Former NRL star Jimmy Smith has been left seething over a report that was released this weekend which claims that Australia will host its first-ever American Football match at the MCG.
According to reports the bold plan, which is still to be officially confirmed, will see the 100,024-capacity cricket stadium host multiple NFL regular season matches, with the first coming in 2026.
The move is set to bring a huge financial gain to Victoria, with fans expected to travel to Melbourne for matches.
The Herald Sun reports that the Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles could face off in the iconic ground as soon as October 2026.
But there are some Sydney-siders who have been left feeling a little aggrieved over the move, with Smith questioning the logistics involved in playing an NFL match at an oval stadium.
‘It says here that it’s at the MCG. That’s obviously ridiculous because you’re going to be 50 metres away from any action,’ Smith said during his radio show on SEN 1170 Sydney.
Jimmy Smith has been left fuming by reports which claim that the MCG is set to host an NFL game in 2026
Smith hit out at the New South Wales government for missing out to Victoria, before claiming the MCG would not be a great place to host NFL games due to it’s round pitch
‘How on earth does Sydney miss out on this? What other advantage does Sydney need over Melbourne in hosting an NFL game in the next three years – and that’s just the start of the contract! They’ve been going to London for a decade, they’ll go to Germany for the rest of eternity!’
Smith who was born in Young, New South Wales, made a combined 120 NRL appearances for the Eastern Suburbs, Western Suburbs and South Sydney between 1992 and 1999.
He’d later move to England to play for the Salford City Red Devils, retiring from professional footy in 2000.
‘We don’t like to get political on this program but we will on this occasion. Chris Minns the Premier, you must take responsibility for this! John Graham, the tourism minister, your fingerprints have got to be all over it.
‘And Steve Camper, the sports minister, you are asleep at the wheel!
‘The NFL didn’t say no to Australia, they said no to Sydney, and they said yes to Victoria and Melbourne, at the MCG! What a miss.’
It comes after Minns had recently claimed that New South Wales had ‘come out on top’ in the state’s bid to host multiple Rugby World Cup matches in 2027.
Sydney landed both two quarter-finals, two semi-finals and the final, while Brisbane, the country’s other biggest rugby union playing city, missed out in comparison, being handed just two quarter-finals in comparison. Both cities will host multiple pool matches and two round-of-16 matches.
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NSW Premier Chris Minns recently admitted his thrill over plans to host the final, two semi-finals and two quarter-final matches at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in New South Wales
But Smith’s comments come after reports last year suggested that Melbourne might now try to make a ploy to staggeringly steal the NRL Grand Final and also host it at the MCG.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan signalled her intent to ship the NRL Grand Final down to AFL heartland and have the 2025 match played at the MCG.
The showpiece event has only ever been held in Sydney, barring the 1997 and 2021 seasons where the event was held at the Suncorp Stadium.
It had been reported, though, that Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V’landys was open to auctioning the Grand Final off to the highest bidder.
‘Melbourne is the sporting capital of Australia,’ Allan had told Triple M’s Breakfast Show.
‘I’m not surprised that the NRL might be interested in bringing the grand final to Melbourne and we’re absolutely up for the discussion.
‘The second State of Origin was held at the MCG this year, there were 90,000 people attending.
‘The biggest crowds that the NRL gets for their State of Origin matches are right here in Melbourne at the MCG.
‘It’s no surprise that the clubs, the players, the fans, all want to see the NRL played at the MCG – the best stadium in the country – so of course, we’re up for having a conversation with the NRL.
‘It (the MCG) is the best venue in the country, best fans in the country, and they’ll pack the venue out.
‘It would be a great player experience and a great experience for the fans.’
V’landys has previously confirmed that there was ‘no deal in place’ but added that ‘anything was possible’ with the ARLC having made no deal with any cities.
But with the NFL set to come to Victoria next year, Philadelphia Eagles star Jordan Mailata, who hails from Bankstown in New South Wales, stated that it would ‘mean everything’ to play an American Football match on home soil.
Despite that, Aussie NFL star Jordan Mailata has admitted that it ‘would mean everything’ to play an American football match on home soil
On Sunday, he’ll become the first Aussie to play in two Super Bowls when the chiefs and Eagles clash
On Sunday night Mailata will become the first Aussie to play in two Super Bowls when the Eagles and the Chiefs clash.
‘It’d mean everything to bring a game back home,’ he said, prior to the NFL’s showpiece match.
‘It’d mean a lot to have a game back home, just for eyes and viewership.
‘I really want this game to grow back home, so if we can bring a game back there to generate interest and keep the growth of the game going, that’d mean a lot to me.
‘The best thing about football is that you can play at any size, at any height. I’m 6’8”, but there are guys on my team (who are a lot smaller).
‘There are different heights and different sizes of every teammate of mine, and I think that’s what makes the sport beautiful.’
