MELBOURNE, April 10 (Reuters) – NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has promised that this year’s groundbreaking game in Melbourne between the San Francisco 49ers and the LA Rams would not be a one-off and the league could return as early as 2027.
Goodell was at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Friday to promote the first regular-season NFL game in Australia and said he had been impressed by the passion for sport he had witnessed in the country.
“There’s no question that we’re going to be playing here again,” he told reporters on the field at the iconic stadium.
“Our view is that we’re coming here for the long term. We don’t come as a one-offs. This isn’t a circus.
“This is something that’s an investment in this, in this market and we believe that, this is long term and will be great for the NFL long term.”
Pressed as to whether that might mean a return as early as 2027, Goodell replied, “It might”.
Sales of tickets for the 100,000-seater stadium have been so strong that Goodell said they could have sold out the September 11 game in the pre-sale had the NFL not wanted to ensure U.S.-based fans would have a chance to get hold of some.
He was less certain whether it might be possible to challenge the record attendance for an NFL regular-season game — the 105,121 that turned up to see Dallas play the New York Giants at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington in 2009.
“We’re going to have to talk and see how many more seats we can get in there,” he said.
“So I think the record is slightly over 100 … but it’s going to be darn close and maybe we can get there.”
San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan last month made it clear that he was less than thrilled that the 49ers will open the 2026 season with a trip Down Under, saying he did not see much benefit to it for his team.
Goodell said that was a fully understandable take from a team coach looking to make the best possible start to the new season.
“Coach Shanahan is enthusiastic and a great football coach, but also someone who truly understands the importance of expanding our game globally. But his job is to win,” he said.
“We’re going to make it a great experience for the team … (but) they got to make sure that they’re able to continue the competitiveness because this game is real, this counts and they’ll go on a week two as soon as they leave here.”
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney in Sydney, editing by Peter Rutherford)
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