NFL announces regular season games in Melbourne starting 2026

The NFL has agreed to bring regular season games to Melbourne, Australia, starting in 2026. The announcement came on 6 February 2025, after the league reached a deal with the Victorian government. Games will be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, one of the world's largest stadiums. The Los Angeles Rams will be the home team for the first game. The matches will be part of the NFL International Series, which already takes games to other countries. American football is not new to Australia. Australians call it gridiron, and local competitions have run for decades. A tournament called the Down Under Bowl has brought American high school teams to Australia since 1990. Flag football will also appear at the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane.