When the Rams and 49ers play the first regular season NFL game in Australia on Thursday night (or Friday morning in Melbourne), the stadium and field will look awfully different to an American football fan.
Specifically, the actual playing field is going to be so far away from the fans in the stands. That's a reality that the NFL had to consider when choosing a stadium for the game.
The game is being played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (usually referred to as "The MCG"), and the 100,000-seat venue is the largest stadium in Australia and the third-largest stadium outside of the U.S. But obviously the stadium was never constructed with American football in mind, and that's going to present a unique scene.
MELBOURNE - Football. Today. Here. pic.twitter.com/KQW0HxMFuv
— Nick Wagoner (@nwagoner) September 10, 2026
The playing surface at The MCG is 190.30 by 162.95 yards, which completely dwarfs an NFL playing surface of 120 yards long by 53.33 yards wide. The MCG hosts both cricket and Australian football — both play on significantly larger fields than American football.
And the photos don't really do it justice. A reporter walked from the stands to the sideline during Rams practice at Marvel Stadium, and yeah, it was an incredibly long walk.
@irishnflshow The gap is MASSIVE between the seats and the NFL field the 49ers and Rams will play on #nfl #rams #49ers
♬ original sound - irishnflshow
Fans might need binoculars for this game, honestly.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Why are the stands so far away from the field in NFL's 49ers-Rams Australia game?
