US superstar Katy Perry headlines the song-and-dance spectacle before the 2024 Grand Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, in one of the “most highly anticipated AFL pre-game entertainment shows in history”.

Performing a 15-minute set before the first-ever Sydney Swans and Brisbane Lions clash in the AFL era, Perry, 39, will be supported by Christine Anu and her daughter, Zipporah Corser-Anu for the First Nations ceremony alongside the Songlines Youth Choir.

Rumours swirled that Australian singer, Tina Arena, was a last minute inclusion on the card.

The national anthem will be sung by Commonwealth Games medallist, Cody Simpson, who is out of the pool and back on the guitar, while the unofficial AFL anthem, Up There Cazaly, will be performed by the enduring Mike Brady.

With an expected crowd of close to 100,000 fans at the MCG, official broadcaster, Seven, says Perry’s production will include “innovations” never before seen on the Grand Final stage.

She wanted to make history with lions, dancing sharks, glowing orbs and fireworks exploding at her 2015 Super Bowl halftime show, riding atop a giant gold tiger (or lion).

And it sounds like we will be getting our very own Super Bowl performance.

“You’re going to get me on some contraption, whether that’s flying or riding around … we put a lot of blood, swear and tears into performances,” she told The Fox’s Fifi, Fev & Nick on Thursday morning.

“It’s going to be beautiful, elevated, nostalgic and future-forward.

“It’ll be almost 10 years since I did something like this in the States, and to be able to do something like this again after so long, that doesn’t always happen for an artist so I’m super stoked,” she said at a press conference on Thursday at the MCG.

As for the former Young Talent Time singer? Perry is tight-lipped.

She told Seven’s Sunrise it was “a favourite Australian artist that I look up to”.

“She is going to be singing a little bit with me, and I’ll be singing a little bit with her.

“I’ve been sworn to secrecy, locked up, chains [maybe a reference to Arena’s 1994 hit]”.

With last-minute controversy around singing Roar in her set – because some believed it would favour the Lions – and sticking to her hits instead of new material, Perry says we’re in for a “massive show with all the singalong songs”.

“I have to cut my song Roar out of the set because it’s not fair … that’s what everybody says!” she said.

“You need to play it!” Fev replied.

“OK, I’ll play it. I’ll play it!” Perry said, smiling, adding that was a “crazy conspiracy”.

She later confirmed that she will belt out Roar.

Perry, who last performed Roar and Firework at the MCG ahead of the 2020 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, is expected to get the crowd in the mood between 1pm and 1.30pm AEST.

What time does the game start?

The Sydney Swans and the Brisbane Lions will face each other on Saturday, September 28, at 2.30pm in the ACT, NSW, Queensland, Tasmania and Victoria, at 2pm for South Australia and the Northern Territory and at 12.30pm for Western Australia.

It will be the first time they have played in a Grand Final since relocating or merging, and just the second since they clashed in the 1899 Grand Final as South Melbourne and Fitzroy.

Watch the game

Fans in Australia can watch the game on Seven and 7Plus in 1080p HD and it will also be streamed live on the AFL Live official App on mobile and tablet devices.

Radio networks Triple M, SEN, the ABC and AFL Nation will broadcast the game, with FOX Footy and Kayo Sports picking up post-match analysis from 6pm.

How’s the weather ?

Temperatures will reach the low- to mid-20s for the opening bounce on Saturday afternoon, the Bureau of Meteorology said.