AFL Grand Final Eve
Friday 25 September 2026
The Friday before the AFL Grand Final is a full public holiday in Victoria.
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About AFL Grand Final Eve
The Friday before the AFL Grand Final is a full public holiday in Victoria.
How Australians Observe AFL Grand Final Eve
Grand Final Eve is a uniquely Victorian public holiday, added in 2015 to mark the day before the AFL Grand Final. Melbourne's CBD hosts the Grand Final Parade, with players from both competing teams riding through the city on the back of utes to huge crowds. Pubs and backyards fill up the night before as the whole state gears up for the biggest game of the AFL season.
Leave Planning Tip
Grand Final Eve falls on a Friday by design, so it always creates a three-day weekend for Victorians without any leave needed. The date tracks the AFL fixture from year to year, so check the gazetted date for future years before booking travel around it.