Robert Irwin announces first ever NFL game to be played in Australia between Rams, 49ers

Australia will become the ninth country to host an NFL game when play kicks off next season.

• Australia
• Brazil
• France
• Germany
• Ireland
• Mexico
• Spain
• United Kingdom
• United States

The game will serve as an NFC West clash between two teams that both made the postseason this year. The Los Angeles Rams knocked off the Carolina Panthers and Chicago Bears before falling to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship Game, while the San Francisco 49ers took down the Philadelphia Eagles before falling to the Seahawks in the Divisional Round.

“I think it’s gonna be huge,” Irwin continued. “The love for NFL is real in Australia. My dad grew up playing footie. That was it 100%. When you start to see people like, I was just hanging out with Jordan Mailata. He was the first Aussie to win a Super Bowl.

“When you look at these guys that are now from Australia and leading the charge to make it big in American football (gridiron as we call it in Australia), it’s like ‘wow’. Now all these kids growing up go, ‘I’ve got a chance. I can play in the NFL’. As an Australian, that means a lot. To have a game right there will inspire their mates over here in the States and give them a run for their money.”

Per NFL insider Ari Meirov, an idea has been floated for the game to take place in Week 1, prior to the Thursday Night Kick-Off Game. This is because of the 19-hour time difference between the West Coast and Melbourne. This would give the two teams a bigger gap before returning to the United States for their Week 2 matchups.