The National Football League (NFL) announced a historic multi-year commitment to play regular season games in Melbourne, Australia, starting in 2026. This marks the first time an NFL game will be held on Australian soil, with the Los Angeles Rams designated as the home team for the inaugural match at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). According to ABC News Australia, the exact date and the opposing team will be announced at a later date.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell expressed enthusiasm about the expansion into Australia. "Expanding to Melbourne, Australia, a beautiful city with a rich sports history, underscores our ambitions to become a global sport and accelerate international growth," Goodell said, as reported by Nine.com.au.
"We're thrilled the NFL will be touching down in the sporting capital of Australia," Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said, according to ABC News Australia. "It's a win for jobs, a win for businesses, and a win for fans who will be able to see American football at the iconic MCG."
The Melbourne Cricket Ground, known for hosting major sporting events, can host more than 100,000 attendees.
Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke expressed excitement about the historic trip to Australia. "We were the first to raise our hand, we couldn't be more excited," he said, according to Deadline. "We want to play our first game in Australia."
The Rams have been building toward this opportunity since being awarded marketing rights in Australia as part of the NFL's Global Markets Program in 2021. The program grants teams international marketing rights to generate brand awareness and fandom through fan engagement, events, and business opportunities.
The NFL's decision to expand into Australia reflects the growing popularity of American football in the country. According to El Universal, the league stated that Australia is an important global market, with a growing fan base of over 7 million.
Australian players have also made an impact in the NFL. Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman Jordan Mailata, a former junior rugby league player from Sydney, is one of several Australians in the league. He has been an advocate for bringing NFL games to Australia. "It'd mean everything to bring a game back home," Mailata said. "I really want this game to grow back home, so if we can bring a game back there to generate interest and keep the growth of the game going, that'd mean a lot to me."
The NFL has been working on developing American football in Australia over the past few years. The league launched a Flag Football program in Australia, which has a presence in over 300 schools and has taken Australian teams to international tournaments. Additionally, the NFL established an academy on the Gold Coast designed for young athletes aged 12 to 18, aiming to develop local talent and pave the way for Australian players in the NFL.
"This is a big statement," Peter O'Reilly, the NFL's executive vice president. "Probably a few years ago, you may not have thought this was a reality. There's a commitment to become a true global sport property. That means expanding our footprint, that means going to different parts of the world and exposing more fans around the world, in this case fans in Australia and Melbourne, to our great sport."
The NFL has previously held games in cities such as London, Munich, Frankfurt, São Paulo, and Mexico City. BBC News reports that in 2025, the NFL will celebrate a record eight games abroad, including three regular season games in London, one in Berlin, and one in Madrid.
Melbourne's selection as the host city underscores its status as Australia's sporting, cultural, and events capital. The city is set to kick off the 2025 Formula 1 Grand Prix with 450,000 fans and has an impressive lineup of major events, including the Australian Open, the Melbourne Cup, and the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival. According to Travel And Tour World, visitors to Melbourne can explore stunning street art, world-class dining, and seamless access to natural attractions like the Great Ocean Road.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.