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NFL Melbourne live: LA Rams vs San Francisco 49ers at the MCGBy Michael Doyle, Chris De Silva and Simon Smale
Posted Fri 11 Sep 2026 at 8:30amFri 11 Sep 2026 at 8:30amFri 11 Sep 2026 at 8:30am, updated Fri 11 Sep 2026 at 9:13amFri 11 Sep 2026 at 9:13amFri 11 Sep 2026 at 9:13amSkip to timeline
The National Football League is being played in Australia for the first time, as the Melbourne Cricket Ground turns into an American football coliseum.
The LA Rams and San Francisco 49ers, rivals in the NFC West division, meet for their opening regular-season game in front of a mammoth crowd.
Follow all the live action of the first NFL match played in Australia on the live blog below.
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Fri 11 Sep 2026 at 9:40amFri 11 Sep 2026 at 9:40am
Quick guide to the NFL: Scoring
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By Michael Doyle
So you’ve heard all about the NFL coming to Australia, and you’ve decided to see what it’s all about.
This is how teams score points.
Touchdown: 6 points
This is what teams want to do more often than not. You score a touchdown by getting the ball into the endzone. You can achieve this by either running the ball, or catching a pass. The defence can also score a touchdown, if they steal the ball from the offence and are able to run the ball back into the endzone they are attacking.
Conversion after touchdown: 1 point or 2 points
1 point: After after a touchdown, you attempt either a place kick or drop kick at goal.
2 points: After after a touchdown, you run an offensive play from the 2-yard line, trying to get the ball in the endzone again.
Field goal: 3 points
A successful place kick or drop kick by the offensive team through the opposition’s goal posts.
Safety: 2 points
This can only be acheived by the defence. If an offensive player is tackled inside their own endzone, then the defensive team is awarded two points.
Fri 11 Sep 2026 at 9:34amFri 11 Sep 2026 at 9:34am
The crowd is slowly building up
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By Chris De Silva
We are just about an hour away from kickoff, and there is little doubt that this will be a sellout.
About half the spectators look like they’ve found their seats, with even seats at the very top of the ground looking jam-packed.
There are still thousands of fans enjoying the festivities outside the MCG and slowly making their way in.
The security being organised from a little further out of the stadium makes it really easy for fans to stream in and out without having to wait in huge queues.
I’ve got to say, for such a huge event, at least so far, this looks like it has been planned absolutely superbly.
You cannot help but be excited at ground level.
Fri 11 Sep 2026 at 9:27amFri 11 Sep 2026 at 9:27am
Californian fans ready for the game
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By Judd Boaz
Yarra Park has been abuzz with activity all week as workers transform the MCG into an NFL stadium.
Much of the livery was put in place by work crews by Thursday, gift-wrapped and ready for unveiling on Friday morning.
Unlike a normal AFL match, fans will have to undergo security screening at a secured perimeter at Yarra Park before making their way to the stadium.
Jamie and Carmen made the journey all the way from California to the MCG for the game, flouting some unwritten laws about fraternising with the enemy before a game.
“We’re opposing teams; she likes the Rams from Los Angeles, I like San Francisco 49ers,” Jamie said.
“Typically, hanging out is forbidden in those places, so we thought if we come here it would be okay.”
Jamie didn’t miss the opportunity in front of the camera to make a pitch for his team.
“People like San Francisco more because San Francisco has a history of gold mining, being the wild west, rough-and-tumble just like Australia when they had a gold rush,” Jamie said.
“Look at this guy!” Carmen said, laughing in disbelief.
Fri 11 Sep 2026 at 9:15amFri 11 Sep 2026 at 9:15am
Rams and 49ers’ opposing jet-lag strategies into Melbourne NFL game
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By Michael Doyle
Two enormously well-resourced teams; two diametrically opposed strategies for managing one of the world’s most arduous sporting road trips.
To prepare, the 49ers flew in a week earlier and have embarked on a series of PR appearances across the city — lauding local baristas and watching Geelong defeat Carlton in an AFL final — while the Rams arrived yesterday morning, just 24 hours before the historic clash.
Only one strategy can prevail.
You can read the full story by ABC Sport’s Kate O’Halloran by tapping the link below.
Fri 11 Sep 2026 at 9:07amFri 11 Sep 2026 at 9:07am
The FIFO Rams may have lost the battle for hearts and minds
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By Michael Doyle
Ahead of the NFL’s debut at the MCG, the San Francisco 49ers have embraced Australia and been embraced right back. But have the LA Rams missed an opportunity to throw their arms around the locals, particularly given this is supposed to be their party?
You can read Simon Smale’s full piece by tapping the link below.
Fri 11 Sep 2026 at 9:00amFri 11 Sep 2026 at 9:00am
MCG adds its name to illustrious list
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By Simon Smale
Here’s a pub quiz stat for you: the MCG will become the fifth stadium to host an NFL game and the opening/closing ceremony of an Olympic Games.
The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (1932, 1984), Berlin’s Olympiastadion (1936), London’s Wembley (1940) and the Estádio do Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro (2016) have all hosted an Olympic Games opening ceremony, as did the MCG in 1956.
The Stade de France (closing ceremony at Paris 2024) will join that list when it hosts its first game later in the season.
Given the Rams are the home team, they will now have hosted matches at two different Olympic stadiums, having played at the Coliseum between 1946 and 1979 and 2016 and 2019.
Perhaps less surprisingly, the MCG is the first stadium to have hosted a Cricket World Cup final and an NFL regular-season game, so there is that.
At 100,022, the stadium has the largest capacity of any that the league will use this season.
Fri 11 Sep 2026 at 8:52amFri 11 Sep 2026 at 8:52am
Why is the NFL playing in Australia?
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By Simon Smale
Heading into the 2026 season, there have been 62 regular-season NFL games played outside the US.
Starting in 2005 with Mexico City, the NFL has gradually expanded its global reach, with games in nine different cities so far, with two more added in 2026.
Melbourne, Paris and Rio de Janeiro join London, Mexico City, Toronto, Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich, São Paulo and Madrid in hosting regular-season matches.
The idea is to spread the gospel and increase the global presence of a league that has no international competition outside the US.
Fri 11 Sep 2026 at 8:47amFri 11 Sep 2026 at 8:47am
The MCG is absolutely BOUNCING from outside the stadium
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By Michael Doyle
I’ve been here for grand finals and Boxing Day Tests, and I can safely say that there has never been such a great atmosphere outside the stadium.
We are still hours away from kick-off, and fans are streaming in from all corners of the planet, it seems.
The Netflix broadcast is shooting a pre-game show from outside the MCG, and John Farnham is blaring too.
Absolutely brilliant scenes.
It may be early on a Friday morning, but everyone is absolutely up for this.
Fri 11 Sep 2026 at 8:41amFri 11 Sep 2026 at 8:41am
The stars have arrived at the MCG
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By Michael Doyle
We are less than two hours from kick-off for this Week 1 match between NFC West division rivals — LA Rams and San Francisco 49ers.
The players and coaches have arrived at the MCG.
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Key Event
Fri 11 Sep 2026 at 8:35amFri 11 Sep 2026 at 8:35am
How can I watch in Australia?
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By Michael Doyle
The game will be available to watch in Australia on Fox Sports/Kayo or on free-to-air on Channel Seven or 7Plus.
Coverage starts from 10am AEST.
You can follow all of the live action from wherever you are with the ABC Sport live blog (which you are reading now. Thanks for that).
Key Event
Fri 11 Sep 2026 at 8:32amFri 11 Sep 2026 at 8:32am
What time is NFL kick-off in Melbourne
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By Michael Doyle
Here is when kick-off between the LA Rams and San Francisco 49ers will be in each state and territory.
- 10:35am: Victoria, NSW, Queensland, ACT, Tasmania
- 10:05am: South Australia, Northern Territory
- 8:35am: Western Australia
- 12:35pm: New Zealand
- 5:35pm: Los Angeles, San Francisco
- 8:35pm: New York
Key Event
Fri 11 Sep 2026 at 8:30amFri 11 Sep 2026 at 8:30am
Welcome to ABC Sport’s NFL blog
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By Michael Doyle
Good morning, Australia.
Good evening, America.
Welcome to ABC Sport’s live digital coverage of the first-ever NFL game played in Australia.
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is hosting today’s Week 1 match-up between the LA Rams and San Francisco 49ers.
Anticipation for this match has been building for a long time, and kick-off is fast approaching.
You can be part of the blog and join the conversation in the comment section below.