NFL confirms 49ers will open next season in league’s Australian debut

SAN FRANCISCO — An opener in Oz.

The NFL confirmed Thursday the 49ers will match up with the Los Angeles Rams in the league’s first regular-season game in Australia.

“This is a terrific opportunity to continue to support the league in its mission to grow the game of football,” 49ers CEO Al Guido said in a statement. “We look forward to working with the NFL to benefit local Australian communities through sport.”

Not all 49ers are looking forward to what could be a schedule with two international games on separate continents, which hasn’t happened in NFL history.

The 49ers are expected to host a December game in Mexico City, and although the NFL has yet to announce that, 49ers officials have indicated that is the plan.

“That’s not fair. Then the NFL, I feel, is doing us a disservice,” fullback Kyle Juszczyk said in an exclusive interview at Monday’s Pro Bowl practice in San Francisco. “Because if we’re going to talk about health and safety, to do two international games like that is almost like playing three games in 13 days.”

The 49ers, stricken by attrition to injured star players, played their final three regular-season games in a 13-day span.  They rallied for a wild-card playoff win at Philadelphia before succumbing 41-6 in the divisional round at top-seeded Seattle, which will be playing in Sunday’s Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium against the New England Patriots.

A year ago, the NFL announced it would expand its international presence and that the Rams would host its first-ever regular-season game in Melbourne, Australia. Thursday, a few hours before the NFL Honors show and Pro Football Hall of Fame’s formal invitation to 49ers’ great Roger Craig, the league confirmed the 49ers would be their opponent at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Date and time of that game, along with other logistics, have yet to be announced.

“Australia is pretty far,” 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey said Monday. “I’d love to see how the schedule would work. Transparently, that might be a little too far.”

“Honestly, if we’re going to play in Australia or any international game, I would prefer it to be the first game of the season, because you have a lot more time to acclimate, there’s more rest time as far as traveling,” Juszczyk added. “Whereas if you’re doing it midseason, that throws off your whole schedule, including rest, recovery and practice schedule. If we’re going to do it, let’s do it Week 1.”

Thus, the 49ers won’t be making their annual visit to SoFi Stadium, at least in the regular season, where they’re 5-1 in since it opened. However, next season’s Super Bowl is at SoFi Stadium.

Rams outside linebacker Jared Verse endorsed having the rival 49ers as their Australian matchup. “It gives (Australians) a real good perspective of how the NFL is, because that’s a rivalry. It means a lot more,” Verse said in an exclusive interview at the Pro Bowl practice. “That’s something we really get into, and they get into it. It would be a good showcase.”

That will be one of nine international games on the NFL calendar, across four  continents, seven countries and eight stadiums.

“As we continue our preparations for the NFL’s first-ever regular season game at the MCG in Melbourne, we are delighted that the San Francisco 49ers will take on the Los Angeles Rams,” NFL Australia & New Zealand general manager Charlotte Offord said in a statement. “The 49ers are a popular franchise within the Australian market, and this rivalry game solidifies what we know is going to be an incredible NFL experience for our fans down under.”

“Bringing the NFL to the MCG is a huge win both on and off the field – and hosting a team like the San Francisco 49ers will make it even better,” said Premier of Victoria Jacinta Allan. “We can’t wait to welcome these two great teams to Melbourne and showcase the best of our city and our state.”

“This event will shine an international spotlight on Melbourne bringing even more visitors from across the globe,” said Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos. “We’re already seeing year-round benefits thanks to our major marketing campaigns that are exposing American audiences to the best of Victoria, and having the 49ers will only add to the interest.”

The NFL claims to have over 7.5 million fans in Australia, where it opened an office in 2022 on the Gold Coast and set up a flag football program as well as an NFL Academy.

The 49ers’ last international game was in 2022, when they claimed a 38-10 win over Arizona in Mexico City, after the 49ers prepared for that high-altitude affair by practicing in Colorado Springs, Colo. The 49ers and Cardinals also played the NFL’s first regular-season game outside the country, with the 49ers falling 31-14 in Mexico City on Oct. 2, 2005.

Other regular-season games abroad were in London, in 2010 (24-16 win over Denver on Oct. 31) and in 2013 (42-10 win over Jacksonville on Oct. 27). There have been 34 games played in England since then, involving all other 31 franchises, including 12 by the Jaguars and four apiece by the Rams, the Dolphins, the Jets, the Falcons and the Vikings.

The 49ers played exhibitions in London four times (1988, 1992, 2010, 2013), as well as in Japan (Tokyo 1989, ’95; Osaka 2002), Germany (Berlin 1991), Spain (Barcelona 1993) and Canada (Vancouver 1998).

The NFL opened the past two seasons in São Paulo, Brazil, with the Philadelphia Eagles beating the Green Bay Packers in 2024 and the Los Angeles Chargers topping the Kansas City Chiefs last Sept. 5.

The 49ers last played in an NFL season opener in 2002, with a 16-13 win over the host New York Giants.