2026 ANZ Premiership – Grand Final Preview

 

The 2026 ANZ Premiership season reaches its climax this weekend as the GoSweetSpot Mystics host the Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel in the Grand Final at The Trusts Arena. 

The Mystics earned hosting rights after finishing top of the ladder and claiming their fourth Minor Premiership, while the Steel booked their place in the decider with a 60-54 Elimination Final victory over the VIP Frames & Trusses Tactix in Invercargill. 

History suggests there is little separating the two sides. The teams are level at 23 wins apiece across 46 meetings since 2008, while the Steel hold a narrow 15-13 advantage in ANZ Premiership encounters. 

The Grand Final also presents an opportunity for both teams to add to their place in ANZ Premiership history. The Mystics are chasing a record fourth title, while the Steel are aiming to claim their first premiership since winning back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018. 

Mystics v Steel 

Saturday 27 June, 7pm at The Trusts Arena, Auckland 

The Mystics and Steel meet in a Grand Final featuring two of the competition's most successful clubs. 

The Mystics enter the decider on the back of a Minor Premiership-winning campaign and a six-match winning streak, while the Steel arrive full of confidence after securing their place in the Grand Final through a polished performance in the Elimination Final. 

The teams last met in Round 8, when the Mystics claimed a 61-53 extra-time victory in Invercargill. 

Key points: 

• The Mystics are chasing a record fourth ANZ Premiership title 

• The Steel are seeking their third ANZ Premiership title and first since 2018 

• The teams are tied at 23 wins each across 46 meetings since 2008 

• Steel head coach Wendy Frew could become the first person to captain and coach a team to an ANZ Premiership title 

• Mystics head coach Tia Winikerei could become the equal most successful coach in ANZ Premiership history with a fourth title 

• Steel defender Carys Stythe will come up against her former teammates, having won premierships with the Mystics in 2023 and 2024 

Grand Final facts 

• The average winning margin in ANZ Premiership Grand Finals is 9.4 goals 

• Two Grand Finals have been decided by one goal, with both ending 54-53 

• Six of the nine previous Grand Finals have been won by the Minor Premiers 

• Four of the nine previous Grand Finals have been won by the home team 

• Only three away teams have won an ANZ Premiership Grand Final 

• Eight of the nine Grand Final winners have won the opening quarter 

Grand Final at a glance 

GoSweetSpot Mystics v Ascot Park Hotel Steel 
Saturday 27 June 
7pm at The Trusts Arena, Auckland 
Live on TVNZ 2 and TVNZ+ 

The winner will be crowned the 2026 ANZ Premiership champion.