The NFL announced on Feb. 5 that the Los Angeles Ram will play a regular season game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground next year
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The NFL is giong Down Under!
On Wednesday, Feb. 5, the NFL confirmed in a press release that they will be playing their first ever game in Australia in 2026.
The move is part of a “multiyear commitment” to play regular season games in the city of Melbourne, starting in 2026, as the NFL continues their efforts to reach “new markets around the world.”
The Los Angeles Rams have been selected to play in the league’s first regular season game in Australia, which will be held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
The Rams’ opposing team and game date are set to be announced at a later time.
Sharing a poster on X, the football team wrote, “G’Day, Melbourne! See ya in 2026.”
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According to the NFL, the Rams and the Philadelphia Eagles hold marketing rights in Australia. This is part of the league’s Global Markets Program, which provides NFL clubs with international marketing rights to grow brand awareness and a larger fan base outside of the U.S.
“When we first identified Australia as one of our global markets, it was not only because of our passionate fans who reside there, but also because of the important role Los Angeles plays in serving as a gateway to Australia and many countries across the Pacific,” Los Angeles Rams Owner and Chairman E. Stanley Kroenke said in a statement.
“Expanding to Melbourne, Australia, a beautiful city with a rich sports history, underlines our ambitions to become a global sport and accelerate international growth,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell added. “Together with the Victorian State Government, Visit Victoria and the Melbourne Cricket Ground, and with the Los Angeles Rams in 2026, we look forward to making history in what is an important market for the NFL and a significant next step in expanding our international footprint.”
Australian politician Jacinta Allan, who is the premier of Victoria, stated, “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.”
Allan added, “It’s a win for jobs, a win for businesses and a win for fans who will get to see American football played at the iconic MCG.”
The NFL says Australia has a growing fan base of 6.6 million, making it a strong global market for the game.
There have been 55 international regular season games in NFL history. Host cities include São Paulo, London, Munich, Frankfurt, Mexico City and Toronto.
Hosting their first NFL game in September 2024, a fan in Brazil’s São Paulo told PEOPLE at the time, “I had to ditch work.”
Luisa Santos continued, “But I was able to attend and that’s the most exciting part,” while Fernando Rocha added, “We can’t believe we’re here.”
The NFL, which can now schedule up to eight league-operated international regular season games per season, also have future international games scheduled in London, Berlin and Madrid.
