The Seven Network has secured free-to-air domestic rights for the 2026 NFL season.
The broadcast agreement includes the first-ever regular season NFL game on Australian soil. Coverage will be live from the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday, 11 September, broadcast on Seven and 7plus Sport.
ESPN has the streaming rights and shows at least six games each week.
Fans across the nation will have front-row seats as one of the NFL’s fiercest rivalries – the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams – come together for the local morning broadcast.
Seven and 7plus Sport will deliver comprehensive coverage throughout the full 2026 season, including key weekly matches, the playoffs, and the Super Bowl.
Seven will broadcast a bumper weekly lineup of NFL action throughout the 2026 season. Seven will also extend its dedicated weekly show, NFL Tailgate, to twice a week. The expanded lineup will deliver the latest news, analysis, and highlights from across the league, with a comprehensive Friday preview program followed by a Monday morning review show.
“Seven’s dominance in sport is unmatched, and securing the free to air exclusive rights to the NFL, headlined by the historic first regular season game at the MCG, is a landmark moment,” said Southern Cross Media Group’s managing director and CEO Rohan Lund.
“The NFL has captured the imagination of local fans like never before. We look forward to bringing the incredible energy of this global phenomenon to life, delivering an unforgettable, world-class experience for both our audiences and commercial partners.”
“Growing fandom in Australia and globally is at the core of the NFL’s international strategy, and being able to work together with great media partners like the Seven Network to reach the widest audiences is critical to us being able to achieve that. The 2026 season will see Australian fans able to access comprehensive broadcast coverage live and free on Seven and 7plus Sport, including key tent pole moments like the NFL Melbourne Game and Super Bowl LXI,” said NFL general manager ANZ Charlotte Offord.
“Securing the NFL rights is a huge win for Seven and couldn’t come at a better time. With the first-ever regular season NFL game heading to Melbourne, we’re seeing the incredible momentum the sport has built across Australia. Fan interest has never been stronger, and audiences are embracing the league in record numbers. This acquisition delivers a powerful back end to the year of sport, adding another premium global property to an already outstanding sporting calendar,” said Southern Cross Media Group’s director of sport, TV, audio and streaming Chris Jones.
Seven’s game-day coverage on Friday, 11 September will begin with a special broadcast of Sunrise live from Melbourne, before the main game coverage goes to air from 9.00am AEST.
