It’s official that the 49ers will begin their 2026 NFL season facing the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia.<\/p>\n
During a guest appearance on NBC Sports\u2019 \u201cPFT Live,\u201d Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur suggested that Los Angeles might have lobbied to face the 49ers for its Week 1 matchup in Australia.<\/p>\n
San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan<\/a> gave a passionate response with an offer to make it fair for a 49ers team that is estimated to travel a record-breaking 38,000 round-trip miles<\/a> throughout the 2026 season.<\/p>\n \u201cHopefully, the league will do right and let us play the Rams in Mexico since we have to get out of the country twice and [the Rams] requested us,\u201d Shanahan said on \u201cPFT Live.\u201d \u201cAnd I\u2019m requesting them in Mexico. Not that that gives us an advantage, it\u2019s just fair to make them go out of the country twice, too.\u201d<\/p>\n Spicy! #49ers<\/a> HC Kyle Shanahan says he knows for a fact the #Rams<\/a> lobbied to play them in Australia because 49ers fans take over SoFi Stadium.<\/p>\n Shanahan wants the NFL, in return, to send the Rams to Mexico later in the year when the 49ers have a game there.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m requesting them\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/RCxPQYWdAl<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) March 31, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n The 49ers are set to play in two international games during the 2026 season, with a contest at Estado Banorte in Mexico City<\/a> scheduled for a later date.<\/p>\n Shanahan also reacted to the notion that the Rams could have requested to face San Francisco due to 49ers fans constantly taking over SoFi Stadium when the two NFC West rivals face each other in Southern California.<\/p>\n \u201cI get that,\u201d Shanahan stated. \u201cThat would suck to have to sign a cadence and to have our home game at their stadium. I get their ambitions, but they were rewarded that, so I\u2019m just hoping we could put in a request that I\u2019d love for them to come to Mexico. Our Mexican fanbase is awesome.\u201d<\/p>\n In San Francisco\u2019s Week 5 matchup against Los Angeles during the 2025 season, 61 percent of 49ers fans<\/a> were in attendance at SoFi Stadium, according to Vivid Seats.<\/p>\n With the 49ers fans\u2019 reputation for one of the best traveling fanbases, it will come as no surprise if the Melbourne Cricket Ground stadium becomes a sea of red when the two heated division rivals kick off their season in the land down under.<\/p>\n Download and follow the 49ers Talk Podcast<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t