The AFL has added a Wildcard Round to the postseason structure. The league updated postseason incentives and announced cash payouts for these extra games. The AFL explained the mechanics of the Wildcard Round to explain how the matches work.

The status of the Wildcard games faces pushback across the league landscape. Coach Ross Lyon questioned whether the Wildcard games ought to be categorized as "Finals" in a final effort to question the framework. The trend was published Fri, 21 Aug 2026 04:50 -0700. Reports from afl.com.au, Herald Sun, and SEN examined the setup, prize money, and the coach's challenge.