Published: Friday 2 October 2026 · Weekend window Fri 2 Oct → Mon 5 Oct · Times AEST through 2am Sun 4 Oct, then AEDT after daylight saving starts. Your phone handles the switch — just set alarms as scheduled.
Four MLB Division Series Game 1s on Sunday morning. Ohio State at Iowa. WNBA semis. NFL Week 4.
If you only pick one Australian viewing weekend of 2026 to actually plan around, this is it. The Major League Baseball Division Series starts with four Game 1s stacked across Sunday morning AEST — Rays, Guardians, Dodgers and Brewers all opening at home. Ohio State plays at Iowa. WNBA semifinals tip off with the #8 Liberty — the first 8-seed to ever beat a 1-seed — facing Atlanta Dream. And the NFL Week 4 slate lands Monday morning. Here’s the complete viewing guide.
Open the TV Guide →
The three biggest things on this weekend
|
🏟️ #1 Watch of the Weekend
MLB Division Series — four Game 1s, Sunday morning AEST |
🏈 #2 College Clash
Ohio State @ Iowa — Sunday 5:30am |
🏀 #3 History Series
Liberty @ Dream — WNBA Semis G1, Monday |
What’s free-to-air this weekend?
Honest answer: Seven’s free-to-air NFL coverage will carry selected Sunday games on 7mate on Monday morning AEST — exact games confirmed in the live TV Guide. Everything else is subscription — MLB playoffs on Disney+ (ESPN) by default, college football and most NFL on Kayo or Disney+ (ESPN), WNBA semis on WNBA League Pass.
Don’t have Disney+ or Kayo? Disney+ is roughly $17.99/month and the single best home for MLB playoffs plus NFL RedZone this October. Kayo offers a 7-day free trial that covers the college football and NFL slate.
Friday 2 October AEST — the launch
Friday morning is the US Thursday night slate landing Down Under. The NFL’s TNF kicks off at 10:15am. NHL has multiple regular-season games in the US Thursday evening = Friday morning AEST.
🏈 NFL — Thursday Night Football
| Time (AEST) | Game | Platform |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 10:15am | Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cleveland Browns (TNF — Aaron Rodgers) | ESPN · Kayo · Disney+ · NFL Game Pass ($) |
🏒 NHL — Friday morning AEST (US Thursday night games)
NHL is now in regular season. Every game on NHL.TV ($). Kayo picks up selected NHL tiles each day (“Kayo only”); ESPN carries other matchups via Disney+. For the full Friday slate with AEST tip-offs and the day’s specific Kayo / Disney+ assignments, use the live TV Guide.
Saturday 3 October AEST — build-up day
Saturday is the quieter US Friday night action. NHL games through the evening, MLS and MLB Wild Card wraps if any Game 3s. The build-up for Sunday morning begins.
⚾ MLB — Wild Card Game 3s (if needed)
If any Wild Card series needed a Game 3, it plays Saturday morning AEST. ESPN via Disney+ (and on Kayo only where confirmed in Kayo’s day fixtures — check the TV Guide). All games also on MLB.TV ($).
🏒 NHL — Saturday morning AEST
Multiple NHL games across the US Friday night slate. See the TV Guide for exact AEST times.
⭐ Sunday 4 October AEST — the massive day
This is the day. Four MLB Division Series Game 1s stacked across the morning. The biggest college football slate of the weekend. NHL afternoon. If you set one alarm this weekend, Sunday morning is where it goes.
⚾ MLB Division Series — FOUR Game 1s
| Time (AEST) | Series | Platform |
|---|---|---|
| Sun ~4:00am | ALDS G1: White Sox @ Guardians (WC winners travel) | ESPN · Disney+ · MLB.TV ($) |
| Sun ~7:00am | NLDS G1: Phillies/Braves winner @ Dodgers | ESPN · Disney+ · MLB.TV ($) |
| Sun ~9:30am | ALDS G1: Yankees @ Rays | ESPN · Disney+ · MLB.TV ($) |
| Sun ~11:30am | NLDS G1: Padres @ Brewers (MLB’s best 103-win team at home) | ESPN · Disney+ · MLB.TV ($) |
⚡ The pick of the four: Yankees @ Rays. Division rivals who went to the wire all summer. Tampa Bay (98-64) earned home-field advantage; Yankees (93-68) are the Wild Card #1. Historic storyline-rich matchup with Aaron Judge and the Tampa pitching staff on display. 9:30am AEST — breakfast baseball at its best.
🏈 College Football — the Saturday slate (lands overnight AEST)
| Time (AEST) | Game | Platform |
|---|---|---|
| Sun 2:00am | Alabama @ Mississippi State (SEC) | ESPN · Kayo · Disney+ |
| Sun 2:00am | Michigan @ Minnesota (Big Ten) | ESPN · Kayo · Disney+ |
| Sun 2:00am | Notre Dame @ North Carolina (ACC) | ESPN · Kayo · Disney+ |
| Sun 5:30am | Ohio State @ Iowa (Big Ten — marquee) | ESPN · Kayo · Disney+ |
| Sun 5:30am | Auburn @ Tennessee (SEC) | ESPN · Kayo · Disney+ |
| Sun 5:30am | Florida @ Missouri (SEC) | ESPN · Kayo · Disney+ |
| Sun 9:00am | Arkansas @ Texas A&M (SEC) | ESPN · Kayo · Disney+ |
| Sun 9:00am | BYU @ TCU (Big 12) | ESPN · Kayo · Disney+ |
| Sun 9:30am | Miami @ Clemson (ACC — marquee) | ESPN · Kayo · Disney+ |
| Sun 9:30am | Washington @ USC (Big Ten) | ESPN · Kayo · Disney+ |
| Sun 9:30am | Texas Tech @ Colorado (Big 12) | ESPN · Kayo · Disney+ |
⚡ The pick of the slate: Ohio State @ Iowa at 5:30am AEST. The Buckeyes bounced back from their Week 2 Texas loss with a 59-3 beatdown of Kent State and need another road win to reinsert themselves in the top three. Iowa plays nasty at Kinnick Stadium — Ohio State hasn’t had an easy trip there in a decade.
One free email every Friday morning. Weekend’s US sport. AEST times. Confirmed platforms — nothing inferred. Free-to-air callouts in bold.
⭐ Monday 5 October AEST — NFL takeover + playoffs continue
Monday morning AEST is the NFL Week 4 Sunday slate landing. Fourteen games across the morning. Meanwhile MLB Division Series Game 2s continue and the WNBA semifinals open.
🏈 NFL Week 4 — the Sunday slate
| Time (AEST) | Game | Platform |
|---|---|---|
| Mon ~12:30am | Colts @ Commanders (early US slot) | ESPN · Kayo · Disney+ · NFL Game Pass ($) |
| Mon ~4:00am | Titans @ Ravens · Patriots @ Bills · Jets @ Bears · Jaguars @ Bengals · Cowboys @ Texans · Cardinals @ Giants · Rams @ Eagles · Packers @ Buccaneers | ESPN · Kayo · Disney+ · selected on 7mate · NFL Game Pass ($) |
| Mon ~7:00am | Dolphins @ Vikings (early arvo US) | ESPN · Kayo · Disney+ · selected on 7mate · NFL Game Pass ($) |
| Mon ~7:25am | Chiefs @ Raiders · Chargers @ Seahawks · Broncos @ 49ers | ESPN · Kayo · Disney+ · selected on 7mate · NFL Game Pass ($) |
| Mon ~11:20am | Lions @ Panthers (Sunday Night Football) | ESPN · Kayo · Disney+ · 7mate · NFL Game Pass ($) |
⚡ The civilised pick: Broncos @ 49ers at 7:25am AEST on Channel 7’s expected morning slot. Breakfast NFL, two legitimate playoff teams, 49ers coming off the MCG win plus Week 3. Also keep an eye on Chiefs @ Raiders — Las Vegas sitting 3-0 and the AFC West could blow wide open with another Raiders win.
⚾ MLB Division Series — Game 2s
| Time (AEST) | Series | Platform |
|---|---|---|
| Mon ~7:00am | NLDS G2: Padres @ Brewers | ESPN · Disney+ · MLB.TV ($) |
| Mon ~11:00am | NLDS G2: Phillies/Braves winner @ Dodgers | ESPN · Disney+ · MLB.TV ($) |
🏀 WNBA Semifinals — Game 1
| Time (AEST) | Series | Platform |
|---|---|---|
| Mon (TBC) | Liberty @ Dream G1 (Aussie vs Aussie: Rebecca Allen vs Isobel Borlase) | WNBA League Pass ($) · ESPN/Kayo selections confirmed in TV Guide |
⚡ The storyline here is big. New York are the first 8-seed in WNBA history to beat a 1-seed — they swept the Minnesota Lynx. Rebecca Allen has been a key piece for Jonquel Jones and the Liberty. Atlanta’s Isobel Borlase comes in off dispatching Washington’s Georgia Amoore in Round 1. Two Aussies, best-of-5, Jonquel Jones in the paint for New York. Appointment viewing for Australian basketball fans.
🏒 NHL — Monday afternoon slate
The NHL US Sunday afternoon slate lands early Monday AEST. Five confirmed games including Jets @ Red Wings, Mammoth @ Rangers, Flames @ Kraken, Panthers @ Ducks, and Golden Knights @ Canucks. Every game on NHL.TV ($). Kayo picks up selected NHL tiles as “Kayo only” game-by-game; ESPN carries other matchups via Disney+. The TV Guide shows which goes where.
Setting your alarms — a condensed cheat sheet
| When | What | Who it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 10:15am | Steelers @ Browns TNF | Casual NFL fans at work |
| Sun 5:30am | Ohio State @ Iowa | Early-morning CFB fans |
| Sun 9:30am | Yankees @ Rays ALDS G1 | Breakfast baseball — THE pick |
| Sun 11:30am | Padres @ Brewers NLDS G1 | Watching MLB’s 103-win team at home |
| Mon 7:25am | Broncos @ 49ers | Civilised-hour NFL |
| Mon 11:20am | Lions @ Panthers SNF | Lunchtime NFL |
| Mon TBC | Liberty @ Dream WNBA Semi G1 | Aussie basketball fans |
How to watch — your three paths
Already have Disney+? This is the home of the MLB playoffs in Australia — every Division Series game lands on Disney+ by default, as part of ESPN’s coverage. You also get NFL RedZone live Monday morning AEST (3:00am-10:00am) for the whip-around of every Sunday game, plus ESPN’s NFL and college football coverage.
Already subscribe to Kayo? You’re set for college football, most NFL games, selected NHL and WNBA, and any MLB playoff game Kayo picks up in its carousel (confirmed day by day in the TV Guide — not every game, so cross-check before you plan the Sunday morning). Add games to your Kayo watch list.
Only free-to-air? Seven’s 7mate carries selected NFL Sunday games Monday morning plus Sunday Night Football (SNF). No MLB playoffs or college football on free-to-air. If you’re a one-sport NFL fan, 7mate on Monday morning is your home. If you want more — Kayo’s 7-day free trial covers you for this weekend.
For a full guide: How to Watch NFL in Australia · How to Watch MLB in Australia · How to Watch WNBA in Australia · How to Watch NHL in Australia
Looking ahead — the week after this
Tue 6 Oct AEST (Mon 5 Oct US) — ALDS Game 2s: White Sox @ Guardians and Yankees @ Rays. NFL Monday Night Football: Falcons @ Saints.
Wed 7 Oct AEST — NHL regular season now in full flow. Capitals vs Pittsburgh (Ovechkin’s 22nd home opener).
Thu-Sun 8-11 Oct AEST — NFL Week 5 begins Thu Oct 8 US (Tampa Bay @ Dallas TNF). College football Week 7 includes Georgia vs Alabama and Texas vs Oklahoma (Red River Rivalry). Season gets busier.
Every Friday morning AEST. The weekend’s US sport. Platform confirmations. AEST times. Free-to-air callouts. Pick of the day. Zero fluff.
Published Friday 2 October 2026 at 9:15am AEST. MLB playoff schedule confirmed via CBS Sports. NFL Week 4 schedule via NFLSchedules.com. College football slate via FBSchedules.com. WNBA semis via NBC San Diego. All times AEST, converted from US Eastern. Specific channel splits for Channel 7 and 7mate confirmed in the live TV Guide. Mac Johannson covers US sports for Australian fans.
