Kicking off a history-making event
KOJO partnered with the NFL to deliver the pre-match opening ceremony and select on-field entertainment for the NFL Melbourne Game at the MCG, bringing together cultural storytelling, large-scale ceremony, live entertainment and fan engagement for one of the biggest sporting events staged in Melbourne.
From Gates Open through to Kick-Off, KOJO delivered select pre-match entertainment and a large scale National Anthem Ceremony, alongside selected in-game entertainment and fan engagement, creating a cohesive experience that built anticipation and atmosphere throughout the stadium.
At the heart of the pre-game experience was ‘Welcome to Naarm’ / Melbourne, an immersive opening ceremony celebrating the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people and the rich Indigenous heritage of Naarm. Developed through choreographed contemporary dance, cultural performance, movement and music, the ceremony brought together 18 professional dancers, 32 flag bearers and 12 Djirri Djirri dancers alongside a traditional Smoking Ceremony, all unified through live narration – connecting the world’s oldest living culture with the energy of modern Melbourne.
KOJO managed the creative, production and operational delivery across these specific entertainment, cultural, ceremonial and fan engagement programs, coordinating performers, crew, technical elements and on-field moments to bring each part of the experience together seamlessly.
The result was a large-scale NFL game-day experience that celebrated both the global spectacle of the NFL and the culture identity of Naarm / Melbourne, creating a memorable first chapter for NFL football at the MCG.
- Client National Football League
- Location APAC, Melbourne, Australia
100K+
Fans In-Stadium
35
KOJO Crew On-Site
93K
Tifo Card Stunt
A visual spectacle for a full-house
The wider pre-game show featured the San Francisco 49ers and LA Rams team entries, a spoken Welcome to Country led by Aunty Joy Murphy alongside Wurundjeri Elders and Torres Strait Island Elders, and a full National Anthem Ceremony featuring Cody Simpson and Infinity Song. Large-scale moments including on-field flag pageantry, stadium and roof pyrotechnics, a 10 aircraft joint Australian and United States Air Force flyover and a 93,000 seat stadium-wide card stunt transformed the MCG into a powerful visual spectacle.
Beyond the opening ceremony, KOJO maintained the energy throughout the game with live performances from SuperBand and DJ Emma, fan engagement through the Party Patrol, and a third-quarter performance from A Beautiful Noise singing a live rendition of ‘Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond’.
Behind the scenes
Six months of preparation culminating with a 3:45am event-day arrival for our 35 KOJO onsite crew, ready for on-field rehearsals. KOJO managed the creative, production and operational delivery across these specific entertainment, cultural, ceremonial and fan engagement programs, coordinating performers, crew, technical elements and on-field moments to bring each part of the experience together seamlessly.
An unforgettable moment
Seeing the reaction from fans, talent, media and the wider sporting community to these moments has made it even more special. A huge credit to everyone who helped bring NFL Melbourne 2026 to life.
