VFL matches will no longer be broadcast on free-to-air TV after costs were blamed by Channel Seven, meaning the competition will be without coverage for the first time in decades.
The Victorian Football League is one of the AFL’s reserve-grade competitions and was shown on TV on Saturday nights – but fans won’t be able to watch the action from home in 2026.
Matches were shown in Victoria on 7Mate, but the cost of broadcasting games and average ratings are the main reasons Seven, which has been covering the league since 2015, decided it was not worth showing any more.
The fact the coverage was competing against Fox Footy and the AFL at the same time made it hard for Seven to attract a decent audience.
According to the Herald Sun, the VFL and VFLW will be broadcast on the AFL’s app and clubs are unhappy about the move because the TV coverage gave great exposure to the competition and helped them attract sponsors.
‘It’s a great selling point for us, you’ll see your name on TV,’ one club official said.
Channel Seven will not broadcast the VFL and VFLW this season (pictured left to right, Seven AFL commentators Nick Riewoldt, Kane Cornes and Bruce McAvaney)
Dom Brew, Nick Coughlan and Jimmy Allan are pictured celebrating after winning the 2024 VFL Grand Final
Channel Seven commentator Brian Taylor won’t cover the VFL from 2026
Clubs were told about the decision at a meeting in December, with another club official claiming it was bad for everyone involved in the VFL and VFLW.
‘It’s always been broadcast on terrestrial television. For it to be removed from terrestrial television after all these years wouldn’t be good,’ they said.
The same official said the move to broadcast VFL games on Saturday night rather than Sunday afternoon was a mistake that made it easier for Seven to pull the plug on it.
‘The reality is, we didn’t rate. It was a ridiculous time slot,’ the official said.
The same official thought the AFL would be smart to offer the VFL to the ABC or SBS.
The national broadcaster started covering the old VFA in 1987 after Channel 10 had a long stint.
Ross Booth, Phil Cleary and Sam Kekovich were on the microphones back then and their coverage was quite popular on Saturday afternoons.
‘I’ve said many times that Peter Gee and Ross Booth’s calls of VFA grand finals on ABC TV were as good as any AFL grand final calls the commercial stations have produced,’ Cleary said in 2024 after Booth died.
Channel Seven will no longer broadcast the VFL or VFLW due to cost issues and poor ratings
The VFLW will also not be shown on free-to-air TV in 2026
While Seven’s decision doesn’t affect the coverage of the AFL, it remains a blow for the league, as many fans keep up with the VFL to see how their club’s rising stars are coming along and check on the form of other players who get dropped from first grade.
Some Aussies backed a revival of the ABC’s VFL coverage.
‘For once why doesn’t the ABC deliver on its obligation to serve the community and pick up the cost of VFL broadcasts? Happy to have my taxes fund this instead of all the other extreme leftist bile they serve up,’ one person wrote.
‘You invest in your lower leagues you have a thriving sport and thriving communities. The English Football League is the perfect example,’ another said.
The ABC’s coverage of the VFA-VFL ended after the 2014 season.
Every VFL game has been streamed on AFL.com.au and the VFL app since 2022.
VFL spokesman Sam Zito confirmed the news on Tuesday.
‘Broadcast arrangements for season 2026 are currently not finalised and will be announced ahead of the season. However, we can confirm all VFL and VFLW matches will again be broadcast live and free via AFL channels,’ he said.
Daily Mail has contacted Seven and the AFL for comment.
