NFL Down Under: Australia in the Running to Host Future Game
The NFL is considering taking its talents to the land down under, with Australia emerging as a potential host for a future regular-season game. This news comes on the heels of a report by 9News in Melbourne, which suggested that the NFL is likely to move at least one game to Australia in either 2025 or 2026.
Potential host stadium for NFL game in Australia
According to Peter O’Reilly, the NFL’s head of international affairs, Australia is indeed under consideration for hosting a future game. While the logistics of such an event are still being ironed out, O’Reilly revealed that the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) has already had early discussions with the NFL.
“When you start to talk about Asia, Pacific and Australia, you talk about distance and logistics and the football component of that,” O’Reilly said. “So those factors are real.”
The NFL would need to navigate the challenges of distance and time zones, with a 14-hour difference between Melbourne/Sydney and the Eastern Time Zone in the United States. However, this wouldn’t be an insurmountable hurdle. A potential solution could be to schedule the game for a Monday afternoon in Melbourne, which would translate to a 9 p.m. ET Sunday night kickoff in the United States.
The NFL has a history of hosting international games
Another option would be to schedule the game for Week 1, with a Friday afternoon or Saturday afternoon kickoff in Australia, which would put it on Thursday night or Friday night in the United States. This would give the two teams involved ample time to travel back and readjust to the time difference in the U.S.
If the NFL chooses to schedule the game after Week 1, the two teams playing in the game would likely need a bye after playing Down Under.
Australian NFL fans could soon get to see their favorite teams in action
While there are still many details to be worked out, the prospect of an NFL game in Australia is an exciting one for fans of the sport. As the NFL continues to explore international opportunities, it’s clear that the league is committed to growing its global presence.
Australian landscape
