Katy Perry Confirmed To Headline The 2024 AFL Grand Final Pre-Game Entertainment

It’s official: Katy Perry will headline this year’s AFL Grand Final Pre-Game Entertainment.

After rumours surfaced of the AFL being in “advanced talks” with Perry’s team earlier this month, the news was shared today (25 July) with a social media post reading: “The MCG is set to ‘Roar’ with pop superstar Katy Perry headlining the @Telstra Entertainment at the 2024 Toyota AFL Grand Final.”

Perry, set to release her new album 143 on Friday, 20 September, said of the announcement (via the AFL website), “I’m so excited to be back in Australia and back at the mighty MCG to perform in front of 100,000 of the best and loudest fans in the world at this year’s Toyota AFL Grand Final. See you in September Oi Oi Oi!”

AFL Executive General Manager Customer and Commercial Kylie Rogers added, “Katy Perry is an international music icon who has been entertaining fans with her chart-topping hits for many years, so the AFL is delighted to have her join us at the 2024 Toyota AFL Grand Final in what will be a spectacular Telstra Pre-Game Entertainment performance.”

Perry will headline the Telstra Pre-Game Entertainment at this year’s Toyota AFL Grand Final on Saturday, 28 September.

As for how popular Perry’s set will be is unsure. The singer has been embroiled in controversy over the last few weeks, releasing the controversial single Woman’s World to kickstart her new album era.

Not only has Perry received criticism for having Dr Luke – the producer accused of sexually assaulting singer Kesha – co-write the song but for its false feminist messaging.

In an op-ed for The Music, critic Anna List wrote about Perry’s comeback, “Katy Perry’s legacy used to be a Teenage Dream, but now it’s more of an early mid-life crisis nightmare. Unfortunately for her, Katy Perry is a Barbie Girl in a Woman’s World.”

Katy Perry last toured Australia in August 2018 on her Witness tour. She revisited Australia in March 2020 – not long before the borders closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic – for a performance at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup at the MCG and a bushfire relief concert at the Pioneer Park Recreation Reserve in Bright, Victoria.

Last year, the AFL locked in KISS to headline the Pre-Game Entertainment after Crowded House reportedly dropped out.

The MCG is set to ‘Roar’ with pop superstar Katy Perry headlining the @Telstra Entertainment at the 2024 Toyota AFL Grand Final 🎤

Find out more: https://t.co/THZrSpr1PM pic.twitter.com/pXoHA8rncX

— AFL (@AFL) July 24, 2024