Rams Join 49ers in Melbourne Ahead of Australia's First NFL Game
The league’s first regular-season game in Australia drew 100,021 fans and sold out months ago, with the 49ers arriving early and the Rams flying in late.
- On September 11, 2026, the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Los Angeles Rams 27-7 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, marking Australia's first regular-season NFL game.
- The 49ers arrived a week early to acclimate to the 17-hour time difference, while the Rams departed California on Tuesday night, landing roughly 28 hours before kickoff to maintain their home routine.
- Critics accused the Rams of a "fly-in, fly-out" approach with minimal engagement, while the Rams highlighted flag football clinics and a floating field on the Yarra River to counter the characterization.
- Following the loss, Rams coach Sean McVay criticized the travel demands, telling reporters he hopes his team does not play in Australia "ever again," though he acknowledged the atmosphere was great.
- The game marks the first of three matches in Melbourne over four years, signaling the NFL's long-term commitment to international expansion regardless of individual team preferences or game outcomes.
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Sean McVay eager to move past Rams loss in Australia
Sean McVay is ready to move on from the Los Angeles Rams’ season opener, and he is hoping a trip to Australia is not part of the team’s future anytime soon. The Rams coach joked this week that he hopes his team does not have to play there again after a disappointing start to the season, ESPN reported.
Sean McVay torches Rams-Australia partnership with one press conference quote
One of the more peculiar elements of the NFL’s quest for world domination is their colonial era designations of foreign markets for specific teams. The league’s first game in Australia was meant as a showcase for the Los Angeles Rams, who spent years building up a following there. The Rams are one of four teams…
Which is why NFL coach Sean McVay from the Los Angeles Rams upsets the Australians, and which expression could prove to be a boomerang.
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