In an exciting development, the NFL will hold its first regular season game at the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground. The LA Rams will serve as the home team for this milestone 2026 game. The opposing team will be announced at a later date.
“Expanding to Melbourne, Australia, a beautiful city with a rich sports history, underlines our ambitions to become a global sport and accelerate international growth,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to NFL.com.
Australian NFL fans – numbering 6.6 million – greeted this announcement with huge excitement. “We’re thrilled the NFL will be touching down in the sporting capital of Australia. Victoria is now the first-ever state in Australia to host a regular season NFL game,” said Premier of Victoria Jacinta Allan to NFL.com.
Australian-born Eagles tackle Jordan Mailata shared his thoughts: “The more the merrier… It’s going to be awesome to have the NFL in Australia,” he told NFL.com.
Since 2022, when the NFL set up shop on the Gold Coast, they’ve worked to grow American football’s popularity. Their Flag football program started that same year, getting locals interested.
This Australian game joins 55 other international regular season games in NFL history. Current rules let up to eight games happen outside the U.S. each year.
Through the Global Markets Program, both the Rams and Eagles can now grow their fan base in Australia. The NFL will reveal the Rams’ opponent and specific game details in the months ahead.
Sydney last hosted NFL action during a 1999 American Bowl preseason game. This upcoming match will be Australia’s first real NFL regular season action.
The league boosted its Asia-Pacific presence by starting NFL Academy APAC in 2024, opening doors for young athletes across the region.
Mailata shows what Australians can do in American football. His impressive journey includes 57 starts since 2018, making him Australia’s first two-time Super Bowl player.
To start the 2024-2025 NFL season, the Philadelphia Eagles hosted their home opener in Brazil. Maybe we will see them travel to Mailata’s home country this coming season.