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It\u2019s a site that\u2019s drawn huge crowds for countless legendary Australian sporting moments \u2013 from AFL grand finals to Matildas fever and the Australian Open. But on Sunday afternoon, Federation Square bore witness to something rather un-Australian.<\/p>\n
Thousands packed into the square waving shimmery golden pom-poms to welcome the San Francisco 49ers Gold Rush Cheerleaders, the official cheer squad for the National Football League (NFL) team.<\/p>\n
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Staying cheerful: Fans at Federation Square on Sunday.Chris Hopkins<\/p>\n
Ahead of Australia\u2019s first local NFL game<\/a>, in which the San Francisco 49ers will take on the Los Angeles Rams at the MCG on Friday, the Gold Rush cheerleaders have already made history, setting a world record for the largest cheerleading dance, one which had 1424 people taking part.<\/p>\n The dancers led an ecstatic crowd in a simple choreographed routine, set to a soundtrack of David Bowie\u2019s Let\u2019s Dance and Lady Gaga\u2019s Just Dance.<\/p>\n The previous world record was held by Wing Dance Promotion, a cheerleading school in Japan, which staged its event with 1371 people in August 2015.<\/p>\n Editor’s pick Cheerleading, a distinctly American sport, has grown rapidly in Australia over the past few decades: more than 60,000 competitors are now registered with the Australian All Star Cheerleading Federation.<\/p>\n The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders has one Australian dancer, Faith Ward<\/a>, who is the third-ever Aussie to have made the team.<\/p>\n Zara, 12, and Quinn, 11, from Southern Cross Cheer, said on Sunday that it was inspirational to see such talented cheerleaders on our shores.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s so fun to be here today. The energy is just amazing, and the NFL cheerleaders are so good,\u201d Zara said. \u201cThey\u2019re all so in sync; it\u2019s amazing to watch them.\u201d<\/p>\n Some passionate Melbourne dancers arrived as early as 7am, hoping to get a front-row spot to see their cheer heroes from the 49ers perform onstage.<\/p>\n Penny Trotman, 5, and her father, Aaron, made the journey to Federation Square from Armadale to be part of the world record. Hoisted on her dad\u2019s shoulders, Penny was enraptured and slightly overwhelmed as thousands of pom-poms shimmered high in the air.<\/p>\n \u201cI think as a young kid, it\u2019s pretty cool to say you got to be part of a world record,\u201d Aaron Trotman said. \u201cThis record is an opportunity to try and show off as much of this great city as we can.\u201d<\/p>\n The 49ers, whose signature gold and red colours swept Federation Square, are the league\u2019s most popular team in Australia, according to the NFL.<\/p>\n \u201cI think that comes from being one of the top teams in the \u201980s, when a lot of people here consumed the NFL,\u201d the league\u2019s Australia and New Zealand general manager, Charlotte Offord, told The New York Times<\/a>.<\/p>\n Indeed, despite not having won a Super Bowl since 1995, the 49ers have maintained a devoted fan base. Friday\u2019s match will be the first in a multi-year contract the NFL has signed with the Victorian government. Tickets, which went on sale in April, sold out almost immediately<\/a>.<\/p>\n Californian Stefanie Shackelford, 61, and Texan Tricia Escamilla, 54, are both lifelong 49ers fans and travelled from the US to Melbourne for their team. They met in Federation Square and became fast friends.<\/p>\n Related Article \u201cOur fans truly support our players, and I think that\u2019s one of the best things when you\u2019re at a game \u2013 the camaraderie between the fans and the players and the vibe. All of that, it\u2019s just amazing,\u201d says Shackelford.<\/p>\n Adds Escamilla of seeing love for her team sweep Melbourne: \u201cIt\u2019s just so impressive to have 49ers fans all across the globe, so that was exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n Melbourne reportedly beat multiple other cities to host the event, and the partnership is expected to boost the visitor economy.<\/p>\n Early tourism numbers, according to hotel analytics company STR, show hotel bookings for September 10 and 11 have quadrupled compared to the same dates last year, while American flight searches for Melbourne in early September have been up 149 per cent. Fans from more than 35 countries have bought tickets.<\/p>\n Kyra, a member of the 49ers Gold Rush cheer squad (the NFL does not disclose cheerleaders\u2019 surnames or ages), is visiting Australia for the first time.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been super-exciting and amazing to be here. I\u2019m just really grateful,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s really special to see faithful fans come out here and really represent Australia just as much as we represent them in America.\u201d<\/p>\n Like most NFL cheerleaders, Kyra dances part-time, practising for five hours every weekend with her squad. She makes a living as an executive assistant in the venture capital world.<\/p>\n \u201cWe do this because we love it, so we get together on weekends and share that amongst everyone that loves the sport of it,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Find out the next TV, streaming series and movies to add to your must-sees. Get The Watchlist delivered every Thursday<\/a>.<\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n![\"Sydney-born](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/31ec76359d4c6d092aaec1ab31b1971c54acc01a.jpeg\")
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Penny Trotman, 5, sat atop dad Aaron\u2019s shoulders to participate in the record-breaking cheer dance.Chris Hopkins<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/30bd7709873a697c9001be55cf1028362f4d1f8b.jpeg\")
The San Francisco 49ers cheerleaders on stage at Federation Square.Chris Hopkins<\/p>\n![\"Stefanie](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1c38d6a6d33653eef6a8940d917b54a35f89abf4.jpeg\")
Stefanie Shackelford (left) from California and Tricia Escamilla from Texas met on Sunday in Federation Square and bonded over their shared love of the San Francisco 49ers.Chris Hopkins<\/p>\n![\"Australian](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/d593975014231a54b21cac1460b017c60faee52f772e5ef8475abdda4fc8cc1f.png\")
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