Zoey Duchene
The NFL is working on expanding its audience with international games this season in London, Rio, Paris, Madrid and Melbourne.
Anticipation for the first regular-season American football game on Australian soil is high, with the MCG sold out for the historic LA Rams v San Francisco 49ers clash, and a crowd of about 100,000 expected on Friday.
There are some important things to know about NFL game culture.
Hereโs everything you need to know to be primed for game day.
Why do the games take so long?
American football games run a little differently to most Australian sports. There is a total of 60 minutesโ playing time split into four quarters, but the games run for much longer than that.
Including commercial breaks, timeouts and downtime, the games take about 3- 3 ยฝ hours.
Kick-off for the Melbourne game is 10.35am, which is 5.35pm in California, perfect for a Thursday night TV audience in the US.
How do you score?
The main thing to know is that the aim is to run the football from one end of the field to the other while being charged at and tackled.
If a team makes it to the end, they gain six points for a touchdown with a chance to go for either an additional point or a two-point conversion.
An additional point is earned if the team that makes the touchdown kicks from the 15-yard line through the two goal posts. A two-point conversion is awarded if a team goes back to the 20-yard line and attempts to run the ball back to the end zone.
American football mainly comes down to the two teams either passing, carrying or kicking the ball to either end zone to gain points.
A team gets four downs (attempts) to move the ball 10 yards. Once a team gains 10 or more yards, the tally resets, and they get four more downs.
When it comes to game penalties, the common ones are false start, pass interference and holding.
A false start penalty will cause the offensive team to move back five yards. It occurs when an offensive player makes a motion before the snap of the ball.
There are two types of pass interference. When it happens on the defensive side, there is an automatic first down. When it occurs on the offensive side, there is a 10-yard penalty. A pass interference occurs when a receiver or defenderโs ability to catch a forward pass is hindered by another player more than one yard beyond the line of scrimmage.
There are also two types of holding. Holding is when a player on either side uses their hands or arms to restrict another playerโs movements when they donโt have the ball. When the penalty is given to the defensive side, there is a 10-yard shift towards the oppositionโs end zone. When the penalty is given to the offensive side, the shift is five yards in the opposite direction with an automatic first down.
How do I watch?
Australians who donโt have a ticket can watch on Seven, which has exclusive free-to-air rights with the NFL, or on ESPN through Kayo, Foxtel or Disney+.
Netflix will also be streaming the Melbourne game along with two games on Thanksgiving, (Thursday, November 26), one game on Christmas Day, and a game during the last week before play-offs.
Itโs not the Super Bowl, but the MCG game will still feature a half-time show with American pop-rock band the Jonas Brothers.
Australians should be prepared for a lot of commercial breaks and quick action. Most NFL plays last a total of between four and 15 seconds, making it easy to miss crucial portions of the game.
And if youโre lucky enough to have a ticket, check the list of prohibited items here. Itโs extensive.
Players to watch
Figuring out what team to support is critical, and it helps to know the players.
LA Rams
- Myles Garrett (defensive end, No.95): The Rams traded for Garrett over the off-season, acquiring him from the Cleveland Browns. He set an all-time sack record with 23 and was the defensive player of the year in 2025.
- Matthew Stafford (quarterback, No.9): The Rams quarterback is the reigning MVP, leading the NFL in passing yards and touchdown passes in the regular season. Stafford signed a one-year, $55 million contract extension with the Rams in May.
- Puka Nacua (wide receiver, No.12) : Nacua was vital in getting the Rams to the NFL championship game in 2025. He led the league with receptions, finished second in receiving yards, and sixth in touchdown catches.
San Francisco 49ers
- Christian McCaffrey (running back, No.23): McCaffrey is No.6 on the NFL top-100 players list, which is voted on by the players themselves on the previous season. McCaffrey led his team in receptions and receiving yards and set a franchise record of 413 touches in the season.
- Brock Purdy (quarterback, No.13): The 49ers say Purdy is one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the league. In his nine games last season, he led the NFL with eight first-quarter completions with deep throws, which came out to 213 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.
- George Kittle (tight end, No.85): Kittle is known for his physicality and has been selected for the Pro Bowl, which honours the best-performing players in the league, in each of the past five years. Although Kittle missed some games through injury in 2025, he finished second at the 49ers for receptions and touchdown catches.
What is tailgating?
Hours before games even start in the United States, fans gather to hang out, grill hotdogs and burgers and cheer on their favourite team in the carpark of the venue. Tailgating makes going to a game a full-day event, with most tailgates starting early in the morning before evening games.
You can arrange your own tailgating party, or buy a ticket for one of the events happening in Melbourne.
โThe Best Tailgateโ will be hosted by American football legends Isaac Bruce and Jeff Garcia at the Glasshouse, Olympic Park, from 7am until just before kick-off on Thursday.
There will also be a kick-off festival at Melbourne Park from Thursday to Saturday, with entertainment, flag football clinics and fan experiences.
And voco Melbourne Central is hosting a tailgate party for adults only on Thursday night.
Follow our live blog of the Rams v 49ers from 8am on Friday.
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