The West Australian Football Commission is delighted to announce the 2024 WAFL Grand Final will be held on Sunday 22 September.

This year’s successful Grand Final was held during the AFL Preliminary Finals weekend where more than 27,000 people attended Optus Stadium, the second biggest crowd in 20 years.

WAFC CEO Michael Roberts said hosting the WAFL Grand Final on Sunday 22 September celebrates the culmination of football seasons across the state.

“Western Australians love their footy and next year’s grand final is a chance for everyone involved in football to come together and watch the top tier players in action,” Roberts said.

“As we saw this year, the WAFL Grand Final is an inclusive event for all, with thousands of junior players taking part in the Premiers’ Parade.

“The grand final is a great family event which provides plenty of entertainment on and off the field and coincides with the King’s Birthday long weekend and the commencement of school holidays.

“Moreover, securing the grand final date now takes away any uncertainty for Clubs and players around pre-season preparation.”

Next season's fixtures will encompass 20 Rounds, maintaining consistency with previous seasons. 

The 2024 WAFL Women’s Grand Final will be held on the first weekend in July.

Reflecting on the remarkable 2023 WAFL season, Roberts emphasised the significance of the WAFL Grand Final, which featured six different clubs competing across three grades of football, marking a milestone achievement not witnessed since 2015. 

“It was one of the closest seasons in recent history with 20 matches decided by less than nine points, and to top off the season we saw a 25-year premiership drought broken by East Fremantle,” he said.

Key Achievements:

Attendance Growth: Round 1 of the 2023 season was a huge success with the average crowd attendance skyrocketing 35 per cent from last year. Nearly 15,000 people attended WAFL matches on the Easter long weekend with three played on Good Friday and two on Easter Saturday.

This year the WAFL launched its Win Win campaign targeting a new fan base by providing gameday experiences for families. In 2023, WAFL successfully attracted 30% more kids throughout the season than last season. 

Among the ten WAFL Clubs, West Perth (up 31%), East Perth (up 25%) and Swan Districts (up 23%) achieved remarkable growth in gameday attendance, despite two of the three clubs not making finals.

Audience Growth: Throughout the season thousands of Western Australians across the state tuned into Channel 7’s coverage. Across regional Western Australia, the 25-54 age group witnessed an impressive 64% growth in audience. WAFL enjoys strong backing from the communities in regional Western Australia, and our commitment remains steadfast in collaborating with clubs to bring matches to regional areas throughout the WAFL season. In Perth, there was an 11 per cent increase in viewers aged 16-39, demonstrating our strong connection with a broad range of fans. 

Nearly 100,000 viewers tuned in to Channel 7's coverage of the WAFL Grand Final, featuring both Colts and League matches, demonstrating the unwavering support for WAFL football.

Optus Stadium Triumph: The WAFL Grand Final returned to Optus Stadium this year and was met with tremendous excitement. The event recorded the second-largest crowd in 20 years, underscoring the passion and support of WAFL fans.

The WAFL Grand Final also showcased six different clubs competing across three different leagues – Reserves, Colts, League, which has not happened since the 2015 grand final, held at Domain Stadium.