted members be granted access to the Reserve, details will be confirmed on the day of the Grand Final and shared on the MCC website at AFL Grand Final Access for Restricted Members.
Overseas Member Arrangements
Full Overseas members are required to pay an admission fee and submit an itinerary showing their arrival to and departure from Australia to have their membership card activated for entry into the AFL Grand Final.
To be able to participate in the Reserved Seat Ballot for the 2026 AFL Grand Final, Overseas Full members must:
- Submit their itinerary to the Club by 5:00pm AEST Tuesday September 1, and
- Complete the Finals access application form (applications open shortly) and select the Full Finals Access package
For more information and to submit your itinerary once applications are open, please visit Overseas Member AFL Finals Access.
Stay Up to Date
To receive the most up-to-date information regarding the AFL Grand Final, please ensure that a current email address is linked to your membership profile and regularly check the MCC App and MCC website. Please note: if you have previously unsubscribed from receiving email or SMS updates from the Club, you will not receive Finals information directly via these channels.
If you believe you may have unsubscribed from Club email or SMS communications by mistake, please contact the Club at membership@mcc.org.au or (03) 9657 8888.
Unreserved Seating Arrangements
Approximately 7,000 seats and 1,000 standing spaces are available for unreserved access on AFL Grand Final Day on a first-in, first-served basis. Unreserved seating and standing spaces in the Members’ Reserve are subject to capacity and are not guaranteed.
Management reserves the right to make changes to the unreserved seating procedure if they become necessary from a health, safety or security perspective.
- Full members and Annual Guest Card holders may queue for unreserved access to the Members' Reserve at Gate 2. Aside from comfort breaks, members must remain in the queue and not leave personal items in their place. Any chairs, bags, rugs or other items left unattended for long periods will be removed from the queue.
- One person in the queue represents one spot. Latecomers are not able to join family or friends already in the queue.
- Club and security staff will be assigned to continually monitor the queue.
- Members and Annual Guest Card holders who fail to adhere to these rules may face disciplinary action under the Club's Code of Conduct.
- Only Full members and Annual Guest Card holders planning on attending the AFL Grand Final are permitted to be in the queue area. Please note: Members' Reserve dress standards apply to access the Reserve at gate opening.
- In the interest of safety for all, members are asked to enter the Reserve in a responsible and respectful manner. Running is not permitted when moving through the queue or into the Reserve's seating/standing areas or dining facilities.
- Children aged 2 years and under as of the day of the match are eligible to attend free of charge provided they are accompanied by an adult, and do not occupy a seat.
Once you have selected your unreserved seat on Levels 1, 2 or 3, please remain there until you receive a reserved seat ticket from a Club staff member.
Club staff will begin issuing tickets within 15-20 minutes of gates opening.
Please note, Annual Guest Card holders can only access unreserved seating on Levels 1 and 4 at the AFL Grand Final.
Tickets on Level 4 will be distributed at the stairwell leading into each section of seating. Please see a Club staff member at the stairwell to your desired section prior to accessing the seats.
Once you have your reserved seat ticket, you will be able to leave the MCG by scanning out at Gate 2.
Seat saving is not permitted and tickets will only be issued to eligible members or Annual Guest Card holders present at the time of ticket distribution.
Designated alcohol-free areas for unreserved seating will be as follows:
- Level 1: Sections M38 and M39 – Rows AA-MM
- Level 2: Section N48 – full section
- Level 4: Sections Q47 and Q48 – Rows HH-MM
Seating Plan
View the Members' Reserve seating map for the AFL Grand Final.
Reserved Seating - Grand Final Ballot
Approximately 14,500 seats (including accessibility seating and wheelchair bays) in the Members’ Reserve are available to members in the AFL Grand Final Reserved Seat Ballot. These seats will be allocated to members who are successful in a random ballot in the lead-up to the AFL Grand Final.
Only members eligible under the Access Eligibility heading above can enter the AFL Grand Final Reserved Seat Ballot.
Full members who have recently been elevated from Restricted membership (or new 50-Year members) must ensure that they use their new Full membership card barcode number when entering the Reserved Seat Ballot or scanning into the Members’ Reserve on AFL Grand Final Day.
Registrations for the AFL Grand Final Ballot can be made via the Ticketek website: www.ticketek.com.au/mccballot (from 9:00am AEST Wednesday September 2).
For instructions on how to register for the Ballot online, visit Grand Final Ballot.
- 2026 AFL Grand Final Reserved Seat Ballot opens: 9:00am AEST Wednesday September 2
- 2026 AFL Grand Final Reserved Seat Ballot closes: 5:00pm AEST Thursday September 3
- Notification of the outcome of the Ballot: By 11:00am AEST Tuesday September 8
- Return of seats for successful applicants closes: 12:00pm AEST Wednesday September 23
- Returned seats available to members unsuccessful in the Ballot: 9:00am AEST Thursday September 24
The cost of a reserved seat is $35 (incl. GST) and is payable upon registration.
If unsuccessful in the ballot, your seat cost will be fully refunded to the debit or credit card used to register in the ballot.
Full members and Annual Guest Card holders who have successfully obtained a reserved seat in the AFL Grand Final Ballot will not be able to access the Members' Reserve until one hour after gate opening time on AFL Grand Final Day.
To successfully manage the entry of members who are accessing unreserved seating and standing room, the Club will maintain a staggered entry process for AFL Grand Final Day.
Members must scan their membership card to access the Reserve. Members can use their physical membership card or digital card accessed through the MCC App.
A reserved seat ticket allocated in the ballot will not admit entry to the Reserve on AFL Grand Final Day. To access the Reserve, a membership card or Annual Guest Card – renewed for the 2026/27 season – must be scanned at the turnstiles upon entry.
Accessible Seating & Wheelchair Spaces
There will be a dedicated allocation of seating and wheelchair spaces available for members with accessibility requirements. Members can register in the Accessible Ballot for reserved seats, and complete the Accessibility Requirement Form for unreserved seating queuing.
Due to limited availability, registrations will be limited to one member and one additional companion (eligible member or government issued Companion Card holder). All carers are required to hold a government issued Companion Card or Full member/Annual Guest Card.
MCC members wishing to access the Accessible Seating Reserved Seat Ballot can only register by calling the Club on (03) 9657 8888 during the following times:
- Tuesday September 1: 10:00am - 4:00pm AEST
- Wednesday September 2: 9:00am - 5:00pm AEST
- Thursday September 3: 9:00am - 5:00pm AEST
When calling, please listen carefully to the prompts and select the appropriate option to register for accessible seating.
No registrations after the closure of the Ballot will be accepted. MCC members who wish to receive direct communication from the Club regarding accessible seating access should contact the Membership Services Team on membership@mcc.org.au.
Members who have not obtained reserved seating during the Accessible Seating Reserved Seat Ballot can join the accessible entry queue located at the left hand side of Gate 2.
To access this queue, please complete the Accessibility Requirement Form by 5:00pm AEST Wednesday September 23 (available once the Accessible Ballot closes).
Please note, if you require a carer for the queue and do not hold a government-issued Companion Card, your medical documentation must confirm your need for a carer, and your carer must be a Full member or Annual Guest Card holder.
For more information on government-issued Companion Cards, please visit companioncard.vic.gov.au.
50-Year Member Arrangements
50-Year members have an exclusive entrance and additional seating options for the AFL Grand Final. 50-Year members will be able to register for reserved seats in the 50-Year member section (N42) via the Grand Final Ballot, or access unreserved seating on the day.
50-Year members will be able to enter the Members' Reserve via the exclusive 50-Year members' entrance, located at the left-hand side of Gate 2.
To access the 50-Year entrance, you will be required to show your membership card to join the queue ahead of gates opening and can be accompanied by one other Full member or Annual Guest Card holder. Latecomers will not be able to join family or friends already in the queue. Companion Card holders will also be accepted.
A reminder that 50-Year Social members are unable to access the AFL Grand Final.
Registrations in the 2026 AFL Grand Final Reserved Seat Ballot can be made via Ticketek from 9:00am AEST Wednesday September 2 to 5:00pm AEST Thursday September 3, 2026.
In addition to the reserved seating options throughout the Members' Reserve, you can register for allocated seating in section N42 by entering the Reserved Seat Ballot and selecting the '50-Year member (N42) seating' option.
Please note, seating in N42 for the AFL Grand Final is for 50-Year members only and will only be visible to registrations comprising of 50-Year member barcodes. If a Full member or Annual Guest Card barcode is included in your registration, only the listed reserved seating options will be available for you to select.
Should you select the '50-Year member (N42) seating', you will only be considered for seating in N42. If you wish to sit with other 50-Year members, you will need to register their barcodes in one ballot registration.
In the event that registrations for the 50-Year section (N42) exceed the number of seats available, a random ballot will be conducted. Registrations that are unsuccessful in obtaining seat(s) will not be considered for seating elsewhere on Levels 1, 2 or 4.
Should you be successful in obtaining reserved seats in the ballot, to assist the Club in managing the allocation of seating to members accessing unreserved seats on AFL Grand Final Day, you will not be able to access the Reserve until one hour after gates open.
You will be able to access unreserved seating in the 50-Year member section (N42) or the general unreserved seating in the Reserve. Please note only 50-Year members can access seating in the 50-Year member section (N42), with approximately 40 per cent of the section available for unreserved seating.
If you are looking to access unreserved seating on the day, proceed to the John Landy Room once gates open to obtain your seat ticket for the match. Staff will begin issuing seat tickets soon after gate opening.
Reserved Dining Arrangements
Pre-booked dining will be available in the Members’ Dining Room, Jim Stynes Grill, Missymu by Shirley and the 1956 restaurant. Registrations for dining will be taken on Monday September 21 from 9:00am to 5:00pm AEST. Registrations can be made via the MCC website or via the MCC App. If registrations exceed capacity (as expected) a random ballot will be conducted.
Members should note that reserved seats will NOT be issued to successful dining applicants.
An extensive selection of unreserved bars, cafes and dining on AFL Grand Final Day is also available throughout the Reserve.
