Excitement is building for Australia’s first NFL game, with thousands of fans expected to flock to Melbourne from across Australia and around the world for the match.
The San Francisco 49ers will take on the Los Angeles Rams at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on 11 September 2026, with almost 50% of spectators expected to be from interstate or overseas.
Fans from more than 35 countries have bought tickets to the game and CoStar data shows September is on track to be a record month for hotel demand in Melbourne, with CBD hotel occupancy up 39% for the night of the game.
Game week is also attracting business conferences to Victoria including SportNXT, the Intersekt Fintech Festival, Data Center World and The AI Summit Australia.
A survey by research agency Kantar found that four-in-five respondents believe the match will benefit local businesses in Melbourne and surrounds; 81% say the NFL game in Melbourne will increase visitor spending in Victoria; and two-thirds agree it will support regional Victoria through increased travel and tourism.
Victorian Minister for Major Events Anthony Carbines said: “Major events like the NFL are economic powerhouses – they fill our hotels, support our jobs and put Victoria on the world stage.”
“When viewers see Melbourne on their screens, they book flights and plan their next holiday here.”
Accommodation Australia (Victoria) General Manager Dougal Hollis said: “When Melbourne hosts events of this scale, the economic benefits are felt across the supply chain – including at hotels across the state, which are going to be full to the brim.”
Jonas Brothers to headline halftime show
The Jonas Brothers were announced earlier this week as the headline act for the halftime show, boosting interest in the game even higher. Their performance will be part of a history-making day with Melbourne becoming the first city in the world to host an NFL Regular Season Game, a Formula 1 Grand Prix and a tennis Grand Slam.
The brothers will play to a packed MCG crowd and reach a global audience from more than 200 countries.
Carbines said: “Melbourne will showcase the very best Victoria has to offer to tens of millions of viewers around the world.
“Epic events like this cement Victoria as the events capital of Australia while also supporting thousands of jobs.”
Visit Victoria CEO Brendan McClements said: “Over the next six months, Melbourne will have a sporting calendar better than anything Australia has ever seen.”
Official NFL wine sponsor
The first Aussie drinks sponsor was announced in April, with Y Series has been named the Official Wine Sponsor of the National Football League (NFL) in Australia and New Zealand, marking the brand’s largest sporting partnership to date and the NFL’s first-ever wine partner in Australia.
The multi-year agreement includes Y Series becoming the Official Wine Partner of the 2026 NFL Melbourne Game this September, which will include experiential activations, in-game branding and game day pours at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) and associated events.
Hill-Smith Family Estates CEO Karl Martin said: “This partnership with the NFL puts Y Series right where people want us – in big moments, shared rituals and time spent together. It’s about bringing wine into high-energy environments and showing up as part of how people celebrate, connect and unwind, on game day and beyond.”
NFL Kickoff Festival
An NFL Kickoff Festival is also planned for September for a three-day fan event to celebrate Australia’s first-ever regular season NFL game.
The NFL Kickoff Festival presented by American Express will an immersive American-style football takeover, bringing fans closer to the game on and off the field during game week.
Melbourne Park will be transformed into an epicentre of activations, NFL exhibits, retail pop-ups, Flag Football clinics, an American food village, official watch parties, music concerts and more.