The Seahawks kicked off their 2026 season with a tight 13-10 victory over the New England Patriots, a hard-fought win for the Emerald City faithful! But while we were celebrating that W, the NFL was making history halfway across the world, and a truly wild fan moment down under got us buzzing. It turns out the reach of the 12s knows no bounds, even when our team isn’t even playing!
100,000 Strong for the NFL’s Global Debut
Melbourne, Australia, became the epicenter of the NFL’s global expansion, hosting the first-ever game on Australian soil: the 2026 season opener between the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams. It was absolutely massive. Fans piled into the Melbourne Cricket Ground, a 100,000-person stadium, and by kickoff, there wasn’t an open seat. Over 100,000 strong and largely clad in red, the crowd aggressively booed Rams players and roared for “coach Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers.” These weren’t just fair-weather fans either. A father-son duo, Sascha (50) and Zac Niedrich (20), flew in from Perth, landing at 5:30 a.m. and heading straight to the MCG to soak it all in. Sascha, who’s been a Niners fan since the Montana and Jerry Rice days, told reporters it was “surreal,” especially being within shouting distance of Hall of Famer Jerry Rice. You gotta respect that dedication, even if it’s for a rival.
The 49ers Won the Popularity Contest, But Who Won the Vibe Check?
The crowd’s leaning red wasn’t a shock. The 49ers put in major work, sending a traveling party of 200 that spent a full week in Melbourne, putting on over 50 events to hype up the game. The Rams, on the other hand, barely showed up until 29 hours before kickoff, making minimal effort to connect with the city or sell American football. So yeah, the Niners dominated the popularity contest. But here’s the kicker, and this is where it gets interesting for us 12s: the most common type of fan at the MCG might have been completely neutral. On a pregame stroll, the Chronicle spotted jerseys of totally unaffiliated teams and players. We’re talking Lamar Jackson, Garrett Wilson, Aaron Rodgers from the Packers, Von Miller from the Broncos, and even an Arch Manning Texas jersey. But among that eclectic mix, guess what else popped up? A Ken Walker III (Seahawks) jersey!
It’s wild, right? Across the ocean, in a stadium packed for two other teams, one of our own was repping the Emerald City. It just shows you how far the 12s reach, and how deep that passion runs, even if it’s for a player no longer rocking the green and blue. The party started before sunrise in Melbourne, with fans already packing trams by 6:30 a.m. By 9 a.m., 90 minutes before kickoff, the concourse was absolutely jammed.
What a way to kick off the NFL season, both for our Seahawks with that gritty win and for the league with that massive global spectacle. Our boys are 1-0, and the spirit of the 12s is officially worldwide. Get ready, this season is just getting started!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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