AFL announces landmark broadcast deal

Channel Seven and Foxtel will remain the home of AFL football on television for the next decade, as part of a record-breaking broadcast deal announced on Tuesday.

With two years left to run on the current $473 million dollar per year deal with the free to air and pay TV providers, the new broadcast arrangement will be worth $673 million from 2025.

The new deal is worth 4.5 billion dollars over seven years, expiring at the end of 2031.

"This partnership is an incredible result, unprecedented and the biggest in Australian sport," AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said.

From 2025, Channel Seven will show at least three games per week on free-to-air channels, while Foxtel and its streaming arm Kayo Sports will broadcast all nine AFL and AFLW matches a round under the new agreement.

All AFL finals will be on free-to-air TV, while Seven will also show all 15 Thursday night games.

Foxtel and Kayo will have exclusive rights to Saturday games for the first eight rounds of the seven seasons.

The AFL sought bids from other consortiums including Nine and its streaming arm Stan, and the Ten Network and Paramount Plus.

McLachlan said he wanted to thank the competing partners.

"We reached the right commercial deal for our supporters and our clubs and our players and our communities. I think our long term history counts," he said.

Foxtel has been broadcasting the AFL since 2002, while Seven has been broadcasting the game continuously since 2007.

IMAGE: Zero Hanger.