Everything you need to know about the MasterChef Australia 2026 finale

The MasterChef Australia 2026 finale is almost here, bringing the season to a close after weeks of intense cooking and emotional eliminations.

It’s an all-male affair this year, with Petro Papathomas and Vinnie Gibaldi battling for the MasterChef trophy and the $250,000 cash prize in one of reality TV’s biggest nights.

If you’re a MasterChef Australia fan, a reality TV viewer planning to watch live, or just looking for the key finale details in one place, you’ll find the date and time, the lead-up challenges and events, what to expect from the grand finale cook-off, and a look back at memorable winners and moments from past finales.

When is the MasterChef Australia 2026 finale?

The MasterChef Australia finale will air on Sunday, August 9, 2026 at 7:30pm on Channel 10 and 10Play.

What happens before the MasterChef Australia 2026 finale?

Although there’s only two cooks left in the competition, we’ve still got a handful of episodes to go.

On Sunday, August 2, the remaining trio got a brief break from the intense pressure, for one of the fans’ favourite episodes, The Fun One. The tables were turned as the Top 3 contestants judged dishes cooked by Poh Ling Yeow and Jean-Christophe Novelli, before taking them on in a cooking challenge. Sofia Levin sat out the challenge, as she’s not technically a chef, while Andy Allen was still on paternity leave.

Then, on Monday, August 3, the competition was back on for the MasterChef semi-final. Petro, Aaron and Vinnie each delivered a two-course fine dining menu for the judges and 20 diners, with new dad Andy Allen making an emotional return to the MasterChef kitchen to mentor the Top 3 and help run the pass. Aaron was sent home in the semi-final, making way for final two Vinnie and Petro.

What will happen in the MasterChef Australia 2026 grand finale?

The MasterChef Australia Grand Finale kicks off with a Mystery Box challenge, where the finalists have 75 minutes to create a dish using ingredients inspired by some of the special guest judges who have appeared throughout the season.

Then comes the final challenge, with internationally acclaimed pastry chef Cherish Finden making her MasterChef debut.

Best known as a judge on Bake Off: The Professionals, Cherish sets the finalists the daunting task of recreating her spectacular Chinese Afternoon Tea. They’ll have five hours to perfectly replicate all three of her intricate desserts, made up of nine petit gateaux in total.

Like previous episodes, the finale will also bring back former contestants, who’ll watch on from the gantry as the finalists cook their dishes. But for those wondering, third place-getter Aaron exclusively told Chattr that the eliminees on the balcony do not get to indulge on the grand final-worthy meals.

“All the food stays on the floor, so those guys were literally just watching everyone eat,” Aaron told Chattr.

After one final marathon cook, one contestant will be crowned the winner of MasterChef Australia 2026.

Are there any indications about who wins ahead of the finale?

While viewers will have to wait until the MasterChef Australia 2026 finale airs on Sunday, August 9, to officially find out who wins, there have been a few clues about who it might be.

Firstly, a Facebook poll, which racked up hundreds of votes, made it clear that viewers believe Petro is the frontrunner to take out the competition.

However, his fellow MasterChef contestants don’t necessarily agree. Annabel told Chattr in an exclusive interview that she thinks Vinnie could be the winner.

“He’s improved the most out of anyone. I think if you look back, a lot of the people who win are the ones who’ve come the furthest,” she said.

You can find out more about all the clues pointing to the MasterChef Australia 2026 leaked winner here.

What happened in the MasterChef Australia 2025 finale?

Laura Sharrad won with Callum Hann coming in as runner up, scoring 80 out of 90, compared to Callum’s 73 over two rounds of competition.

In the first round, Laura and Callum started with a “flavour pairing knock-out” challenge, which saw them tie with a score of 38 out of 40 apiece. Callum chose an oyster dish while Laura opted for a potato, rosemary, and samphire risotto.

She forged ahead in the final Pressure Test that was set by Filipino-Australian pastry guest chef Miko Aspiras, who tasked the only two contestants left with recreating his signature “Botanical Garden” dessert.

“This is the most surreal feeling in the whole entire world, I’m just truly so proud of myself for coming back for a third time and completely setting myself up for heartbreak, and pulling off what I never really thought I could do,” Laura said through tears upon being crowned the winner of the tough season.

What happened in the MasterChef 2024 finale?

The MasterChef Australia 2024 finale was between Josh ‘Pezza’ Perry and Nat Thaipun. Nat took out the win with a score of 71 compared to Josh’s 68.

“I couldn’t believe it, I was in shock to be honest, especially having my family there as well, I couldn’t believe it,” she told 10.com.au of her win.

What happened in the MasterChef 2023 finale?

Brent and Rhiannon went head to head in the MasterChef 2023 finale, with returnee Brent snatching the win with a score of with 63 points over her 52 points.

“This is a big win, but it isn’t just for me. Honestly, it’s for every single person who backed me, who reached out and shared their hard stuff and stories with me, it’s for all those who never gave up,” the cook wrote in an Instagram post celebrating his win.

“This win is for us and I couldn’t be happier than I am right now in this moment!!”

Stream MasterChef on 10Play.