Touchdown Down Under for historic NFL match
History was made this morning as 100,021 fans packed the Melbourne Cricket Ground to watch the San Francisco 49ers defeat the Los Angeles Rams 27-7 in the first NFL game for points in Australia.
Fans travelled from across the world to witness the historic moment, with Melbourne joining the likes of London, Madrid and Berlin in hosting international NFL regular season matches.
The excitement extended far beyond the stadium, with the city abuzz with NFL fever - from pop-up activations around the CBD and in Yarra Park to the NFL Kickoff Festival in Melbourne Park.
The 49ers scored the first points of the game and never looked back, with star quarterback Brock Purdy leading his side to a convincing victory in the season opener.
Half-time saw the Jonas Brothers rock the MCG with a set packed with their hits, as well as a rendition of John Farnham’s You’re the Voice.
The attendance of 100,021 is the seventh highest attendance for an NFL regular season match, and the MCG’s sixth attendance of over 100,000 in the last five years.
The Rams and 49ers will return home to continue their seasons, with their next matches on September 21 and 22 against the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets respectively.
The MCG now begins the transition back to AFL with its sights firmly set on the final two weeks of the 2026 AFL Finals Series, culminating in the AFL Grand Final on Saturday September 26.
