The Los Angeles Rams will be one of two teams headed down under next season for the first ever regular season NFL game in Australia, the league said in a statement early Wednesday afternoon.
#RamsHouse goes down under for the FIRST EVER NFL regular season game in Australia!
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— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) February 5, 2025
The Rams will play ‘host’ to their still unnamed opponent at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The match is the first of several in a multi-year commitment to the country.
"Expanding to Melbourne, Australia, a beautiful city with a rich sports history, underlines our ambitions to become a global sport and accelerate international growth," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. "Together with the Victorian State Government, Visit Victoria and the Melbourne Cricket Ground, and with the Los Angeles Rams in 2026, 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."
The Rams, alongside the Eagles, hold marketing rights in Australia as part of the league's Global Markets Program — an initiative that awards NFL clubs international marketing rights to build brand awareness and fandom beyond the U.S., through fan engagement, events and commercial opportunities.
"We're thrilled the NFL will be touching down in the sporting capital of Australia. Victoria is now the first-ever state in Australia to host a regular-season NFL game," said Premier of Victoria Jacinta Allan. "It's a win for jobs, a win for businesses and a win for fans who will get to see American football played at the iconic MCG.
Australia is one of the fastest growing markets for NFL viewership with an estimated 6.6 million fans across the country.
The game is just the most recent example of the NFL’s attempted expansion outside American borders.
This past season NFL teams played regular season games all over the globe, including Berlin and London. In past years the league has also hosted games in Mexico.
The Dolphins have also entered a similar deal with Madrid, Spain.
