When will AFL Grand Final pre-game entertainment with Snoop Dogg start and which songs?

We’ve come a long way from Daryl Somers singing Waltzing Matilda. (The Grand Final attendees of 1987 had it tough.)

Nowadays, the AFL spends the big bucks to bring out big names for the Grand Final pre-game entertainment, with an international act headlining for the fourth straight year.

In 2025, hip-hop legend Snoop Dogg is the main event at the MCG before the AFL Grand Final.

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Here’s everything you need to know about the D-O-double G’s performance.

AFL GRAND FINAL ULTIMATE GUIDE: Every big question about the big game answered

WHAT TIME DOES SNOOP DOGG’S AFL GRAND FINAL PRE-GAME ENTERTAINMENT START?

The 2025 AFL Grand Final starts at 2:30pm AEST on Saturday September 27 at the MCG.

The pre-game entertainment featuring Snoop Dogg is likely to start between 1pm and 1:30pm AEST, with details TBC.

HOW CAN I WATCH SNOOP DOGG AT THE AFL GRAND FINAL?

You can watch Snoop Dogg’s performance live on Seven and 7Plus, if you’re in Australia.

The Grand Final can be streamed using the 7Plus app (if your device has the live TV feature enabled) but is only available up to 1080p quality (depending on the speed of your internet connection) and won’t be shown in 4K.

These devices are compatible: Computer web browser, Foxtel IQ (Gen 3-5 boxes), Hubbl, iOS devices (iPhone and iPad), Android devices (both phones and tablets), VIDAA OS TVs (Hisense & Toshiba), Roku TCL TVs, Amazon Fire TV, Telstra TV, Fetch TV, Apple TV (4th Generation and newer), Android TV (compatible with Google-certified Android TV OS), Samsung TV (compatible with Samsung Tizen OS), PlayStation 4 and 5, Chromecast and LG TV (models released in 2017 and newer).

Otherwise to watch it live on TV you will need free-to-air channels, or even a simple antenna plugged into the coaxial input on your TV.

If you’re outside of Australia, you can watch the Grand Final as well as Fox Footy coverage and TV shows on WatchAFL.

WHICH SONGS WILL SNOOP DOGG PERFORM AT THE AFL GRAND FINAL?

Based on last year’s performance by Katy Perry, when the AFL paid $5 million for around 20 minutes and (parts of) eight songs, Snoop Dogg is expected to play the hits on Grand Final day.

That means the likes of Who Am I (What’s My Name?), Drop It Like It’s Hot, Gin and Juice, Beautiful and Young, Wild & Free should be in the mix.

When Snoop Dogg performed at the Super Bowl, he performed The Next Episode and California Love, the latter a tribute to 2Pac.

And maybe the AFL has asked Katy Perry to stick around from last year so Snoop can perform his verse from California Gurls?

There’s no word on whether he’ll do the Menulog song.

WHO WILL PERFORM ALONG WITH SNOOP DOGG AT THE AFL GRAND FINAL?

Snoop Dogg will be joined by Australian artists Tash Sultana, who will be part of his band on guitar, plus Baker Boy, a choir featuring Emma Donovan and Kee’ahn, and Mike Brady.

Singer-songwriter Vera Blue will perform the national anthem.

WHAT IS THE CONTROVERSY ABOUT SNOOP DOGG PERFORMING AT THE AFL GRAND FINAL?

Some have criticised the pricetag with Snoop Dogg being paid up to $5 million to perform as the Grand Final headliner, the same fee that Katy Perry got last year.

But the biggest issue was the contrast with the AFL’s ruling on Adelaide superstar Izak Rankine using a homophobic slur.

Rankine was suspended for four matches for using the slur and critics pointed out Snoop Dogg had used the same word, amid other misogynistic and offensive lyrics, in past songs and performances.

Then Snoop Dogg went on a podcast and made controversial comments about same-sex couples which were viewed as insensitive, at best.

Others questioned whether the rapper was appropriate for the mainstream audience that watches the Grand Final.

“We cannot vouch for every lyric in every song ever written or performed by any artist who has appeared on our stage — Australian or international,” AFL CEO Andrew Dillon said.

“What I can say is that our pre-match entertainment on AFL Grand Final day will be family-friendly and consistent with the audience at the MCG and those watching the broadcast.”

WHO WERE THE PAST AFL GRAND FINAL ENTERTAINMENT ACTS?

Headliners only

2024: Katy Perry

2023: KISS

2022: Robbie Williams

2021: John Butler/Eskimo Joe

2020: Mixed Australian acts

2019: Tones and I

2018: Jimmy Barnes and the Black Eyed Peas

2017: The Killers

2016: Sting and The Living End

2015: Chris Isaak, Ellie Goulding and Bryan Adams

2014: Ed Sheeran and Tom Jones

2013: Birds of Tokyo and Hunters & Collectors

2012: Tim Rogers and Paul Kelly

2011: Meat Loaf

2010: INXS and Lionel Richie (Grand Final replay)

2009: Mark Seymour, Jimmy Barnes and John Farnham

2008: AC/DC and Powderfinger

2007: Jet

2006: Brian Mannix, John Paul Young, Sean Kelly, Daryl Braithwaite, Joe Camilleri and Shane Howard

2005: Michael Buble and Dame Edna Everage

2004: The Ten Tenors, David Hobson and Kath and Kim

2003: The cast of We Will Rock You

2002: Killing Heidi

2001: Men at Work, INXS and Vanessa Amorosi

2000: The Idea of North, Trish Delaney-Brown, Megan Corson, Andrew Piper and Nick Begie, Mike Brady, Russell Morris and Rick Price

1999: Human Nature (performing Waltzing Matilda)

1998: Mark Seymour, Rob Guest, Jane Scali and Michael Cormick (performing Waltzing Matilda)

1997: James Morrison, Tommy Emmanuel, Tommy Tycho, Nathan Cavaleri and Marina Prior (performing Waltzing Matilda) and Kelley Abbey

1996: Daryl Somers, Normie Rowe, Venetta Feilds, Slim Dusty, Lindsay Field, Maroochy Barambah, Glenn Shorrock, Diana Trask, Barry Crocker, Lisa Edwards, Noel Watson and John Farnham (performing Waltzing Matilda)

1995: John Paul Young

1994: Debra Byrne and The Seekers (who also performed Waltzing Matilda)

1993: Maroochy Barambah, Archie Roach and Yothu Yindi

1992: Joan Carden

1991: Daryl Braithwaite and Angry Anderso

1990: Normie Rowe and Lucy Gale

1989: John Farnham (performing Waltzing Matilda)

1988: Noel Watson (performing Waltzing Matilda)

1987: Daryl Somers (performing Waltzing Matilda)

1986: Olivia Newton-John (performing Waltzing Matilda)

1985: Diana Trask (performing Waltzing Matilda)

1984: Slim Dusty (performing Waltzing Matilda)

1983: Glenn Shorrock (performing Waltzing Matilda)

1982: Rolf Harris (performing Waltzing Matilda)

1981: Jon English (performing Waltzing Matilda)

1980: Peter Allen

1979: Mike Brady and John Farnham

1978: Keith Michell (performing The Impossible Dream)

1977: Barry Crocker (performing The Impossible Dream)