49ers unveil 2026 schedule with Melbourne opener, Mexico City game

The San Francisco 49ers unveiled their 2026 regular-season schedule on May 14, outlining an opener in Melbourne, Australia, and a second international date in Mexico City. The Week 1 matchup pits the 49ers against the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday, September 10, in what will be the NFL’s first regular-season game in Melbourne and will stream on Netflix.

San Francisco’s slate features five prime-time kickoffs and cross-divisional opponents from the NFC East and AFC West. The team also released windows for three preseason games in August.

Following the Australia trip, the 49ers will be the designated home team against the Minnesota Vikings in Mexico City in Week 11. Two of the club’s five prime-time games are at Levi’s Stadium, including a Monday night meeting with the Washington Commanders in Week 6 and a Sunday night game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 17. The other prime-time dates are the Melbourne opener on Thursday night in Week 1 and a Thursday night road game at the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 15.

San Francisco will also host the Miami Dolphins in Week 2 and the Commanders in Week 6, and will close the regular season on the road at the Arizona Cardinals in Week 18. In cross-divisional play the 49ers draw the NFC East and AFC West, alongside their home-and-away series with NFC West rivals. According to the release, five of their 2026 opponents reached the 2025 postseason: Denver, the Chargers, the Rams, the Eagles and the Seahawks.

The club noted several historical footnotes tied to the 2026 slate. San Francisco becomes the first NFL team scheduled to play two international regular-season games in non-consecutive weeks, and only the second to play two in different countries in the same season. It also marks the third time an NFL team will play two international regular-season games in one campaign. The 49ers open on the road for the fifth time in six seasons and face the Rams in Week 1 for the first time since 2016.

International and prime-time slate

Melbourne curtain-raiser on Netflix

The Week 1 game against the Rams is set for Thursday, September 10, at 5:35 p.m. PT, with streaming on Netflix. San Francisco owns the all-time series edge over Los Angeles and has won 10 of the past 13 regular-season road meetings against the Rams. The franchise is 3-1 in previous international appearances, most recently a 38-10 victory in Mexico City in 2022.

Mexico City return in Week 11

The 49ers will be the designated home team against Minnesota in Mexico City in Week 11, a Sunday night kickoff per the announcement. That prime-time game accounts for one of the two non-Levi’s Stadium night slots on the schedule, alongside the Week 1 opener in Melbourne.

Opponents, home slate and preseason

Divisional and playoff-caliber opponents

Beyond their NFC West series, San Francisco’s NFC East rotation includes Washington, Philadelphia and others, while the AFC West brings dates with Denver, the Chargers and the Raiders. The 49ers will host Miami in Week 2 and Washington in Week 6, and they will finish the campaign in Week 18 at Arizona. The schedule also continues a recent trend: at least five prime-time games for a fifth straight season.

Preseason dates set in August

The preseason features three Thursday games: August 13 against the Tennessee Titans (time TBD), August 20 at the Los Angeles Chargers (7 p.m. PT) and August 27 at the Las Vegas Raiders (time TBD). Early regular-season home dates include Week 2 against the Dolphins at 1:25 p.m. PT and Week 3 against the Cardinals at 1:05 p.m. PT, with Week 4 against Denver slated for a 1:25 p.m. PT kickoff.

San Francisco now turns toward three August tune-ups before traveling to Australia for the September 10 opener. Any updates to dates or broadcast windows would come via the team or the league as the season approaches.