New route for AFL Grand Final Parade through Melbourne Park and MCG precincts

A new route has been announced for the AFL Grand Final Parade which will weave through Melbourne Park and MCG precincts delivering an enhanced experience for fans.

Victorian Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos joined three-time premiership player Jack Riewoldt to announce the new route through the heart of Melbourne’s sporting precinct.

Held on Friday, 27th September and with over a quarter of a million people from across the country and overseas expected, the new fan friendly route will bypass public roads and provide more fan viewing opportunities.

Melbourne Park Oval will be one of the prime spots for families and fans to watch the Toyota AFL Grand Final Parade, with pre-parade entertainment starting at 9.00am including Sherrin giveaways, food and beverage offerings, live music and AFL legends in attendance, before the Parade starts on the Melbourne Park Oval stage.

From Melbourne Park Oval, players and coaches will head through the Melbourne Park precinct by motorcade, via the Tanderrum Bridge to Birrarung Marr, across William Barak Bridge to the MCG and finish at the AFL’s free Footy Festival in Yarra Park.

Minister Dimopoulos enthused “this year’s Grand Final Parade will be bigger and better, with unmatched access to players and coaches, right in the heart of the sporting capital.

‘’Grand Final Eve is a fantastic opportunity for families to come together and celebrate everything that makes the AFL Grand Final such an important event for our state.”

The 2024 parade will make use of Melbourne Park with a stage on the western side of the oval so fans can enjoy all the action as the two Grand Final combatants make their way towards the MCG.

The stage will have a live screen, giving all fans who make the trip into Melbourne’s sporting precinct the chance to enjoy the celebrations and see their favourite players on stage.

Australian Football League Chief Executive Andrew Dillon added “each year we are looking to deliver a more fan and family friendly event and create better viewing opportunities for the Toyota AFL Grand Final Parade goers who are enjoying the Grand Final week festivities and the public holiday in Victoria.

“The new route through Melbourne Park Precinct, Birrarung Marr into the Footy Festival creates more viewing opportunities and allows more people to cheer on their favourite players as the Toyota HiLux vehicles go past.”

Footy fans will be able to enjoy the build up to the Grand Final in Yarra Park with the AFL’s free Footy Festival starting on Wednesday 25th September.

A highlight of this year’s Footy Festival will be an ice rink for children and families to enjoy – which is just one of the fun activations on offer as excitement builds ahead of the AFL Grand Final.

There will also be seven massive AFLW clashes across Victoria ahead of the Grand Final, with matches at Punt Road, Windy Hill, Kardinia Park, Swinburne Centre, Ikon Park, RSEA Park and Whitten Oval.

2024 has been one of the closest AFL seasons on record and the blockbuster first week of the finals didn’t disappoint – including the elimination final between Western Bulldogs and Hawthorn which saw 97,828 fans pack out the MCG.

The Grand Final Parade and AFL Grand Final are part of a packed major events calendar that boosts Victoria’s record $39.3 billion visitor economy, featuring the Melbourne Cup Carnival, Australian Open, Formula 1 Grand Prix and Boxing Day Test.

The AFL Grand Final Parade kicks off at 10:30am on Friday 27th September.

Image. A view of the 2023 AFL Grand Final Parade through Birrarung Marr and Yarra Park. Credit: AFL Photos