LOS ANGELES (CNS) – The NFL is headed to Australia and the Los Angeles Rams will be making it their home away from home when they play there in 2026, giving the team what Rams Owner and Chairman E. Stanley Kroenke said is a chance Thursday for Los Angeles to serve as a gateway to the area and countries in the Pacific region.
It will be the first NFL regular season game played in Australia. The Rams opponent has yet to be determined, but the Rams will be the home team in the game. The game will be at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, (MCG) in Melbourne. The date and kickoff time of the game will be released at a later date.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said playing a game in Australia is part of the NFL’s ambitions to become a global sport and accelerate international growth.
“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,” Goodell said.
Kroenke said it is an exciting time for Rams fans around the world.
“This is the next important step for both the Rams and the broader Kroenke Sports & Entertainment family to continue to expand our reach globally, and we are thrilled to work with Commissioner Goodell and the league office to make history and bring the first NFL regular season game to Australia,” Kroenke said.
The game in Australia is part of the NFL’s multiyear commitment to play regular season games in Australia. The NFL played regular season games in London, Berlin and Madrid in 2024.
“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,” Premier of Victoria Jacinta Allan szaid. “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 Rams and the Philadelphia Eagles have marketing rights in Australia as part of the league’s Global Markets Program to help build and spread fan bases and interest. As part of that program, the Rams have launched the Rams Australia Instagram, a Super Bowl LVI Trophy tour in Sydney and Melbourne, and Rams legend Todd Gurley traveling to Australia on several occasions for the NFL FLAG Youth Championship.
Rampage, the team’s mascot, and Rams cheerleaders made a Steve Irwin Day visit to Australia Zoo. The Rams also partnered with the Sydney Swans for Sydney World Pride and have collaborated with Bondi Lifeguards.
Most recently, Rams Legend Torry Holt went to Sydney for a Rams watch party and youth clinic.
“NFL fans will love Melbourne’s culture, food, sport and entertainment. From hidden laneways to blockbuster events, there’s always something new on show,” Victoria Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos said. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the NFL to be played on the hallowed turf of the MCG.”
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