The NFL will take over Melbourne Park this September with a football themed festival for fans!
The NFL Kickoff Festival presented by American Express is coming to Melbourne this September for a three-day fan event to celebrate Australia’s first-ever regular season NFL game.
The NFL Kickoff Festival presented by American Express is an immersive American-style football takeover, bringing fans closer to the game on and off the field during game week. The festivities will kick off on Thursday 10 September running for three days until the evening of Saturday 12 September, with Melbourne Park transforming into an epicentre of activations, NFL exhibits, retail pop-ups, Flag Football clinics, an American food village, official watch parties, music concerts and more.
With under two months until the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams take the field at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Friday, September 11 at 10:35 a.m. AEST.
American Express® Card Members have exclusive access to purchase Amex Presale Tickets® for the Kickoff Festival from Monday, July 27 at 10.00 a.m. AEST to Wednesday, July 29 at 10.00 a.m. AEST.
NFL Kickoff Festival general on sale tickets will be available to purchase from Ticketmaster on Wednesday, July 29 from 11.00 a.m. AEST for $49 for adults for Thursday and Saturday sessions, and $59 for adults on Friday. Kids 13 and under will be able to access the Kickoff Festival for free on all three days (free child ticket must be redeemed with an accompanying adult ticket).
For Kickoff Festival event information and further details about tickets, fans are encouraged to visit ticketmaster.com.au/nfl or download the NFL OnePass app. Available via the App Store, NFL OnePass is the must-have tool for navigating NFL events and provides real-time updates, a full schedule of interactive activities, Know-Before-You-Go information and access to exclusive content and prizes.
Inside the event, the NFL Kickoff Festival promises to be action packed, hosting daily entertainment and music performances from Australian music icons and local DJs. All performances, activations and a headline act each evening are included as part of the festival ticket. More details about artists and performances will be released in the coming weeks.
An NFL Flag football field will take over Kia Arena, giving fans the chance to experience the NFL’s non-contact format of the game – a fast, exciting, and fun version for both boys and girls of all ages and abilities. Flag clinics, school visits, and a celebrity game will feature as part of the schedule, including a cross-code skills challenge with some of Australia’s top athletes and an Australia versus New Zealand game between the men’s and women’s national Flag Football teams. Fans will also be able to test their gridiron skills at the NFL Academy Combine Zone, to see how they stack up against the pros.
Fans attending the NFL Kickoff Festival will have the opportunity to purchase NFL merchandise and exclusive brand collaborations from retail pop-ups, as well as take photos with all 60 Super Bowl rings and the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Fans will also be able to taste their way around Melbourne Park with an American food village bringing everyone’s favourite American-style cuisines to one place.
NFL legends, pundits and executives will join the NFL Kickoff Festival schedule, including a live Q&A with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. The Rams and 49ers, as well as NFL Australia & New Zealand Global Markets Program clubs the Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks and Las Vegas Raiders, will have activations on site alongside key NFL partners.
On Thursday, the NFL Kickoff Festival will host the official watch party for the 2026 NFL Season Opener, when the defending Super Bowl Champions, the Seattle Seahawks, host the New England Patriots at Lumen Field on Thursday, September 10 at 10.20 a.m AEST in a Super Bowl LX rematch. The Kickoff Festival will also host the official NFL Melbourne Game watch party for fans who are not attending the game but still want to be part of the action. To top it off, fans will have the chance to win and get their hands on loads of NFL and partner giveaways across three huge days.
For more information on the NFL Melbourne Game Kickoff Festival including a full list of interactive activities, exclusive digital content, download the NFL OnePass app. NFL OnePass provides up-to-date information, digital content and a chance to win exclusive prizes.
The NFL Kickoff Festival will be fully accessible to all attendees. For more details on mobility assistance, parking, transportation options and road closures, fans can check the Know Before You Go information, which will be released over the coming weeks.
NFL Kickoff Festival ticket information:
Date: Thursday 10 Sept – Saturday 12 Sept
Location: Melbourne Park precinct, Melbourne
Amex pre-sale: Monday, July 27 at 10.00 a.m. AEST to Wednesday, July 29 at 10.00 a.m. AEST, while supplies last. T&Cs apply.
General on sale: Wednesday, July 29 from 11.00 a.m. AEST
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.nfl.com ’
