Melbourne to host the Australian Open, the Australian Grand Prix and an NFL Regular Season game in September 2026

Melbourne will make sporting history in September, becoming the first city in the world to host an international tennis Grand Slam, a Formula One Grand Prix and an NFL Regular Season game.

Historic Triple in September 2026
- Melbourne becomes the first city globally to host in the same month:
- An international tennis Grand Slam (Australian Open).
- A Formula One Grand Prix.
- An NFL Regular Season game.

NFL Season Opener at the MCG
- Los Angeles Rams vs San Francisco 49ers on September 11, 2026 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
- Kickoff: 10:35 AEST in Melbourne / 5:35 PM PST on Thursday, September 10 in the US.
- First-ever NFL Regular Season game in Australia.
- Over 151,000 registrations of interest, boosted by the announcement of the 49ers as opponents.

Ticketing Timeline
- Pre-sale team fan tickets (US): April 1, 2026, 2:00 PM PT.
- Hospitality packages (Ticketmaster): April 6, 2026, 5:00 PM PT.
- General public tickets (ticketmaster.com.au/nfl): April 7, 2026, 5:00 PM PT.
- On Location early access options available from April 1.

Tourism & Economic Impact
- Thousands of American fans expected to travel to Melbourne for the game and week-long celebrations.
- Builds on Visit Victoria’s partnership with the NFL and the Rams, which has already promoted Melbourne’s dining, wildlife, and golf experiences to US audiences.
- The US is a key market: 216,000 visitors in 2025, staying 2.4 million nights and spending $391 million.

Voices Behind the Event
- Stephanie Cheng (Rams Head of International): “We are thrilled to kick off our season in Melbourne… great for our fans back at home to watch in primetime.”
- Brendan McClements (Visit Victoria CEO): “Hosting Australia’s first-ever NFL game will shine a global spotlight on Melbourne and Victoria.”
- Charlotte Offord (NFL GM Australia & NZ): “We know there is already plenty of appetite for this game… it’s going to be an incredible NFL experience.”

Melbourne’s 2026 Event Calendar
- Melbourne Food & Wine Festival (March).
- Melbourne International Comedy Festival (until April 19).
- Winter Masterpieces: Cartier Exhibition (June 12–Oct 4).
- AFL Grand Final (Sept 26, MCG).
- Australian Open Golf (Dec 3–6, Kingston Heath, featuring Rory McIlroy).

This NFL debut cements Melbourne’s reputation as a global sports capital, blending American football with its already world-class calendar of tennis, motorsport, cricket, and golf.