Because the Rams own the NFL’s marketing rights to Australia, and this is the league cashing them in. San Francisco plays Los Angeles at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Thursday, September 10 at 8:35 p.m. ET, which is Friday morning in Melbourne. It is the first regular season NFL game ever played in Australia, and it streams on Netflix.
| Kickoff | 8:35 p.m. ET Thursday, 5:35 p.m. PT, 10:35 a.m. Friday in Melbourne |
| How to watch | Netflix in the United States. ESPN via Kayo, Foxtel and Disney+ in Australia |
| Venue | Melbourne Cricket Ground, about 100,000 seats |
| Home team | The Rams, because they hold Australian marketing rights |
| Why it matters | First NFL regular season game in Australia and the longest distance two NFL teams have ever traveled for a game |
The Short Answer: Marketing Rights
Every NFL team owns marketing rights to at least one country under the league’s Global Markets Program. When a game is played abroad, the team that holds rights to that country becomes the designated home team, keeps the home revenue and gets the local promotional push.
The Rams secured Australia in 2021. That is why they are the home team at the MCG even though the game counts as a Rams home game and takes one out of SoFi Stadium.
The same rule explains the other end of the 49ers’ season. San Francisco holds rights in Mexico, so when the Vikings play the 49ers in Mexico City in Week 11, San Francisco will be the home team there.
Why These Two Teams
The league wanted a marquee rivalry rather than a curiosity. The 49ers are one of the most followed NFL franchises in Australia, and this is an NFC West game between two 2025 playoff teams, so nothing about it is exhibition filler. It counts in the division race.
The names help. Matthew Stafford is the reigning MVP and led the Rams to the NFC Championship Game. Brock Purdy and Christian McCaffrey lead a San Francisco team that reached the Divisional Round, with Nick Bosa and Fred Warner back from injury. Sean McVay against Kyle Shanahan is one of the better coaching matchups in the sport, and the Rams have won four of the last five meetings.
The Travel Is the Story
This is the longest distance two NFL teams have ever traveled for a game, and the two clubs are handling it in opposite ways. The Rams are flying in and out of Melbourne inside 48 hours. The 49ers are staying longer to adjust to the time zone.
San Francisco is expected to travel about 38,100 miles this season, which would be an NFL record, and will become the first team to play two international games in non-consecutive weeks.
The scheduling is deliberate too. Putting the game on Thursday of Week 1 rather than Sunday gives both teams extra recovery days before Week 2, which is the league’s answer to the 17 hour time difference.
Why It Is on Netflix and Not a Normal Network
Netflix has been building an NFL package since its Christmas games, and the Melbourne game is one of its 2026 exclusives. In the United States there is no broadcast or cable alternative for this one. Australian viewers get it on ESPN through Kayo, Foxtel and Disney+.
Where It Sits in Week 1
It is the second game of the 2026 season, not the first. The Seahawks, the defending Super Bowl champions, host New England on Wednesday, September 9, only the second time in league history a season has opened on a Wednesday. Melbourne follows on Thursday, and the rest of Week 1 runs through Sunday and Monday as normal.
The Bottom Line
The 49ers and Rams are in Australia because the Rams own the market, the NFL wanted its Australian debut to be a real rivalry game, and nine international games are on the 2026 schedule across four continents. Kickoff is 8:35 p.m. ET Thursday, September 10, on Netflix.