NFL plays first regular-season game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 9, 2026, 1:59 AM
Last updated Sep 9, 2026
The Los Angeles Rams and the San Francisco 49ers will play a regular-season NFL game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia this week. The event marks the first time the league has hosted a regular-season match in the country, with tickets for the 100,000-capacity venue selling out in minutes. To accommodate a US prime-time audience, the kickoff is scheduled for 10:35 am local time in Melbourne. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell stated the match represents a long-term investment in the Australian market rather than a one-time exhibition. Both teams have adopted different travel strategies to manage the 17-hour time difference, with the 49ers arriving early to acclimatize while the Rams plan to arrive shortly before the game. The match is the second of the new NFL season.
- •The Los Angeles Rams face the San Francisco 49ers at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
- •Tickets for the 100,000-seat venue sold out shortly after becoming available.
- •The game serves as the second fixture of the current NFL season.
- •Local interest is supported by the rapid growth of flag football in Australian schools.
- •The NFL previously established an academy on the Gold Coast in 2024.
- 1:59 AMYahoo Sports — NFL breaks new ground as 100,000 set to pack MCG in Australia
"The growing popularity of American football in Australia will see the NFL play a regular-season game there for the first time when a sellout crowd packs into the 100,000-capacity Melbourne Cricket Ground.The apparent growing interest is driven by the popularity of flag football -- a fast-paced, five-a-side, non-contact version of the game.
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