VOL 26 | ISSUE 7 | FEBRUARY 17, 2025
Delaware North is set to play a large role when the National Football League (NFL) in 2026 begins playing regular season games in Australia for the first time.
The NFL on Feb. 5 announced a multiyear commitment to play regular season games in Melbourne at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), where Delaware North has been the hospitality partner since 2022 and retail services partner since 2023. The first game will feature the Los Angeles Rams, with their opponent and date to be announced.’
“Expanding to Melbourne, Australia, a beautiful city with a rich sports history, underlines our ambitions to become a global sport and accelerates international growth,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said. “We look forward to making history in what is an important market for the NFL and a significant next step in expanding our international footprint.”
The MCG seats more than 100,000 people as the largest stadium in the Southern Hemisphere, hosting Australian rules football (Australian Football League), cricket, rugby and major concerts.
“We’re thrilled the NFL will be touching down in the sporting capital of Australia,” Premier of Victoria Jacinta Allan said. “It’s a win for jobs, a win for businesses and a win for fans who will get to see American football played at the iconic MCG.”
The game will mark the third continent where Delaware North has served fans at regular season NFL games. In addition to the company’s partnerships with several NFL teams at their U.S. stadiums, Delaware North has been the hospitality provider at London’s Wembley Stadium in the U.K. since the NFL International Series launched there in 2007.