A general view as fans watch on at Federation Square during the NFL match in Melbourne played between the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams at Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia on Sept. 11, 2026. (Photo by Josh Chadwick/Getty Images) It’s after 9 p.m. on Qantas flight QF94 with service from Los Angeles to Melbourne, Australia and business class passengers are stowing overhead bags and settling into their seats for the next 15-hours or so. Even with a long haul flight minutes from going wheels up, an upbeat energy is coursing through the cabin, and a woman wearing a wide smile and a San Francisco 49ers sweatshirt walks gets out of her seat to approach another passenger with a bold request — to ask for a selfie. Ignoring a famous actor with model good looks standing in front of her, she reaches down and politely places a camera in front of another boldfaced name who happens to be heading Down Under: NFL commissioner Roger Godell. This is not an ordinary flight to Australia as it’s filled with VIPs, fans, press and other insiders en route to Melbourne to watch the league make history with its first game in the beloved country as part of a landmark pact between the NFL and Visit Victoria. And what a moment it was as north of 100,000 found seats inside the spacious Melbourne Cricket Ground to watch the Los Angeles Rams take on the San Francisco 49ers to kick off the 2026 regular season. But beyond the scoreboard — sorry, Rams — there was much to see, experience, eat and engage with across Victoria as the tourism board hosted The Hollywood Reporter to check it out. Below are highlights from five days in Victoria from Melbourne and Torquay to the Great Ocean Road and a wildlife sanctuary with stunning ocean views.
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How to Get There — Qantas Airlines
Image Credit: Credit: Courtesy of Qantas Qantas, also known as the Flying Kangaroo or the preferred airline of native Australians, operates up to 40 flights per week between Australia and the United States from such major cities as Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York. (The airliner will boost travel from the Big Apple when it launches non-stop services between Sydney and New York starting in 2028 as part of Project Sunrise.) The first two cities mentioned above are important here as Qantas serves as the official airline partner of the NFL in Australia and Zealand. As such, it operated charter flights on A380s for the Rams and 49ers while also filling its commercial flights with fans from all over as Qantas reported an uptick of 50 percent with bookings from the U.S. to Australia in advance of the Sept. 11 kickoff at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. As for those team charters, each plane got staffed with four pilots, 22 cabin crew and one charter manager along with more than 2,000 meals, which were maximized with protein to fuel some ever-hungry NFL stars. For example, steak sandwiches got loaded with extra meat, cheeseburgers were double-stuffed and there was so many meals and snacks that overhead bins were used for catering rather than luggage. Travelers also were able to get cozy for the long-haul flight while also rooting for the team of their chose when Qantas staffers surprised some guests with custom pajamas at boarding gates featuring either Rams or 49ers colors. “Our teams have spent months working with the clubs to make the flight part of the experience, from menus designed alongside team nutrition staff to bespoke Qantas pajamas in each club’s colors. For many of the athletes and staff this is their first visit to Australia and we wanted to give them a taste of the country from the moment they stepped on board,” explained Qantas Group chief brand and corporate affairs officer Danielle Keighery.
Reservations: Qantas.com
A view inside Qantas’ A380 aircraft used for a charter to carry NFL teams from the United States to Melbourne, Australia to make history as the league’s first game to be played in the country. Credit: Courtesy of Qantas 
A view of Qantas staffers holding up jerseys for both the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams. Credit: Courtesy of Qantas 
A view inside Qantas’ A380 aircraft used for a charter to carry NFL teams from the United States to Melbourne, Australia to make history as the league’s first game to be played in the country. Pictured here are a selection of snacks served to players to fuel them during the flight. Credit: Courtesy of Qantas 
A view of one of those double-stuffed cheeseburgers served to NFL players on the Qantas charter. Credit: Courtesy of Qantas 
More snacks served to NFL players on the direct flights. Credit: Courtesy of Qantas
