Eddie McGuire’s Tuesday night edition of “Footy Classified” is reportedly set to be scrapped as Nine prepares to overhaul its AFL programming ahead of the 2027 season.
According to the Herald Sun, the network has decided to discontinue the midweek edition of the long-running football analysis program, ending McGuire’s regular hosting duties on the show.
The reported decision comes despite strong audience growth for the Tuesday edition, which features McGuire alongside James Hird and Cal Twomey. According to figures released by Nine, the program recorded a 27% year-on-year increase in broadcast video on demand (BVOD) viewership, with a total TV audience of 154,000.
Nine also reported that “Footy Classified” was the highest-rating AFL program on both Monday and Tuesday nights across all networks.
The Monday night edition, featuring Sam McClure, Matthew Lloyd, Jimmy Bartel and Damian Barrett, is expected to remain on Nine’s schedule in 2027.
The reported changes come amid increasing competition in the AFL television landscape, particularly from Seven’s “The Agenda Setters”, which expanded to three nights a week in 2026.
While McGuire’s regular on-screen role on “Footy Classified” appears to be coming to an end, his involvement with Nine is far from over.
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His production company, JAM TV, produces both “Footy Classified” and “Footy Furnace”, with the latter reportedly set for an expanded presence as Nine reshapes its football coverage.
McGuire is also expected to retain a significant role with the network, including hosting its Melbourne Cup Carnival coverage and contributing to special football broadcasts.
The shake up follows a period of heightened competition between Australia’s AFL broadcasters, with Seven strengthening its football commentary lineup under sports director Chris Jones.
“The Agenda Setters”, featuring former “Footy Classified” panellist Caroline Wilson and Kane Cornes, has become a prominent part of Seven’s expanded football coverage.
Nine’s reported decision also marks another chapter in the evolution of “Footy Classified”, which launched in 2007 with Craig Hutchison and Wilson among its original panellists.
McGuire, a former Nine Network CEO and longtime host of “The Footy Show”, joined the program’s expanded Wednesday night edition in 2020. That edition subsequently shifted to Tuesdays to avoid a scheduling clash with Seven’s “The Front Bar”, hosted by Mick Molloy and Sam Pang.
Despite the reported cancellation, Nine is expected to maintain a substantial AFL programming presence in 2027.
The network’s “Sunday Footy Show”, featuring Tony Jones, Matthew Lloyd, Nathan Brown and Damian Barrett, is also set to return, alongside the continuing Monday edition of “Footy Classified”.