NFL Kickoff Festival: Your Ultimate Guide

The NFL Kickoff Festival will take place over 3 days from Thursday 10 September to Saturday 12 September at Melbourne Park.

Opening hours are:

Thursday 10 September: 10:00 am to 10:00 pm
Friday 11 September: 10:00 am to 10:00 pm
Saturday 12 September: 10:00 am to 7:00 pm

The San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams will take the field at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Friday 11 September at 10:35 am.

The NFL Kickoff Festival will be held across the Melbourne Park precinct, the home of the Australian Open.

Melbourne Park is accessible through multiple main entrances. Enter the NFL Kickoff Festival from the South Entry (via Olympic Boulevard) or North Entry (via Garden Square).

Public transport is the quickest and easiest option. Before you attend, plan ahead and allow extra travel time for any major disruptions. Melbourne Park is also just a 10-minute walk from the CBD via Birrarung Marr or Tanderrum Bridge. Plus, public transport is half price across Victoria for everyone.

Please note, additional train, tram and bus services will operate on Friday 11 September, with trains and trams running every 2 to 4 minutes during peak periods. Additional night services will also operate overnight on Thursday 10 and Friday 11 September.

For those preferring taxis, a rank is located next to Melbourne Park Oval on Olympic Boulevard, close to all entry points. The drop-off and pick-up point for rideshare services such as Uber is located outside John Cain Arena on Olympic Boulevard. 

Parking is available at the Eastern Plaza Car Park (Entrance D, Olympic Boulevard), with discounted event-day rates available when booked in advance. We strongly recommend pre-booking as drive-up spaces are subject to availability. Bookings close at midnight the night before the event.

Yes. The NFL Kickoff Festival will be fully accessible for all attendees. Melbourne Park and its access points are all equipped with ramps and lifts. If you require assistance, please inform a member of our guest services team or visit our Accessibility page for further information.

NFL Kickoff Festival tickets are now on sale to the public through Ticketmaster.

Ground Pass ticket prices are:

Thursday 10 September: $49 for adults
Friday 11 September: $59 for adults
Saturday 12 September: $49 for adults

Children aged 13 and under can attend free on all days. A free child ticket must be redeemed with an accompanying adult ticket.

Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster. Fans can also download the NFL OnePass app for event information, schedules and ticket updates.

Your ticket includes access to daily entertainment, music performances, interactive activations and a headline act each evening.

No. A ticket to the NFL Melbourne Game does not include access to the NFL Kickoff Festival. The festival is a separate, ticketed event at Melbourne Park, with tickets available through Ticketmaster.

The NFL Kickoff Festival will transform Melbourne Park into an immersive American-style football experience featuring NFL exhibits and interactive activations, official NFL retail pop-ups and exclusive merchandise collaborations, Flag Football clinics and games at Kia Arena, the NFL Academy Combine Zone, an American food village, official watch parties, music performances and live entertainment, and giveaways.

NFL legends, pundits and executives will appear across the festival schedule at the Melbourne Park Oval mainstage. From 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm on Thursday 10 September, fans can enjoy a live Q&A with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, San Francisco 49ers legend Jerry Rice, LA Rams legend Torry Holt and Australian NFL player Adam Gotsis, hosted by Colleen Wolfe. Additional appearance announcements will be made closer to the event.

Kia Arena will host an NFL Flag Football field featuring clinics, school visits and a celebrity game. Fans can also enjoy a cross-code skills challenge featuring some of Australia’s top athletes and watch Australia take on New Zealand in men’s and women’s Flag Football matches.

Yes. On Thursday 10 September, fans can enjoy the official watch party for the 2026 NFL Season Opener between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots from 10:30 am.

The festival will also host the official NFL Melbourne Game watch party between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers from 10:00 am on Friday 11 September for fans who want to experience the excitement of game day at Melbourne Park.

Peking Duk, Grinspoon and Sneaky Sound System lead a packed line-up of acts set to perform at the NFL Kickoff Festival. Peking Duk and Kita Alexander will launch the live music program on Thursday 10 September, before Grinspoon, Hot Dub Time Machine and Public Figures headline on Friday 11 September. Sneaky Sound System will take the stage on the festival’s final day, Saturday 12 September, with artist set times to be confirmed closer to the event.

Fans of the Jonas Brothers can also catch the trio live at the Melbourne Park Oval mainstage from 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm on Thursday 10 September, where they’ll take part in a special live audience interview ahead of their NFL Melbourne Game halftime performance.

Fans can taste their way around Melbourne Park with an American food village featuring a range of American-style cuisines and food offerings throughout the festival.

Yes. However, the NFL Clear Bag Policy will be in place for the NFL Kickoff Festival. You can bring one clear bag (up to 30.5cm x 15.25cm x 30.5cm) or one clear resealable bag (up to approximately 4 litres), plus one small non-clear clutch (up to 11.5cm x 16.5cm).

Exemptions apply for medical and family reasons. All bags will be subject to security screening.

Download the NFL OnePass app and follow @NFLAUNZ across social media for the latest event information, schedules and ticket updates.