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The Australian Open. The Formula One Grand Prix. The AFL Grand Final. The Boxing Day Test. Melbourne has long been known as Australia’s sporting capital, but in case you needed further proof, here it is: this year, the city will play host to Australia’s first-ever regular season NFL game, as part of a massive multi-year deal.
The match will feature the Los Angeles Rams as the ‘home’ team, with the San Francisco 49ers recently confirmed as the opposition. The game will be played at the MCG – aka the sporting heartland of Melbourne – in the second half of the year, although the exact date for kick-off is yet to be revealed.
“It’s a win for jobs, a win for businesses and a win for fans who will get to see American Football played in the best stadium in the world,” said premier Jacinta Allan.
NFL, also known as American Football, is the USA’s most popular sport. That means footage of Melbourne as the host city will be beamed live to the almost 20 million Americans who tune into each game (not to mention the millions more who watch from across the globe).
The 49ers are one of the NFL’s most illustrious franchises, having won the Super Bowl five times. Best of all, they share an intense rivalry with the Rams, which is sure to make the Melbourne match-up a hugely important – and potentially fiery – game.
The Super Bowl continues to grow in popularity among Aussies, with many of Melbourne’s pubs, sports bars and live sites throwing viewing parties to watch the epic event. On Monday, February 9, the Super Bowl LX saw the Seattle Seahawks defeat the New England Patriots, with Bad Bunny hitting the stage for an epic Halftime Show.
“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. “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.”
To register for more info around dates, tickets and pricing, visit the website here.
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