San Francisco 49ers vs Los Angeles Rams in Australia 2026: date, time, venue, and players to watch

On Thursday, September 10, the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams open the 2026 NFL season in style in the first regular-season game ever played on Australian soil.

The Melbourne Cricket Ground will host what promises to be a titanic division rivalry between two NFC West juggernauts, both of whom made the playoffs last season.

It's one of nine international games on the 2026 NFL calendar, spread across four continents and eight stadiums.

The Rams hold international marketing rights in Australia alongside the Seahawks, Raiders, and Eagles, which makes Melbourne about as close to a home game as LA can get outside of SoFi Stadium.

Here's how to watch, the key players set to steal the show, and everything else you need to know about the groundbreaking occasion.

When is the 49ers vs. Rams game?

• Date: Thursday, September 10, 2026 (Friday, September 11, locally in Australia)
• Venue: Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Melbourne, Australia
• Kick-off (ET): 8.35pm
• Kick-off (PT): 5.35pm
• Kick-off (BST): 1.35am (Friday, September 11)
• Kick-off (AEST): 10.35am (Friday, September 11)

The MCG: what you need to know

Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos / Stringer

The MCG is no stranger to big occasions, regularly drawing crowds of 100,000 for the annual cricket Boxing Day Test and the Australian Football League (AFL) Grand Final.

Known to locals as "the G," the MCG has a capacity of 100,024 and sits at the heart of The Yarra Park city precinct.

Built in 1853, the MCG is the home of AFL and has hosted the 1956 Olympic Games, the 2006 Commonwealth Games, and multiple cricket World Cup finals.

How to watch 49ers vs. Rams

Broadcast details are still to be confirmed, but the game is expected to be available to NFL Game Pass subscribers on DAZN.

Stay tuned for more information closer to the time.

The rivalry: 49ers vs. Rams

These two teams know each other very well. NFC West division rivals, they meet twice every regular season, and there's rarely a dull one between them.

San Francisco has a 79-72-3 edge in the all-time meetings, but the Rams have had the advantage in recent ties, winning four of the last five contests between the two.

49ers and Rams: 2025 revisited

Last season, the teams shared the spoils, with the 49ers taking their Week 5 game 26-23 in overtime, before the Rams exacted revenge in Week 10 with a 42-26 victory.

The 12-5 Rams defeated the Carolina Panthers in the Wild Card, beat the Chicago Bears in the Divisional Round, before succumbing to the Seattle Seahawks, the eventual Super Bowl champions, in a tight 31-27 Conference Championship showdown.

The 49ers overcame the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card, before losing to the Seahawks in a lopsided 41-6 contest in the Divisional Round.

49ers vs. Rams: Players to watch in Melbourne

This is a game bursting with star power, both on the field and on the sidelines.

Rams coaches and players

Los Angeles' Sean McVay, who became the youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl aged 36, is regarded as one of the best in the business. 

His team is led by Rams' quarterback Matthew Stafford, the reigning MVP, who threw for 4,707 yards and 46 touchdowns last season.

Wide receiver Puka Nacua is Stafford's most dangerous weapon in the passing game, finishing second in the league with 1,715 receiving yards last season.

Across from Nacua, veteran Davante Adams still poses a real threat in the red zone after leading the league with 14 receiving touchdowns in 2025.

Kyren Williams leads the run game, occasionally spelled by Blake Corum, providing the Rams with a ground game that ranked among the most productive last year.

49ers coaches and players

On the other side, head coach Kyle Shanahan always has the 49ers in contention. He's taken San Francisco to the postseason in five of his nine years in charge.

His quarterback, Brock Purdy, continues to defy his Mr Irrelevant label - a moniker 'earned' after being the last pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Purdy boasts an array of weapons in the passing game, with George Kittle, one of the most dynamic do-it-all tight ends in the game, and a new arrival at wideout, veteran Mike Evans.

Evans, after leaving the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency, will be playing for a new team, eager to continue his sensational career after tying legendary Hall of Famer Jerry Rice's record of 11-straight 1,000-yard seasons in 2024.

At tailback, San Francisco's Christian McCaffrey is as good as it gets, a dual-threat in the truest sense, capable of punishing opponents as both a runner and receiver.

49ers and Rams defenses

There's plenty for fans of defense to watch, too, with stars such as Jared Verse and Byron Young coming off the edge for the Rams, and Nick Bosa and star linebacker Fred Warner for the 49ers.

Excitement is already building for Rams vs. 49ers in Melbourne

"We can't wait to welcome these two great teams to Melbourne and showcase the best of our city and our state," said Premier of Victoria Jacinta Allan.

NFL Australia and New Zealand GM Charlotte Offord says the matchup is exactly what Australian fans have been waiting for.

"The 49ers are a popular franchise within the Australian market, and this rivalry game solidifies what we know is going to be an incredible experience for our fans down under," she said.

Rams president Kevin Demoff says excitement has been building since LA secured marketing rights in Australia in 2021.

"We have seen tremendous excitement for our team from fans both in Australia and also across the world," he said.

The Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, Steve Dimopoulos, said, "This event will shine an international spotlight on Melbourne, bringing even more visitors from across the globe."

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Other 2026 NFL international games

• Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Baltimore Ravens vs. Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, September 27
• Paris, France: Saints vs. TBA
• Mexico City, Mexico: 49ers vs. TBA
• London, UK: Jaguars vs. TBA (Wembley Stadium)
• London, UK: Jaguars vs. TBA (Tottenham Hotspur Stadium)
• London, UK: Commanders vs. TBA (Tottenham Hotspur Stadium)
• Munich, Germany: Lions vs. TBA
• Madrid, Spain: Falcons vs. TBA