AFL 2026 Finals: Fremantle Dockers hottest ticket in town as Hawthorn qualifying final a sellout

Optus Stadium will be heaving next Thursday night with Fremantle’s qualifying final against Hawthorn officially a sellout.

After general public tickets went on sale at 3pm they lasted less than an hour, with the club confirming tickets were sold out at 3.44pm.

The club broke an AFL record by playing in front of nine consecutive home crowds of more than 50,000 people at the back end of the home and away season, and their first final could see more records tumble.

Fremantle’s biggest ever Optus crowd remains the 58,982 people who walked through the gates of their 2022 elimination final win against the Western Bulldogs, while 57,507 turned up to their heartbreaking loss to Gold Coast last season.

But after the Dockers secured the minor premiership to give them their best chance of a maiden flag since 2013, the Purple Army could be stronger than ever.

The Dockers’ only clash with the Hawks in the home-and-away season also fell on a Thursday night at Optus Stadium, with ‘Wharfie Time’ becoming a national phenomenon as they stormed back from a fourth-quarter deficit to win by 15 points in round nine.

Fremantle will progress directly into a home preliminary final and secure another weekend off if they beat Hawthorn.

Midfield star Hayden Young said having the home crowd advantage will be a massive boost for their finals hopes, having not lost at Optus Stadium this season.

“We get the home final now, which is massive for our fans and massive for us, and when we look back at the season on the body of work of what we’ve been able to do, it’s something to be proud of,” he said on 96FM.

Melbourne and the Bulldogs hold the AFL attendance record at Optus Stadium after 61,118 fans witnessed the 2021 Grand Final.