NFL Announces Matchup For First-Ever Game in Australia
The full NFL schedule won't be out until later this spring, but the league has begun revealing its 2026 international slate. On Thursday, the matchup for the first NFL game in Australia was announced.
The Los Angeles Rams had already been revealed as one of the teams facing off Down Under in the fall. They will meet their NFC West rivals, the San Francisco 49ers, the NFL said this afternoon.
Rams will play the 49ers in Melbourne, Australia next season in the NFL’s first-ever game in Australia. pic.twitter.com/WtjAXNobjT
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 5, 2026
NFC West heads below the equator
In terms of enticing matchups, this one is a coup for Australia, featuring two of the NFL's top teams and longtime rivals.
The Rams and 49ers will meet at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia. Game date and kickoff time will be announced at a later date.
"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," said NFL Australia & New Zealand general manager Charlotte Offord in a press release. "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."
Tickets and other info for Rams-49ers in Melbourne can be found here.
2026 NFL International schedule: What we know so far
There will be nine NFL international games in 2026, including three in new locations: Melbourne, Australia, Paris, France and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
London will host three games, with six other cities holding one apiece.
- London, U.K. - Two games at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, one at Wembley Stadium
- Madrid, Spain - Bernabéu Stadium
- Melbourne, Australia - Melbourne Cricket Ground
- Mexico City, Mexico - Estadio Banorte
- Munich, Germany - FC Bayern Munich Arena
- Paris, France - Stade de France Stadium
- Rio De Janeiro, Brazil - Maracanã Stadium
Rams-49ers is the only confirmed international matchup we have right now, with reports indicating the New Orleans Saints and Cleveland Browns will be playing each other in Paris.