Optus Stadium to host AFL Grand Final

It is with great excitement and humility that the State of Western Australia accepts this incredible privilege, to be custodians of arguably the biggest event in the sporting calendar in Australia, the AFL Grand Final.

It will be an honour for the Grand Final to be contested on land upon which the Noongar people were first inhabitants and in a stadium whose construction was overseen by representatives of the Whadjuk people.

Should the opportunity arise, it will also be a source of pride for players of Noongar heritage to experience a grand final on their home soil.

Although our hearts are with the millions of Australians in lockdown across the country, and our first preference was for the Grand Final to be hosted at the MCG, we also respect that public safety must come first.

Optus Stadium and its partners are prepared to host this marquee event in Western Australia, to ensure that it not only goes ahead but that 61,000 excited fans can experience the occasion. The Grand Final is not only a single game of football, it is a momentous occasion that will create ripple effects throughout the metro area and the rest of the state.

We are excited to be provided with the honour of not only doing the occasion justice for the millions of football fans around the country but also for the sport loving public of Western Australia, who have been afforded a once in a lifetime opportunity to either attend the game or be part of the event as one of the many employees required to manage the event.

All planning work for the event will be developed in conjunction with the relevant State Government agencies and we will continue to be guided by health advice to ensure we keep our community safe.

Although we are incredibly eager to showcase Optus Stadium to the rest of the country and put on this once in a lifetime event for all football fans and players, we remain hopeful that the COVID-19 situation improves across the country.