The divisive and controversial AFL wild card spherical is a actuality, with the league confirming it is going to give groups ranked ninth and tenth a chance to win the premiership from subsequent season.

All golf equipment have been informed the league will implement what is actually an additional week of finals, beginning in 2026.

The AFL confirmed it will implement the change within the coming days when it will additionally launch the fixture for subsequent season.

The wildcard spherical, an concept taken from the NBA, will pit the group that finishes seventh on the ladder within the home-and-away season in opposition to tenth.

The opposite wildcard sport would be the eighth group in opposition to the ninth.

“We’re thrilled to ship followers an additional weekend of finals footy, whereas giving extra golf equipment and gamers the chance to play finals footy and win a Premiership,” AFL chief govt Andrew Dillon stated in an announcement.

“The Wildcard Finals Spherical displays our ongoing dedication to evolve our competitors construction, constructing on current additions like Collect Spherical and AFL Origin, making certain our sport continues to develop.

“This additionally signifies that all groups that end within the high eight of ten will host a house last, giving followers an opportunity to see their membership play at residence in September.”

Each video games will happen on the weekend that’s at present put aside for the pre-finals bye.

The winners can be seeded seventh and eighth within the finals, with the remainder of the four-week sequence remaining because it has since 2000.

If the wildcard spherical was in place this 12 months, seventh-placed Gold Coast would have hosted Sydney (tenth), and Hawthorn (eighth) would have performed the Western Bulldogs (ninth).

AAP/ABC