NFL Announces Australia Will Host 2026 Regular Season Game; Rams Set as Home Team

The NFL is heading Down Under.

On Wednesday, the league announced a multiyear commitment to play in Australia with the first game happening in the 2026 season. The Los Angeles Rams will be the designated home team for that contest that will take place at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

"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 in the announcement.

"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."

While the Rams' opponent wasn't revealed, the league's announcement noted the Philadelphia Eagles share marketing rights in Australia with the NFC West team through the NFL's Global Markets Program.

The Global Markets Program was established in an effort to build more awareness for specific teams in different markets.

However, the Eagles are not one of the Rams' 2026 home opponents. Philadelphia is slated to host Los Angeles at Lincoln Financial Field two seasons from now.

This is the latest development in the NFL's ongoing efforts to expand the game internationally. It has featured 55 regular-season games overseas at hosts such as London, Munich, Frankfurt, São Paulo, Mexico City and Toronto.

It also has 2025 games scheduled in London, Berlin and Madrid.