Netflix's historic broadcast of the NFL's first regular-season game in Australia marked a bold effort to capture the Australian audience and expand the league's global footprint. The San Francisco 49ers versus Los Angeles Rams matchup at the Melbourne Cricket Ground featured extensive cultural integration, from local references to a packed entertainment program.

Studio host Elle Duncan led coverage alongside Super Bowl champions Michael Irvin, Nick Foles, and Clay Matthews III. The broadcast team embraced the atmosphere Down Under.

Nick Foles provided one of the night's most unmistakably Australian moments.

Former Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles joined Netflix's Melbourne studio coverage alongside Irvin and Matthews, giving viewers insight from a quarterback who knows the pressure of a major sporting occasion. During the broadcast, Foles participated in a shoey, the Australian tradition of drinking from a shoe.

Netflix Sports also featured shoey footage from the Melbourne festivities in its social media coverage, making the ritual part of the event's wider cultural spectacle. The moment suited the larger atmosphere surrounding the historic matchup. Netflix had assembled a broadcast built around the idea of taking American football into a distinctly Australian setting, with the MCG providing an iconic backdrop.

Foles, who guided the Philadelphia Eagles to victory in Super Bowl LII and earned Super Bowl MVP honors, was part of Netflix's new NFL studio lineup for the 2026 season. The game itself delivered plenty of history as the 49ers defeated the Rams 27-7 before a crowd of around 100,000 at the MCG.

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And the cultural crossover continued when the halftime stage belonged to three familiar faces from American pop music.

The Jonas Brothers headlined the halftime show at the MCG, performing during the NFL's first regular-season game in Australia. Nick, Joe, and Kevin Jonas had previously performed at NFL events, but this appearance carried historic significance because it accompanied the league's first regular-season Australian matchup.

The trio also acknowledged their host country by performing John Farnham's iconic 1986 song 'You're the Voice.' The choice gave the performance a distinctly Australian touch and encouraged the enormous MCG crowd to join in.

More than 100,000 spectators attended the historic contest, which formed part of the NFL's record international schedule spanning seven countries and four continents. The 49ers eventually dominated the Rams 27-7, while Netflix used the occasion to showcase football, music, celebrity, and local culture on a global stage.

From Foles embracing the shoey to the Jonas Brothers singing Farnham, Melbourne produced a broadcast that understood the assignment. 

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What did you think of Foles' Australian celebration? Let us know in the comments.