2026 AFL Finals Series
AFL
Wildcard Round
Four clubs. Two knockout games. Two places in the final eight. The AFL's new finals format begins with a huge weekend of Wildcard Round football at the MCG.
Win and you're through. Lose and your season is over.
The 2026 AFL Wildcard Round has arrived, with the league's expanded top-10 finals system making its debut following the completion of Round 24.
While the top six enjoy a week off, the teams that finished seventh through tenth on the AFL ladder will fight for the final two positions in the traditional eight-team finals bracket. Both matches will be played at the MCG, giving us back-to-back knockout games to begin the 2026 AFL Finals Series.
Below you'll find the 2026 Wildcard Round fixture, match information and our latest coverage as Melbourne, Western Bulldogs, Collingwood and Carlton battle to keep their premiership hopes alive.
How does the AFL Wildcard Round work?
- It's 7th versus 10th and 8th versus 9th.
- Both matches are sudden-death finals.
- The two winners progress into the final eight.
- The higher-ranked winning team becomes the No.7 seed.
- The other winner takes the No.8 seed.
- The top six teams have a bye during Wildcard Round.
Wildcard Final
Western Bulldogs VS Collingwood
FRIDAY 28 AUGUST • 7:40PM AEST • MCG
Western Bulldogs vs Collingwood
Western Bulldogs ($2.01) vs Collingwood ($1.83)
Line: Collingwood -2.5
Points: 169.5
The inaugural AFL Wildcard Round begins on Friday night when the 8th-placed Western Bulldogs meet 9th-placed Collingwood under lights at the MCG.
There is no safety net for either side. The winner advances into the final eight and moves on to the next stage of the finals, while the loser's 2026 season comes to an immediate end.
With two experienced clubs meeting in a standalone Friday night final, this shapes as a fascinating betting contest. Check back for our full Bulldogs vs Collingwood preview, betting analysis and best bets ahead of the opening bounce.
Bulldogs vs Collingwood Tips →
Wildcard Final
Melbourne VS Carlton
SATURDAY 29 AUGUST • 7:35PM AEST • MCG
Melbourne vs Carlton
Melbourne ($2.14) vs Carlton ($1.71)
Line: Carlton -5.5
Points: 173.5
Saturday night's second Wildcard Final sees 7th-placed Melbourne take on 10th-placed Carlton in another knockout clash at the MCG.
Melbourne enter the new finals format from the highest Wildcard position, but they'll be disappointed to miss out on a week off as they face a Carlton side carrying considerable momentum into the post-season.
One of these clubs will keep its premiership campaign alive; the other will be finished for 2026. We'll have our complete Melbourne vs Carlton betting preview, match analysis and best bets available before Saturday night's game.
Melbourne vs Carlton Tips →
What Happens After Wildcard Round?
The two Wildcard winners will complete the final eight and move into the following week's Elimination Finals.
The higher-ranked Wildcard winner will take the No.7 seed, while the other winning team will be seeded eighth. That means the results of both matches will determine exactly where each surviving club travels in the next round.
From there, the familiar AFL final-eight system takes over as the race to the 2026 AFL Grand Final continues.
2026 AFL Wildcard Round Betting Tips
Before You Bet will be covering both AFL Wildcard Finals with match previews, AFL betting tips, team news and market analysis throughout the week.
With every club facing elimination, team selections, injuries, match-ups and late market movement could all play an important role. We'll update this page with links to our latest Wildcard Round betting previews as they are published.
