The wait is not over yet, but Australians may now have a better idea of when they will know more details of Australia’s first National Football League (NFL) regular season game in 2026.
The date for releasing outstanding information, including the date and the opponents of the Los Angeles Rams, could be announced in about 12 months.
This is an inference to be drawn from the fact that the NFL released details of its 2025 International Games on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST).
The NFL announced in February that Los Angeles Rams would play at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Melbourne in 2026 but did not disclose the date or the other team.
More than 50 regular-season NFL matches have been played outside the United States since 2005 but never before in Australia, which hosted a preseason match between the Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers in Sydney in 1999.
The NFL International Games schedule issued on Tuesday shows seven games will be played outside the United States this year between 5 September and 16 November, providing an indication of the likely timing in Australia.
Teams will play in São Paulo, Dublin, London, Berlin and Madrid as part of the league’s long-term commitment to global expansion and year-round engagement in international markets, the NFL said in a media release.
Since the NFL played its first regular season game outside the United States, Munich, Mexico City and Toronto have also hosted games.
The MCG is used by the Australian Football League(AFL) for its finals in September, but has also said it supports an NFL game at the iconic stadium even if it results in a scheduling clash, raising speculation any finals dates may be changed.
An NFL spokesperson in Australia told Azzet she had no other details about the Melbourne game or when it would be announced.
The final details of the 2025 NFL schedule will be released on Wednesday (Thursday AEST).
