How to Follow Your AFL Team in Melbourne: Tickets, Grounds and Every Way to Watch

Melbourne is the undisputed home of Australian rules football, and following an AFL club here is less a hobby than a way of life. The city is home to nine AFL clubs, including Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, Richmond, Melbourne, Hawthorn, North Melbourne, St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs. Each club has a proud history, a distinct supporter culture and passionate fans you will find everywhere from the CBD to the outer suburbs.

The MCG and Marvel Stadium (formerly Etihad Stadium, located at Docklands) are the two major venues hosting home-and-away matches across the AFL season, which runs from March through to the September finals. The MCG, capacity around 100,000, is one of the great sporting arenas on earth, and attending a match there on a packed Saturday afternoon is an experience unlike any other. Marvel Stadium is fully enclosed, meaning matches go ahead regardless of Melbourne's famously changeable weather.

Tickets can be purchased through the AFL website or directly via each club's official site. Members get priority access and reserved seating; general admission tickets are available for most matches. Becoming a club member is the most popular way to attend regularly, as memberships unlock guaranteed entry, a reserved seat for home games and discounts across the season. If you are new to the city and still picking a team, attending a match as a general admission fan first is a great way to soak up the atmosphere before committing.

For those who cannot make it to the ground, the AFL season is well covered across Australian television and radio. Fox Footy (pay TV) carries the full schedule, while free-to-air broadcasts are split across Seven Network and Channel 10. The AFL website and app provide live scores, stats and commentary options. ABC Radio and SEN are popular choices for radio listeners who want expert call and analysis. The combination of live crowds, excellent broadcast coverage and a buzzing local pub culture makes it easy to follow every game of the season no matter where you are in Melbourne.

Sources: AFL Official Site Marvel Stadium MCG

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