The raw numbers of the Legends Game on Channel 7 on Thursday night firmly underlines some some simple but staggering truths: people love Australian Rules football … and free-to-air television.
Incredibly, the exhibition game which featured a host of retired champions, various comedians, and some high-profile journalists, was the third most-watched AFL match so far this year.
It was also the most streamed AFL match on 7plus Sport this season (so far) and delivered Seven’s biggest ever streaming audience for a non-finals game.
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Not only that, the game reached 2.38 million Australians on Seven and 7plus Sport, 29,000 people turned up to Marvel Stadium to watch the game live, and it raised more than $1.1 million for the Australian Prostate Centre.
The game also drew a national total TV audience of 881,000, up 3 per cent on last year’s Legends Game, and up 50 per cent on the 2026 AFL season average on Seven and 7plus Sport.
More than 189,000 people watched on 7plus Sport alone, up 51 per cent from the 125,000 last year.
Gary O’Keeffe, Seven’s head of AFL and sport innovation, said the Four’N Twenty Legends Game was a special match, and the network was honoured to bring it to all Australians to help raise money for prostate cancer research.
“Following its highly successful return in 2025 after a six-year hiatus, this year’s Legends Game brought together the football community to celebrate the game’s past and to get behind a cause that affects thousands of Australian families each year,” O’Keeffe said.
“Three of the greatest to ever play the game in Dustin Martin, Gary Ablett Jnr and Buddy Franklin put on a show, combining for 18 goals and were part of an incredible line-up of footy legends who gave fans an exciting and entertaining match.
“It was only fitting Dusty returned to the field with a best on ground performance, lighting up the field every time he touched the ball.
“It was the perfect lead-in to a massive weekend of finals football which starts tonight, live and free on Seven and 7plus Sport.”
SEN chief Craig Hutchison said the game had exceeded all expectations and delivered a record result for the Australian Prostate Centre.
“To see more than 29,000 fans at Marvel Stadium, 2.38 million Australians tune in on Seven and 7plus, and more than $1.1 million raised for the Australian Prostate Centre is an extraordinary outcome and one we are incredibly proud of,” Hutchison said.
Seven is the only place fans can catch every game of the finals, including the 2026 AFL grand final, live, exclusive and free.
