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nick wagner
multiple authors
PHOENIX–Kyle Shanahan isn’t thrilled about this san francisco 49ers Will begin the 2026 season with a trip to Melbourne, Australia to play Los Angeles Rams.
Speaking at the annual league meetings Monday morning, Shanahan was asked if he saw any positives in taking a 19- to 20-hour flight to play the Rams in Week 1 for the NFL’s first regular season game Down Under.
“I don’t see any professionals,” the Niners coach said. “It’s good for the league to play on the world stage. I think it’s great. But as far as the team doing it, no, there’s not much benefit to it. Sometimes it’s nice to have a bye after a week but not in the first week.”
In fact, the Niners will not have a bye after the Australia game on Thursday, September 10 at 8:35 pm ET. Due to the time difference, that contest will take place on Friday, September 11 at 10:35 a.m. local Melbourne time, after which the 49ers will head back to the Bay Area. Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) is hosting this game.
General manager John Lynch said Sunday that while the 49ers players are still working out travel arrangements for the trip, they are expected to arrive in Australia five to seven days before that game.
“We’re probably going a little early,” Lynch said. “They may be leaving later, but we’re trying to look at everything to make it comfortable [as possible]. It’s kind of like there’s a price for having a high-profile team with a lot of stars. The league wants us on prime time. They want to put us in situations. From what I’ve learned, you have to advocate. I certainly do for our guys, but at some point, these are the cards you’re dealt. Let’s make it the best it can be.”
The Rams, who are the home team for the contest, are still finalizing plans, but are expected to arrive much closer to game time than the 49ers.
San Francisco vs. Los Angeles in Melbourne is one of nine games on the league’s international schedule in 2026, with the 49ers also scheduled to host an unnamed opponent in Mexico City in December.
“I was very angry,” Shanahan said with more than a touch of sarcasm. “Going away 19 hours to play a game was our goal… we’ll get through it. And I think that’s [nine] International sports. We’ve got two of those, so we’re pretty excited about that.”
