Qantas will be bringing over National Football League teams the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers on two chartered A380 services as part of its official partnership of the 2026 NFL Melbourne Games.
The games will be Australia’s historic first-ever regular season NFL game, which will be played between the Rams and 49ers at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 11 September.
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Qantas as we continue to grow the sport across the region and work towards our first-ever regular season NFL game in Melbourne this year,” NFL Australia & New Zealand general manager Charlotte Offord said.
“Australia is a significant growth market for the league, so to partner with a strong Australian brand such as Qantas is very exciting for us. The partnership will go a long way in not only benefiting our 8.8 million NFL fans across the region, but also in providing greater connection for our international fans who are looking to make the trip down under.”
As one of Victoria’s most important markets, the US accounted for 216,000 visitors in the year ending December 2025, with visitors staying a total of 2.4 million nights and spending $391 million.
“Australia is a country that lives and breathes sport and we are incredibly proud to be part of bringing the first ever regular season NFL game here,” Qantas Group chief brand and corporate affairs officer Danielle Keighery said. “More Americans are choosing to visit Australia than ever and these games are going to inspire a whole new wave of US fans to make the trip.
“We cannot wait for them to experience the warm Australian hospitality and everything that makes this country unique, from the moment they step on board a Qantas flight. With more than 8.8 million NFL fans across Australia and New Zealand, Qantas will also be helping to connect fans across its extensive domestic and Trans-Tasman network to the MCG for this historic game.”
Each team has an active roster of 53 players with an average weight of around 115kg. Add to that coaches, medical staff, nutritionists, and team doctors and there may be as many as 175 to 200 people traveling to a game.
In addition, teams need to transport immense amounts of equipment to each game. There is at least 53 bags – one for every player – plus an additional 10-16 bags for practice squad players. They’ll typically take 27 team balls and various consumables for the trip. In all, the equipment weighs in at 6,800kg rising to 9,000kg in cold weather.
Qantas operates up to 40 flights per week between Australia and the United States, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York (via Auckland) and Dallas. Both the Rams and 49ers travelling parties will fly to Australia on Qantas charter flights with the airline’s scheduled services also connecting American fans, as well as supporters from across the entire Asia-Pacific region heading to the event.
Beyond the iconic MCG, incoming fans can have more than just a football game to get excited about when they touch down in Melbourne. Famous for its world-class food, coffee, and arts and culture scene, the sporting capital delivers both an incredible game-day atmosphere, and a memorable holiday experience.
