An Australian first-year multi-year contract between the NFL and the Victorian government will be the regular season of the Melbourne Cricket Ground Host National Rugby League (NFL) regular season, a welcome message from hoteliers in the city.
Dougal Hollis, general manager of Australian Accommodation (Victoria), welcomed the news, saying it reflects the reputation of Melbourne's envious world-leading event city in the recent Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix , Boxing Day Test and Australia's open grand Australian Grand Prix, a record crowd slam can only further boost that reputation.
“The long history of delivery of large events has undoubtedly given the NFL the confidence that hosting the NFL fixture in Melbourne will be rated with “touchdowns” for local and international football fans,” Hollis said.
“The NFL is very popular in Australia, and the sport is reportedly 6.6 million fans nationwide.
“American TV audiences are also important, with an average of 21 million fans during the opening week of the 2024 season.
“Increasing risks to the North American market adds greater potential for U.S. NFL fans to Melbourne, from currently worth $239 million a year to a key internal travel market in Victoria.”
Peter Minatsis, chairman of the Australian Accommodation (Victoria) Advisory Group, said there was a strong correlation between increasing hotel residents and the timing of major activities.
“Most NFL games are played on Sunday afternoon or on Monday night in the U.S.,” he said.
“Assuming that the NFL game held in Melbourne follows a similar pattern, the schedule will be welcomed by the early hotel occupation of Melbourne City.
“Melbourne is one of the few global cities in a world-class sports and cultural area. This compact diversity adds a true carnival atmosphere during major events that most other cities cannot replicate.”
Delta Airlines recently confirmed three new direct flights from Los Angeles to Melbourne, beginning in December 2025. The move is a timely complement to these routes, with 1,200 uninterrupted flights between Melbourne and the United States now carrying 435,000 passengers each year.
