The NFL has the date and time of the Los Angeles Rams versus the San Francisco 49ers out of nation game, kicking off on September 11th at 10:35am Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST). They will be playing on one of the famous cricket grounds, Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). This stadium has one of the highest seating capacities at just over 100,000 attendees. Other notable statements include the birthplace of Test cricket hosting its first match in 1877, as well as hosting multiple significant sporting events such as the 1958 Olympics and the 2006 Commonwealth games.
Already this stadium will hold another significant game, but there are some potential conflicts with the Australian Football League (AFL) according to FOX Sports. Around that time, the AFL will be playing during their semi-finals week as games are scheduled for Friday and Saturday nights. If two Victorian teams earn semi-final hosting rights, this would make it extremely complicated if either the Western Bulldogs or Hawthorn are granted this right. However, according to FOX Sports “AFL executive GM of football Greg Swann confirmed earlier this month the league can turn around the MCG for a final one day after the NFL game” which means the game is confirmed to be on September 11th.
Tickets will be on sale for general access and will start on April 8th at 10:00am AEST which is 8:00pm EST. With both teams being NFC West divisional rivals, the game will not be one to miss as this is the first time in history that the NFL is playing at the Melbourne Cricket Grounds. Make sure to stay tuned in for more information online about the game and the upcoming NFL Draft to see how these teams will see each other head-to-head on Thursday September 11, 2026.