NFL fever Down Under as fans converge for historic Melbourne clash
Neos Kosmos · Staff writers; Michael G · 2026-09-11T04:34:02+00:00 · nguồn gốc
Brock Purdy has led the San Francisco 49ers to an upset 27-7 win over their rival Los Angeles Rams, as Melbourne turned it on for the historic first NFL regular-season clash Down Under.
A massive crowd of 100,021 fans packed a sold-out MCG on Friday, with Australia’s largest stadium bathed in brilliant spring sunshine throughout the contest.
It was the second-highest international attendance in NFL history and the league’s seventh-biggest regular-season crowd of all-time.
Thousands more filled venues across the road at Melbourne Park for the NFL Kickoff Festival.
It may have blown a hole in their wallet but Americans have ticked off a “bucket list” item with the trip down
On a brisk spring morning, NFL jersey-clad locals and tourists clutching coffees poured into the MCG for the code’s inaugural regular season clash in Australia between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers.
AJ Reyes and Danny Rosales were among a group of friends who travelled from California.
“This has been an experience like no other,” Reyes told AAP.
“This is the top of my bucket list since I was a little kid … and being able to watch my Rams and come to Australia at the same time – I’m killing two birds with one stone.”
Rosales, a 49er follower, said he forked out about $US400 ($A558) for a seat, plus $US1200 ($A1674) for plane tickets and another $US400 ($A558) for room and board.
But he wasn’t complaining about the cost or the 10.35am AEST start time.
“It’s a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity so I couldn’t pass up on it,” Rosales said.
“This is the time when we’re usually tailgating.”
Sydneysider Riley Clarke and Brisbane-based buddy Luka O’Brien had talked about this moment every single week since buying their tickets for $600 a pop.
Passengers were decked out in 49er and Rams jerseys on O’Brien’s flight and at the airport bar.
“I’m a huge Brisbane Lions fan and the atmosphere feels bigger than a (AFL) prelim,” the New England Patriots supporter said.
“There’s lines around the block for merch … it feels crazy in Australia that there is this much American influence.”
Corey Williams, who represents Rams linebacker Shaun Dolac, said he only touched down in Melbourne on Thursday night.
Friday was business but he had big plans for Saturday before catching a red-eye back to the US on Sunday morning.
“I want to see a kangaroo, I want to see some koalas and I want to see the march of the penguins,” Williams said.
Fellow player agent Darren Deloatche, who has 49ers Nate Hobbs and Jon Weeks in his stable, said Australia had always been on his bucket list and the match was the “kick in the butt” to make it happen.
“Melbourne is squeezing every penny out of us,” he joked.
“No lie. Y’all are a la carte everything.”
For those unable to score a ticket, pubs and live sites across the city were the next best thing.
Decked out in Rams gear, couple Dexter Shaw and Alana Shaw and their friend Jim Millman rocked up to a “tailgate experience” along the Yarra River.
The trio scouted tickets but blinked at the eye-watering price of $1000 each.
The NFL’s first regular-season game in Australia is expected to pump $300 million into the Victorian economy.
At least one more game will be played in Melbourne under the existing four-year agreement, while the fight amongst other states for a slice of the action will ramp up after the successful first edition.
The Rams-49ers clash was the first of a record nine international NFL games to be played this season.
With AAP