AFL Saturday matches disappear completely from free-to-air TV for home-and-away season in Victoria, Tasmania and NT

Saturday footy on free-to-air television has long been a staple of Australian culture but in 2025 that is about to change.

Foxtel has confirmed to 7.30 that all Saturday games for the home-and-away season will be broadcast exclusively on Fox Footy in Victoria, Tasmania and Northern Territory.

In the rest of the country there will be no live free-to-air Saturday games for at least the first 8 or 10 rounds, depending on where you live as the AFL's $4.5 billion broadcast deal struck in 2022 starts this year, and lasts through 2031.

The AFL deal gives pay services Fox Footy and Kayo exclusive rights for live Saturday AFL games.

For footy fans like Clint Gilbert Saturday football was a highlight of growing up in Melbourne's outer suburbs and he is not enthused by the prospect of it not being on free-to-air television at all.

Clint Gilbert with his partner Tyla Farrall and their kids. (ABC News: Norman Hermant)

"Growing up I hung for the Saturdays," he said.

" Not having it this year, I just found out, it's awful. I don't like it. "

Tyla Farrall, Mr Gilbert's partner, said she resented another expense just to watch footy on Saturday. A basic Kayo subscription costs $25 per month.

"Pretty much everything these days is ... if you want to use it or see or watch, you've got to pay," Ms Farrall told 7.30.

" Everything's turning to that. And I thought football would be one thing that we'd be able to enjoy without having to pay. "

While Fox Footy and Kayo are promoting their exclusive Saturday footy coverage, Channel 7 is promising more free-to-air coverage than ever.

There will be 23 Thursday night games on free-to-air, up from 14 last year and the AFL says it is giving fans what they want.

"What we have done is listen to the fans with the call for more Thursday night games," said AFL CEO Andrew Dillon at the league's launch on Monday.

AFL CEO Andrew Dillon says fans win out under the new deal. (AAP: James Ross)

"So what we've seen is [a] move from Saturday night free-to-air to Thursday night."

Media analyst Mark C-Scott from Victoria University said the free-to-air changes weren't surprising considering the need of the AFL and broadcasters to maximise revenue.

But he said for many fans, the lack of Saturday free-to-air footy will be a surprise.

"I think for a majority of Australians that first game, when they turn on Saturday night, they're going to be questioning, actually, has footy started? And that's going to be a big change," Dr C-Scott said.

Australians have come to expect that the government's anti-siphoning list limits which sports that can be put behind a subscription paywall but Federal Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland says that is not how it works.

"It's important to clarify what the anti-siphoning list does and doesn't do," Ms Rowland told 7.30.

"It doesn't guarantee that free-to-air broadcasters will take up every right that is offered to them by a code that may be on the anti-siphoning list, it doesn't guarantee that every game will be shown for free or live."

And, she said, it enables the codes and their media partners to construct their own deals.

Another tradition disappearing

Even those involved in the sport for long periods, like former West Coast and Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse, recognise how the fans watch the game has to change with the times.

Mick Malthouse holds the record for 718 senior games coached over 31 seasons. (ABC Grandstand: Damien Peck)

"Nothing ever stays the same," the three-time premiership coach told 7.30.

Malthouse, who has been around footy for 50 years as a player, coach and broadcaster believes Saturday games on free to air TV hold a special place for AFL fans.

"A lot of people do not have Foxtel, nor Kayo. They rely heavily on free-to-air television," Malthouse said.

" There's a little bit of tradition that says, Saturday, I want to sit back, watch the footy on TV. I haven't got Foxtel. I haven't got Kayo. I just want to watch the footy. And it'll be a shame if we lose that. "

As crowds filtered into the Community Shield pre-season match between Richmond and Collingwood, many hadn't yet heard about the free-to-air changes coming this year.

Plenty of fans attend the footy but plenty more watch it at home. (AAP: Darren England)

"I think AFL is, it's kind of like … the people's game," said Nick Vrisakis. "So to not have it on free to air on a Saturday night, it's not a good thing."

NRL fans have been down this road too, with many Saturday games leaving free-to-air.

Ms Farrall figures it's just the way the world is going. But she doesn't like it.

"Slowly but surely being asked to pay for more and more things like this," she said.

"When I was growing up, the slogan was, Australia's a free country. It's definitely going from Australia as a free country to Australia is a paid country."

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