By Reuters
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The NFL will play its first game in Australia in 2026 as the league continues to grow its international footprint.
The regular season game will be held in Melbourne at the MCG and feature the Los Angeles Rams. The game will likely be the season opener for the teams.
Australia is a significant global market for the NFL with a growing fan base of 6.6 million across the country, the league said.
"Expanding to Melbourne, Australia, a beautiful city with a rich sports history, underlines our ambitions to become a global sport and accelerate international growth," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said.
"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," premier of Victoria Jacinta Allan said.
"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."
The league made its first foray into South America at the beginning of this season with a game in Sao Paulo.
Next season the NFL is scheduled to play three games in England, a game in Berlin and one in Madrid.
In 1999, the NFL staged a preseason game between the Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers in Sydney.
Fifty-five regular-season games had been played in major international cities from London, Munich, Frankfurt, Sao Paulo, Mexico City and Toronto.
-Reuters
