None of that is confirmed. It is expected that the game will be Week 1, and it is expected that there is a Wednesday game, but beyond that is speculation:
The reason for the Wednesday game is because broadcasting laws effectively prohibit a Friday game to be played: from the second Friday of September to the second Saturday of December, you cannot broadcast a professional football game within 75 miles of a high school or college football game, which would be pretty much everywhere.
Could the MCG game kick off at mid to late morning to avoid the morning rush?
8pm U.S. Eastern (Thursday) is 11am Melbourne (Friday). Surely that’s what they would go for.
Probably around then? Someone said 11:30?
It’s actually 10 am in Melbourne if 8PM US Eastern refers to daylight saving time.
The NFL has announced that Rams v 49ers at the MCG will kick off at 10.35am AEST on Friday, September 11 (8.30pm US EST Thursday). Ticketmaster Australia is the ticket agent for this match, especially for fans travelling from North America. Pre-sales start next Wednesday with general tickets on sale on April 8.
Super Bowl champions Seattle Seahawks will host the season opener on Wednesday night, September 9 (September 10 in Australia) with the opponent to be revealed later.
American Express card members will receive presale access for the 2026 NFL Melbourne game between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers, as the league continues to grow its presence in Australia.
The NFL today named Qantas as Official Airline Partner in Australia and New Zealand. The agreement specifically designates Qantas as the lead aviation partner for the MCG game on September 11.
