The NFL has officially arrived in Australia, and plenty of stars are expected to attend the historic game between the Los Angeles Rams and the San Francisco 49ers.
Hugh Jackman and Eric Bana were among the beloved Australian personalities predicted to pack into the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) with a crowd of up to 100,000 people.
Hugh Jackman was expected to attend the NFL game in Melbourne, and some fans hoped he’d bring girlfriend Sutton Foster with him. Jason Howard/Bauer-Griffin
Fans were eager to see if Jackman, 57, would bring girlfriend Sutton Foster, 51, to the game for their first public outing in Australia, but were disappointed when neither made an appearance on the NFL red carpet.
Dannii Minogue, 54, led the celebrity arrivals on the ground, posing with an NFL ball in front of the media wall before heading into the busy MCG.
Singer and songwriter G Flip, 32, also arrived early decked out in a full Rams outfit complete with a shirt, letterman jacket and cap.
Dannii Minogue arrives at the MCG ahead of the San Francisco 49ers v Los Angeles Rams game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Morgan Hancock/Getty
G Flip arrived decked out in Rams gear. Getty Images
American star Harry Connick Jr., 58, turned up with a gaggle of family members; specifically, his three daughters Georgia, Kate, and Charlotte.
All three of his daughters have lived and worked in Australia since his stint on Australian Idol in 2023, so it makes sense they’d be attending with him.
Harry Connick Jr. brought a gaggle of family members with him to the MCG. Getty Images
There were plenty of athletes among the early arrivals, including Australian Olympic snowboarder Scotty James who kept it lowkey in a green ensemble.
He was accompanied by his partner, Canadian singer-songwriter Chloe Stroll.
Aussie tennis star Dylan Alcott looked thrilled to be at the MCG with New Zealand chef and YouTuber Andy Hearnden.
Australian Olympic snowboarder Scotty James and Canadian singer-songwriter Chloe Stroll coordinated in earthy tones. Getty Images
New Zealand chef and YouTuber Andy Hearnden arrived with Aussie tennis star Dylan Alcott. Getty Images
Though it’s very much an NFL event, there were star attendees from other codes of football as well.
Collingwood stars Nick and Josh Daicos hit the MCG with their famous dad Peter, who played his entire 250-game AFL career with the same team.
Nick, Peter and Josh Daicos. Getty Images
NRL star Reece Walsh brought an unexpected date for the big game: his daughter Leila, five.
Meanwhile, DJ Tigerlily braved the 10 degree weather in Melbourne to show off her baby bump just two months after announcing her pregnancy.
Broncos star Reece Walsh brought his little girl along to the game. Instagram/@westfieldaustralia/@walshyy07
DJ Tigerlily showed off her outfit on Instagram. Instagram/@djtigerlily
There were a few influencers walking the NFL red carpet too, despite recent controversies about content creators at sport events abroad.
TikTok stars Hannah Zaslawski and Maddy McCrea wore matching 49ers gear for the big day, while Luke Scott and Sassy Scott turned up in opposing team merch.
Influencers Maddy McCrea and Hannah Zaslawski wore matching 49ers jerseys. Getty Images
Luke Scott and Sassy Scott wore rival kits. Getty Images
Cody Simpson proudly performed the Australian national anthem before kick-off.
He was a hit with the crowd, which burst into loud applause as he approached the end of Advance Australia Fair.
Cody Simpson performs at the Melbourne NFL match. Seven
The 29-year-old singer shared a behind-the-scenes shot of him breathing in steam from a futuristic looking device to prepare his vocal cords before hitting the field.
Simpson suffered a devastating vocal injury earlier this year that required him to undergo surgery, strict vocal rest, and months of rehab.
He also posted photos from his rehearsals on Thursday captioned, “150 million on the Netflix & ESPN broadcast tomorrow no wuckin furries what vocal surgery?“.
Cody Simpson prepares for his performance at the NFL in Melbourne. Instagram/@codysimpson
Despite his bravado, Simpson confessed earlier in the day that he was understandably nervous about the job.
“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t. The MCG is a pretty daunting place when it’s full,” he he told The Hit Network’s Carrie & Tommy.
The Aussie singer also teased a possible collaboration with The Jonas Brothers, who headlined the half-time show.
The Jonas Brothers set the stage ablaze at the NFL half-time show. Luke Hemer
Though they didn’t bring Simpson out on stage, they did surprise the MCG with a passionate rendition o John Farnham’s quintessential Aussie hit You’re The Voice.
Joe Jonas almost didn’t make it Down Under in time to perform after missing his connecting flight to Melbourne from Dubai.
Fortunately, he was able to get another flight and joined brothers Kevin and Nick Jonas on Aussie soil in the nick of time.