Los Angeles Rams to play inaugural NFL game at Melbourne Cricket Ground

Los Angeles Rams defensive lineman Tyler Davis and wide receiver Xavier Smith attended an Australian Football League match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) and praised the intensity and physicality of the sport. Both players said the experience built respect for AFL players and heightened their excitement for the Rams’ upcoming NFL contest on Australian soil.

The Rams will face the San Francisco 49ers on 11 September in what is billed as the first NFL regular‑season game ever held at the MCG. Organisers expect a crowd of about 100,000, with the match to be broadcast on Netflix at a 10:35 a.m. kickoff during the AFL semi‑final weekend. The event follows growing NFL interest in Australia, including the signing of Sunshine Coast native Tom Huber as the first Australian‑born quarterback in an NCAA Division I program and the expansion of flag‑football programs ahead of its Olympic debut. Davis and Smith also conducted a flag‑football clinic at Kew Primary School, highlighting the sport’s development in the country.