NFL fans excited for Monday’s Super Bowl will soon be able to see the sport up close and personal. The LA Rams will be the first NFL ‘home team’ to play at the MCG.
The most powerful person in the NFL is gearing up for the biggest weekend of his year, as the Philadelphia Eagles meet the Kansas City Chiefs in New Orleans in Monday’s Super Bowl.
Days before the most popular sporting event in the US kicks off, the NFL Commissioner announced that in 2026, the MCG will be the first international location for an NFL season game.
“Expanding to Melbourne, Australia, a beautiful city with a rich sports history, underlines our ambitions to become a global sport and accelerate international growth,” says NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
“It is a massive coup, thousands of jobs, millions of people watching our state – a huge boost to the Victorian economy.”
Steve Dimopoulos, Victorian Minister for major events
“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.”
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan confirms the multi-year deal and says the Los Angeles Rams will be the ‘home team’ for the Australian NFL games. She calls the new deal a major ‘touchdown’ for Australia’s sporting capital.
“Melbourne, Victoria will soon be the only city in the world to host an international Grand Slam, a Formula One Grand Prix – and now, in an Australian first – National Football League (NFL) regular season games,” says Allan.
The NFL currently has 6.6 million fans in Australia, according to the league, a number it hopes will grow over the term of the deal. Some 20 million Americans tuned into NFL games in 2024, presenting an opportunity to showcase Victoria to an enormous audience.
“The Super Bowl is the world’s biggest annual sporting event. With Melbourne set to host regular season games, it means whoever is victorious at the ‘G will be one step closer to NFL’s holy grail,” the NFL said in a statement.
Steve Dimopoulos is the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events.
“It is a massive coup, thousands of jobs, millions of people watching our state – a huge boost to the Victorian economy,” says Dimopoulos.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for fans on the hallowed turf of the MCG.”
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