Married At First Sight (MAFS) 2026 hasn’t started yet, but groom Chris Nield is already at the centre of drama. After Channel Nine released a new trailer sharing scenes from his wedding, past contestants and fans were shocked by his “fat-shaming” comments.
“If I turn around and see a short, overweight blonde girl, I’m gone,” he says in the promo. Yikes. We bet the experts are going to have a field day with this groom.
Former bride Katie Johnston was quick to comment on Instagram, saying: “Urgh, he sounds charming”.
“Ridiculous judgy men,” a fan added.
“Wtf? As opposed to a short, overweight brunette? What a stupid twat,” another wrote.
“New dog, old tricks,” a viewer chimed in.
The groom doesn’t have much of a social media presence, but we’ve rounded up all the information we’ve found on him below.
What does MAFS’ Chris Nield do for work?
The MAFS 2026 groom is an AFL player. He previously played for Goulburn Valley, but was suspended in 2024 after an AFL Victoria salary cap investigation. He has also played for the Huonville Lions, Hobart Football Club, Airport West, and the Kingsborough Tigers FC.
The athlete made the news in 2025 when he allegedly made “violent threats” towards MAFS Funny host Joshua Fox, who was asking about his AFL past, as reported in The Australian.
Chris is “a true Aussie bloke”
Despite all the controversy surrounding Chris, friends told Daily Mail he is “a true Aussie bloke”, describing him as “humble, hardworking and fiercely loyal”. The publication also reported that producers believe he’s the MAFS 2026 “strong [and] dependable” groom.
Who is Chris matched with on MAFS 2026?
Chris is matched with Brook Compton, who seems like his type. The part-time model and talent acquisition specialist is petite and brunette, and appears to be the life of the party.
It seems like Chris is going to be the centre of the MAFS 2026 drama, but it will be interesting to see if the experts put him in his place.
MAFS 2026 premieres on Monday, February 2 at 7.30pm on Channel 9 and 9Now.
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