The NFL is coming to Melbourne on Sept. 11 (AEST), with the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers to clash at the MCG in front of 100,000 fans. Here's everything you need to know about how to watch the game live in Australia on ESPN, plus key details about the event including the halftime entertainment and more.
When is the NFL Melbourne game and where is it being played?
The NFL Melbourne game is scheduled for Friday, September 11, 2026 (AEST) at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). It's the second game of the 2026 NFL season, and the first of the NFL International Series. It's the first regular season NFL game to be played in Australia.
What time is the game going to kick off?
The game is set to kick off on Friday, September 11, 2026 at 10:35am (AEST), which translates to 5:35pm (PT) and 8:35pm (ET) on Thursday evening (September 10).
Which teams are playing in the NFL Melbourne game?
The Los Angeles Rams are "hosting" the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne. Being based on the west coast of the United States, these are two of the closest teams to Melbourne. Even still, it's a 14 hour flight from Los Angeles, and slightly longer from San Francisco.
The Rams announced earlier this month they would be 'flying in and flying out' of Melbourne within 48 hours, with the 49ers set to spend more time in Australia to acclimate to the time zone.
How can we watch the NFL Melbourne game in Australia?
ESPN will be broadcasting the NFL Melbourne game live on ESPN through Kayo and Foxtel, and on Disney+. In addition, ESPN will be broadcasting RedZone every Monday morning as part of a new broadcast deal.
It will be a bespoke, dedicated broadcast featuring wall-to-wall coverage along with expert commentary and insights from ESPN's NFL talent flown in from the US.
ESPN broadcast highlights for 2026 NFL season:
A minimum of six live NFL games each week
NFL RedZone which remains exclusively on Disney+, providing over seven hours of coverage every Monday
NFL 2026 season opener between the New England Patriots and the defending Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on Sept. 10.
2026 NFL Melbourne Game between the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams at the MCG on Sept. 11
NFL Melbourne Game halftime performance by multi-platinum Jonas Brothers presented by American Express
All NFL Playoffs
Super Bowl LXI in Los Angeles (Super Bowl Monday in Australia)
The Melbourne game will also be broadcast live on the 7 Network, and Netflix.
Are tickets still available to purchase for the NFL Melbourne game?
Tickets are still available for the clash, through Ticketmaster Australia.
How many people does the MCG hold?
The MCG holds more than 100,000 fans, with the official capacity listed at 100,024.
Who are the stars for the Los Angeles Rams and the San Francisco 49ers?
The Rams have stars all over the park. Offensively, they're led by Matthew Stafford at QB, and WRs Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. On the defensive side of the ball, two-time DPOY Myles Garrett could be joined by Aaron Donald who is weighing up going around again.
For the 49ers, Brock Purdy is the QB, with star RB Christian McCaffrey and TE George Kittle the big names on offense.
Who will be playing the halftime show?
The multi-platinum artists, the Jonas Brothers will be performing at halftime of the NFL Melbourne game. With well-known hits Burnin' Up, S.O.S., Lovebug, and Sucker, they'll perform a medley on the day.
Which other international cities are hosting an NFL game in 2026?
There are nine matches held outside the US in 2026. The host cities for the NFL's 2026 International Series games are Melbourne, Australia, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, London, England (3 games), Paris, France, Madrid, Spain, Munich, Germany, and Mexico City, Mexico.