Melbourne Park to host NFL Melbourne Game Kickoff Festival presented by American Express
The National Football League Will Take Over Melbourne Park Sept. 10-12 with a Football Themed festival for fans
Live Nation Partners with the NFL to Bring Live Music to Australia’s First-Ever NFL Regular Season Game
The Los Angeles Rams Will Face the San Francisco 49ers at the Melbourne Cricket Ground at 10:35 a.m. AEST on Friday, Sept. 11
The National Football League, in partnership with Live Nation and American Express, will take over Melbourne Park this September for a three-day fan event to celebrate Australia’s first-ever regular season NFL game.
The NFL Melbourne Game Kickoff Festival presented by American Express is an immersive American-style football takeover, bringing fans closer to the game on and off the field during game week. The festivities will kick off on Thursday 10 September running for three days until the evening of Saturday 12 September, with Melbourne Park transforming into an epicentre of activations, NFL exhibits, retail pop-ups, Flag Football clinics, an American food village, official watch parties, music concerts and more.
“The Kickoff Festival promises to be an action-packed experience for sports fans of all ages,” said Charlotte Offord, NFL General Manager – Australia & New Zealand. “Whether fans are attending the game or not, this event is the perfect way to get a taste of the NFL, be part of the celebrations and enjoy what we know is going to be an incredible few days in Melbourne. The NFL is all about bringing fans together, and we see this event as the perfect opportunity to do that. We can’t wait to see fans show up in numbers to enjoy the festivities.”
“The NFL’s first regular season game in Australia is a landmark moment, and Live Nation is proud to help build the excitement around it with a game-week experience that matches the scale of the occasion,” said Luke Hede, Senior Vice President of Touring & Commercial, Live Nation Australia. “The Kickoff Festival will bring together live music, entertainment and the unmistakable energy of the NFL, giving fans a new way to be part of the action. From Melbourne Park to the MCG, this will be a truly memorable celebration for fans across the city.”
“This is a landmark moment for Australia, a nation with an unrivalled passion for sport,” said Naysla Edwards, Vice President of Customer Marketing and Member Experience at American Express Australia. “As anticipation builds ahead of the first-ever NFL regular season game on Australian soil, we’re excited to create memorable experiences that bring fans closer to the action and provide them with the opportunity to enjoy the off-field energy. Excitingly, American Express Card Members will also have exclusive access to Kickoff Festival tickets to enjoy the incredible atmosphere.”
“Melbourne’s the only place in Australia where fans can be part of the excitement and passion of the NFL and this is going to be another amazing experience for visitors from across the globe to enjoy,” said Steve Dimopoulos, Victorian Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events. “Activations like this boost businesses and create jobs for Victorians, attracting more people to local cafes, restaurants, retailers and hotels.”
With under two months until the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams take the field at the iconic MCG on Friday, September 11 at 10:35 a.m. AEST, final preparations are underway for tickets to go on sale for the NFL Melbourne Game Kickoff Festival presented by American Express.
American Express® Card Members have exclusive access to purchase Amex Presale Tickets® for the Kickoff Festival from Monday, July 27 at 10.00 a.m. AEST to Wednesday, July 29 at 10.00 a.m. AEST. American Express is the Official Payments Partner of the NFL and Presenting Partner of the NFL Melbourne Kickoff Festival.
Kickoff Festival general on sale tickets will be available to purchase from Ticketmaster on Wednesday, July 29 from 11.00 a.m. AEST for $49 for adults for Thursday and Saturday sessions, and $59 for adults on Friday. Kids 13 and under will be able to access the Kickoff Festival for free on all three days (free child ticket must be redeemed with an accompanying adult ticket).
For Kickoff Festival event information and further details about tickets, fans are encouraged to visit ticketmaster.com.au/nfl or download the NFL OnePass app. Available via the App Store, NFL OnePass is the must-have tool for navigating NFL events and provides real-time updates, a full schedule of interactive activities, Know-Before-You-Go information and access to exclusive content and prizes.
Inside the event, the NFL Kickoff Festival promises to be action packed, hosting daily entertainment and music performances from Australian music icons and local DJs. All performances, activations and a headline act each evening are included as part of the festival ticket. More details about artists and performances will be released in the coming weeks.
An NFL Flag football field will take over Kia Arena, giving fans the chance to experience the NFL’s non-contact format of the game – a fast, exciting, and fun version for both boys and girls of all ages and abilities. Flag clinics, school visits, and a celebrity game will feature as part of the schedule, including a cross-code skills challenge with some of Australia’s top athletes and an Australia versus New Zealand game between the men’s and women’s national Flag Football teams. Fans will also be able to test their gridiron skills at the NFL Academy Combine Zone, to see how they stack up against the pros.
Fans attending the Kickoff Festival will have the opportunity to purchase NFL merchandise and exclusive brand collaborations from retail pop-ups, as well as take photos with all 60 Super Bowl rings and the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Fans will also be able to taste their way around Melbourne Park with an American food village bringing everyone’s favourite American-style cuisines to one place.
NFL legends, pundits and executives will join the Kickoff Festival schedule, including a live Q&A with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. The Rams and 49ers, as well as NFL Australia & New Zealand Global Markets Program clubs the Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks and Las Vegas Raiders, will have activations on site alongside key NFL partners.
On Thursday, the Kickoff Festival will host the official watch party for the 2026 NFL Season Opener, when the defending Super Bowl Champions, the Seattle Seahawks, host the New England Patriots at Lumen Field on Thursday, September 10 at 10.20 a.m AEST in a Super Bowl LX rematch. The Kickoff Festival will also host the official NFL Melbourne Game watch party for fans who are not attending the game but still want to be part of the action. To top it off, fans will have the chance to win and get their hands on loads of NFL and partner giveaways across three huge days.
With more than 8.8 million passionate fans, the NFL has a growing presence in Australia and is committed to investing in the development of the game year-round across the entire Asia-Pacific region. The NFL opened its Australia office in 2022; officially launched a national Flag Football program in 2023; opened the NFL APAC Academy in 2024 and has established a strong annual calendar of fan events across the country, culminating in the announcement of the first-ever regular season NFL game being played in Melbourne in 2026.
To stay up to date on all things NFL Australia, follow @NFLAUNZ on Instagram, X and TikTok.
NFL Kickoff Festival ticket information:
Date: Thursday 10 Sept – Saturday 12 Sept
Location: Melbourne Park, Melbourne
Amex pre-sale: Monday, July 27 at 10.00 a.m. AEST to Wednesday, July 29 at 10.00 a.m. AEST, while supplies last. T&Cs apply.
General on sale: Wednesday, July 29 from 11.00 a.m. AEST
| Type | Date | Hours | Adults | Kids 13 & Under |
| Grounds Pass | Thurs 10 Sept. | 10.00AM – 10.00PM | $49.00 | FREE |
| Grounds Pass | Friday 11 Sept. | 10.00AM – 10.00PM | $59.00 | FREE |
| Grounds Pass | Sat 12 Sept. | 10.00AM – 7.00PM | $49.00 | FREE |
*Free child ticket must be redeemed with an accompanying adult ticket
About NFL Australia & New Zealand
International growth is a major strategic priority for the NFL and its 32 clubs. As the league continues to explore and expand to new markets around the world, Australia, with 8.8M NFL fans, is an engaged market – with an NFL office operated on the Gold Coast.
Australia is home to the NFL Academy, a major global initiative by the NFL offering talented student athletes the opportunity to combine full-time education alongside intensive training in American football and has also implemented a national Flag Football competition with more 500 schools and close to 100,000 kids participating.
Alongside various media and brand partnerships, the Philadelphia Eagles, the Los Angeles Rams, the Seattle Seahawks, and the Las Vegas Raiders hold marketing rights across Australia & New Zealand as part of the NFL’s Global Markets Program.
About Live Nation Entertainment
Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) is the world’s leading live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, and Live Nation Media & Sponsorship. For additional information, visit livenationentertainment.com.