"This will be my first appearance at an AFL Grand Final... I can't wait to be back in Melbourne for this."
Kylie Minogue has been confirmed as the headline performer for the pre-game entertainment at the 2026 AFL Grand Final. Simultaneously, a three-part documentary series about her life and career has premiered on Netflix.
AFL Grand Final Performance
Minogue is scheduled to perform at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on September 26, 2026. This marks her first appearance at an AFL Grand Final. The AFL confirmed that the event will maintain a 2:30 pm start time for the 2026 and 2027 seasons.
The league has been pursuing Minogue for the event's entertainment for a number of years. Recent headline acts for the Grand Final have included international performers such as Robbie Williams, KISS, Katy Perry, and Snoop Dogg. The last Australian artist to headline the event was in 2021, when the final was played in Perth due to COVID-19 restrictions.
AFL Chief Executive Andrew Dillon stated that Minogue had been a long-standing request for the pre-game entertainment. Minogue expressed excitement about returning to Melbourne for the event.
Matt Gudinski, CEO of Mushroom Group, is responsible for producing the performance. Additional entertainment for the 2026 Grand Final day is expected to be announced at a later date.
About Kylie Minogue
Minogue began her career in the late 1980s on the Australian television soap opera Neighbours before transitioning to music. She has sold more than 80 million records worldwide and achieved nine No. 1 albums in Australia. Her awards include 18 ARIA Awards, four BRIT Awards, two MTV Awards, and two Grammy Awards.
Her 2023 single "Padam Padam" won an ARIA Award and her first Grammy in 20 years. Minogue is the only female artist in UK history to have No. 1 albums in five consecutive decades.
Netflix Documentary
The three-part documentary series, titled Kylie, premiered on Netflix in May 2026. The series covers Minogue's career from her time on Neighbours to international music stardom, her relationships, and her health challenges.
Directed by Michael Harte, the documentary features interviews with Minogue, her sister Dannii Minogue, actor Jason Donovan, musician Nick Cave, and music producer Peter Waterman. The series includes personal photos and home video footage from Minogue's archives.
Personal Health and Relationships
The documentary discusses Minogue's breast cancer diagnosis in 2005. Minogue also disclosed a second cancer diagnosis in 2021, which she had kept private until the documentary's release. She stated she is "well today." Following her 2005 diagnosis, mammogram bookings in Australia increased significantly, an effect referred to as the "Kylie effect."
Minogue revealed in the documentary that she postponed chemotherapy to attempt IVF, which was ultimately unsuccessful.
Regarding relationships, Minogue described INXS singer Michael Hutchence as "probably" the love of her life. She stated she remains friends with former Neighbours co-star and partner Jason Donovan. Minogue said she is currently single and has learned to be "OK on my own."
"I've learned to be OK on my own."