NFL in Australia: San Francisco 49ers take down LA Rams in Melbourne
History was made at the MCG as San Francisco beat LA for the first NFL victory on Australian soil! Recap all the action and the spectacle of the day here.
NFL: History was made at the MCG as San Francisco beat LA for the first NFL victory on Australian soil!
The LA Rams and San Francisco 49ers did battle at our country’s most famous sporting arena, with the match serving as each team’s season opener in the first week of the new campaign.
The two powerhouse franchises took polar opposite approaches to the considerable travel challenge. The Niners arrived a week out from the game in an attempt to acclimatise to Australia, while the Rams got to Melbourne barely 24 hours before kick-off in a hit-and-run approach.
Recap all the action and the spectacle of the day here.
Key events
11 Sep 2026 - 11:24 AM
FULLTIME: 49ers 27, Rams 7
11 Sep 2026 - 11:10 AM
Footage shows gruesome injury as NFL players helped off field
11 Sep 2026 - 10:40 AM
END OF THIRD: 49ers 17, Rams 7
11 Sep 2026 - 10:10 AM
Short and sweet
11 Sep 2026 - 10:08 AM
John Farnham tribute
11 Sep 2026 - 10:06 AM
Australia make some noise!
11 Sep 2026 - 10:03 AM
Jonas Brothers are here!
11 Sep 2026 - 10:00 AM
Jonas Brothers will take to the stage soon!
11 Sep 2026 - 09:55 AM
HALFTIME: 49ers 10, Rams 7
11 Sep 2026 - 09:18 AM
INTERCEPTION!
11 Sep 2026 - 09:12 AM
TOUCHDOWN!
11 Sep 2026 - 09:08 AM
END OF FIRST: 49ers 3, Rams 0
11 Sep 2026 - 09:06 AM
MUST-WATCH
11 Sep 2026 - 08:28 AM
The run down
John Farnham tribute
The Jonas Brothers are now performing John Farnham’s The Voice. What a tribute to an Aussie icon and the crowd are loving it!
The band is now “taking it all the way back” with popular throwback tune Year 3000.
Australia make some noise!
Joe has called on the huge stadium audience to get around the NFL celebrations. The field is filled with cheerleaders and colourful back up dancers.
Jonas Brothers are here!
The highly-anticipated show from the celebrity singers have taken to the stage with their 2019 song Sucker.
Jonas Brothers will take to the stage soon!
Jo-Bro are not far off from performing their halftime show spectacle so stay tuned!
It comes after Joe Jonas almost didn’t make it Down Under in time to perform after missing his connecting flight to Melbourne from Dubai.
Thankfully, he got another flight and joined brothers Kevin and Nick Jonas in Melbourne just in time.
HALFTIME: 49ers 10, Rams 7
Purdy could not get past the pressure in the final minute and we head to the break with the 49ers enjoying a small lead.
The teams are trying to get the big plays in but so far defence has been great.
Stafford has thrown 4/11 for 65 yards and an intercept while Purdy as at 141 yards.
Free hit
The 49ers will get the ball to start the second half so they have 90 seconds here to go the length of the field and steal some extra points.
But the Rams D is hunting a late sack on Purdy.
49ers 10, Rams 7
Injury
The Niners have a second injury concern on offense Tight End Tonges hurting his knee.
They have already lost a young reciever as well.
Ripped up
We’re getting a bit of a look at why many NFL grounds utilise astro turf as we approach halftime.
The grass is getting ripped up and large chunks have already been taken out of the NFL logo at centre field.
Much of it comes from the lines digging in to get a shot of power out of the blocks.
49ers 10, Rams 7
TOUCHDOWN 49ers!
San Fran go 86 yards in nine plays and Purdy finds the end zone with a 39-yard pass.
Robinson splits through the field and finds space behind the defence for a simple TD catch.
San Francisco take the lead back.
49ers 10, Rams 7
Picked off!
The 49ers get an intercept of their own!
The quarterbacks are trying to make this game a shootout but the defenses are having none of it.
49ers 3, Rams 7
