Noah Eagle to Call NFL’s First Australia Game

International Opener Details

The NFL’s first regular‑season game in Australia will take place on Sept. 10 at the 100,000‑seat Melbourne Cricket Ground. The contest features the 49ers against the Rams and will be broadcast by Netflix. Noah Eagle, a 29‑year‑old play‑by‑play announcer, has been tapped for the booth, though no color commentator has been announced yet. NBC will produce the telecast, succeeding CBS, which handled Netflix’s prior NFL coverage.

This marks a shift for the league’s marquee Week 1 international opener. Last year’s opener streamed on YouTube from Brazil, with Rich Eisen and Kurt Warner behind the mic. That assignment turned out to be one of Eisen’s final play‑by‑play duties, as ESPN’s acquisition of NFL Network led to him moving to a hosting role and Dave Pasch taking the international slot. This year’s high‑profile contest is now in Netflix’s hands rather than a streaming newcomer.

Noah Eagle’s Rising Profile

Eagle has been NBC’s lead voice for Big Ten Saturday Night since February 2023 and has expanded into tennis, Olympic basketball, and Peacock’s NFL coverage. He earned a 2025 Sports Emmy nomination in the same play‑by‑play category as his father, Ian, and NBC later gave him a share of the returning NBA package. That year he called the first night of Sunday Night Basketball, anchored Super Bowl segments, and became the lead announcer for Peacock’s “On the Bench” experimental shows.

The younger Eagle’s experience with Netflix dates back to 2024, when he and Ian formed the first father‑son duo on a single network during Netflix’s Christmas doubleheader. Ian called the Steelers‑Chiefs game while Noah handled the Ravens‑Texans matchup, both paired with Greg Olsen. The duo returned for a second Christmas doubleheader the following season, reinforcing their on‑air chemistry.

Netflix’s Growing NFL Footprint

The Australia game is part of a record nine international fixtures scheduled for this season, positioning it as one of the week’s marquee contests. It follows NBC’s own Patriots‑Seahawks Super Bowl rematch that opens the season and precedes a new Thanksgiving Eve contest between the Packers and Rams. The streamer’s NFL portfolio is set to expand to five broadcasts in 2026, up from two per season in its initial years.

Netflix secured the Australia broadcast as one of four games the NFL redistributed after ESPN’s purchase of NFL Network. The agreement runs through 2029, and while the service has not pursued a full weekly package, the addition of high‑visibility windows—like the Melbourne game and the Thanksgiving Eve contest—suggests a willingness to keep building its football presence.

Risk and Reward

Placing a debut international assignment on a 29‑year‑old raises the stakes, but both Netflix and Eagle appear eager to seize the moment. The network’s decision to trust a relatively new voice for such a prominent game underscores a broader strategy of leveraging fresh talent to differentiate its sports content. The Australia showcase could serve as a springboard for Eagle’s career, while also testing Netflix’s ability to handle large‑scale, overseas NFL productions.