MCG immediately moves on from NFL in staggering 24-hour transformation with AFL grand final on the horizon

The MCG has immediately moved on from its historic NFL debut, ripping up the entire playing field to prepare for an AFL preliminary final next weekend and the grand final in a fortnight.

The second-biggest international crowd in NFL history — 100,021 — packed into the ground on Friday to witness the San Francisco 49ers claim victory over the LA Rams in Australia’s first ever regular-season game.

Hawthorn’s upset qualifying-final win over Fremantle last weekend ensured the MCG would not need to host an AFL final on Saturday, but staff were still left with a monumental task with no time to waste.

By Saturday there was no trace of the American game on the MCG playing arena — right down to the gridiron itself and painted end zones being cleared to make way for new turf.

The AFL grass had been kept for the NFL with the 50m arc and centre square lines only just visible around the 20-yard lines.

New turf will now be laid while work continues behind the scenes to get the MCG back to normal for the AFL finals.

Lockers in the dressing rooms, which were decked out in 49ers and Rams colours, had also been overhauled for NFL players.

It remains unclear if the NFL will return in 2027 as part of a four-year deal to bring at least two games to Melbourne.

The AFL fixture is a serious complicating factor with the local league a key player in talks between the NFL and Victorian government.

Next season’s AFL fixture is already being pushed back to later in March to accommodate the 150th anniversary Test match between Australia and England at the ‘G, making for another swift turnaround to remove drop-in pitches and prepare the outfield in the switch from cricket to football.

The AFL grand final will then take place in October, meaning an NFL fixture once again scheduled for the American league’s opening week could fall in the first week of the AFL finals — when the MCG is almost certain to host at least one AFL game but potentially up to three.

The NFL also has a decision to make on just who will travel to Melbourne next time.

The San Francisco 49ers have mixed emotions about playing in Australia again, despite feeling the love from fans and walking away with the win.

“It was nice that this was the first game of the year for us,” Niners quarterback Brock Purdy said.