Los Angeles Rams will be home team in 2026 for first of many NFL games at MCG

The NFL’s move in to Melbourne raised questions about an AFL clash at the MCG but all fears have been allayed for what looms as special event.

The MCG could host an NFL blokbuster and then an AFL match, possibly a final, as quickly as the next day according to Melbourne Cricket Club CEO Stuart Fox who has no concerns about a clash or ground preservation for the first of many American football matches set for 2026 in early September.

The NFL confirmed a “multi-year” commitment to play at the iconic Melbourne ground with the Los Angeles Rams locked in for the first installment. Their opponent is yet to be determined.

The date is also unconfirmed but NFL executive of club business and league events Peter O’Reilly said it would aim for a week one time slot, which would mean early September and a possible clash with the business end of the AFL season, which usually owns the MCG that time of year.

“The likely scenario would be a week one game, a night game in the US which would be a late morning game in Melbourne, which is not an uncommon thing, certainly in the cricket world,” he said.

Next stop: Melbourne Cricket Ground. 🇦🇺

Register your interest for the 2026 @NFL Melbourne Game 👉 https://t.co/mHEV3ygdr2pic.twitter.com/HSZ8EUYiCL

— NFL Australia & NZ (@NFLAUNZ) February 5, 2025

“This doesn’t happen without the AFL’s partnership as an important player in this conversation, that relationship can grow beyond just being in the same stadium.”

But Fox said “everyone’s heart is in it” when referring to the AFL and their cooperation with the game and assured the ground would hold up if it was to be played midweek ahead of a final.

“I’ve got penciled dates everywhere, there’s concerts coming, the cats out of the bag but we don’t know when it’s going to be though,” Fox told SEN.

“They’re (the AFL) quite open to scheduling and we’ll all cooperate and get this done.

“We’ve mapped out probably 10 or 15 scenarios that can and we need to make the ground available.

“History shows we can turn the ground very quickly, we’ve done it for State of Origin, we do it every weekend for three or four games of football, we’ve done it with EPL.

“It’s going to be a challenge for our team but that’s what our team do for a living, they run a stadium and I think they do it pretty well.”

Australia’s iconic home of sport will welcome the NFL in 2026 as part of a multi-year deal.

Fox believes the game will sell out regardless of the date and time.

“We think this game will sell out quite easily, we think there’s going to be huge demand from international people coming over,” he said.

“We’re going to have interstate visitors for sure and I think that’s what’s so appealing, we’re going to have overnight stays.

“We know the Victorian market is there, anything that happens in Victoria at the moment is selling out, whether it’s concerts or major sporting events.”

The MCC is working on how it can maximise space on the ground around the edges of the rectangular playing field.

But Fox said the different dimensions quickly escaped the NFL’s mind once they stepped onto the MCG.

“When they walked into our stadium for the first time, they just could not believe it,” he said.

“Once you stand out in the centre, they looked at the turf quality, they didn’t have any reservation.

“We’ve seen overlays of the footprint and what the field is going to look like and there’s still a lot of planning to be done about how we fill in some space around the ground as well because we do have a huge amount of space on that ground.“

The MCG will be the #RamsHouse in 2026! 🐏🇦🇺

The @RamsNFL are the 2026 @NFL Melbourne Game designated team.

Register your interest 👉 https://t.co/mHEV3ygdr2pic.twitter.com/FJcXVfUXkH

— NFL Australia & NZ (@NFLAUNZ) February 5, 2025

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Melbourne had a “a rich sports history” and the MCG games “underlines our ambitions to become a global sport and accelerate international growth”.

“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,” he said.

O’Reilly said the NFL recognised the MCG as an iconic sporting stadium and it was the perfect host venue.

“As many of you know, the MCG is in the heart of the city of Melbourne, it’s the largest stadium in Australia, first built in 1853 with approximately 100,000 seating capacity,” he said.

“It’s hosted many of Australia’s global events over the years, including the ‘56 Olympic Games and many other iconic sporting moments and concerts … including Taylor Swift recently.

“We’re really excited to be part of that future, part of that history-making at the MCG, we couldn’t be more excited.”

Originally published as Los Angeles Rams will be home team in 2026 for first of many NFL games at MCG