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The Northern Territory's proposal to host games with crowds this year has given AFL boss Gillon McLachlan hope that spectators could be back in 2020.

The Northern Territory's bold proposal to host games with crowds this year has given AFL boss Gillon McLachlan an unexpected lift.

Australian sporting codes had all but resigned hope of staging matches with spectators in 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

But with just 28 confirmed coronavirus cases in the Northern Territory, the government is already moving to ease restrictions.

McLachlan conceded having AFL fans in the stands this year still remains unlikely, but the improving health situation in the top end was encouraging.

"I don't think anyone contemplated that," he told Triple M of the Northern Territory's plans to resume sport with crowds from June 5.

"People have flagged it's unlikely (that spectators will be allowed in this year) but when we've seen what's happened in Darwin we don't rule anything out."

Chief minister Michael Gunner has pushed the Northern Territory's case as the "safest place in Australia".

A day after Gunner declared the Top End should be a "massive attraction" for the AFL, Northern Territory's sport minister Lauren Moss further talked up the prospects.

"In terms of our ability generally to be a Hub for the AFL - absolutely I think we could," she told ABC Radio.

"The expectation first and foremost is we want to protect the health of Territorians - that is always going to be our first priority.

"They would need to guarantee safety, just like we've done."

The AFL is considering putting clubs into isolation hubs for up to 20 weeks to restart the season, but McLachlan says that remains the "most extreme scenario".

Every state and territory has been considered for a potential Hub base during recent weeks.

There were originally two matches scheduled for the Northern Territory in 2020 - one in Darwin and the other at Alice Springs' Traeger Park.