The National Football League (NFL) announced plans to bring its regular season to Australia for the first time in 2026, with the Los Angeles Rams serving as the designated home team in a matchup that will likely mark the season opener for both teams. The game will be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), a 100,000-capacity stadium. The NFL cited Australia's growing fan base of 6.6 million as a key reason for expanding its international presence.
NEW ORLEANS — The NFL announced Wednesday that it will play its first-ever game in Australia in 2026 as part of its ongoing expansion into international markets. The regular-season matchup will take place at the 100,000-capacity Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) with the Los Angeles Rams designated as the home team. The game is likely to serve as the season opener for both teams. Australia is a significant market for the NFL , boasting a growing fan base of 6.6 million, according to the league.
'This is a momentous step that underscores our global growth ambitions and the vision to take our game to new corners of the world,' said Peter O'Reilly, the NFL's executive vice president, during a news conference. 'We are incredibly excited.' O'Reilly emphasized that the game marks the beginning of a multi-year commitment to host games in Melbourne, which is considered the heart of Australian sports. 'Australia is a truly important market for the NFL globally,' he stated. 'It's a nation with a passionate sporting culture.' Kevin Demoff, the Rams' president of team operations, expressed the team's enthusiasm for the trip, acknowledging the sacrifice of giving up a home game at SoFi Stadium. 'We are a franchise that dreams big,' Demoff said at the press conference. 'What a better opportunity than to play the first regular-season game in Australia? We've held marketing rights to Australia since the NFL opened up international programming, and we couldn't be more thrilled. As soon as this opportunity arose, we were the first to raise our hands and say we want to play in that inaugural game in Australia.' The Australian Football League (AFL), which has priority use of the MCG during its season, expressed its support for an NFL game at the iconic stadium, even if it led to scheduling conflicts. 'We have a long history of collaborating with governments and venues to support major sporting and cultural events,' said an AFL spokesperson, representing the top tier of Australian Rules football. 'We will continue to work together to ensure arrangements are in place for our AFL fans and the wider community to experience the best of both worlds.' The NFL made its first foray into South America earlier this season with a game in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Next season, the NFL is scheduled to play three games in London, one in Berlin, and another in Madrid
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