The NFL is back and crossing borders once again.
The San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams kick off their 2026 schedules on Thursday night (8:20 p.m. ET, Netflix), but the divisional foes who will be jockeying for top turf in the NFC West find themselves on Australian soil.
The teams will square off at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia, the first NFL game to take place "Down Under."
Aussie fans should be in for a treat. The Rams entered the 2026 season with the shortest odds of any team to win the Super Bowl, and with good reason: Los Angeles added a trio of playmakers this offseason, swinging trades for Trent McDuffie and Myles Garrett, while welcoming back future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald, though he won't play in Week
1. The new- (and old-) look defense should complement its already high-octane offensive attack, still steered by MVP quarterback Matthew Stafford.
The 49ers have had one of the most bizarre offseasons in recent memory. The Brandon Aiyuk saga, Kyle Shanahan's car crash, the arrest of owner Jed York and the continuing (and unfounded) conspiracy theories surrounding the nearby electrical substation have hung over the team. Still, San Francisco is relying on a well-rounded roster to try and upend their divisional foes – one of whom is the reigning Super Bowl champ.
All that and more should make for a foreign affair worth watching. USA TODAY Sports will provide updates, highlights and more from the matchup below.
How to watch Rams vs. 49ers Australia game tonight
- Start time: 8:30 p.m. ET | 5:30 p.m. PT
- Live stream: Netflix
- TV channel: Local markets only
Rams vs. 49ers live updates
NFL international games 2026
04:20 PM ET, September 10 2026, Tom Viera- Week 1 (Sept. 10): Los Angeles Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers | Melbourne Cricket Ground | Melbourne
- Week 3 (Sept. 27): Dallas Cowboys vs. Baltimore Ravens | Maracaña Stadium | Rio de Janeiro
- Week 4 (Oct. 4): Washington Commanders vs. Indianapolis Colts | Tottenham Hotspur Stadium | London
- Week 5 (Oct. 11): Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Philadelphia Eagles | Tottenham Hotspur Stadium | London
- Week 6 (Oct. 18): Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Houston Texans | Wembley Stadium | London
- Week 7 (Oct. 25): New Orleans Saints vs. Pittsburgh Steelers | Stade de France | Paris
- Week 9 (Nov. 8): Atlanta Falcons vs. Cincinnati Bengals | Bernabéu | Madrid
- Week 10 (Nov. 15): Detroit Lions vs. New England Patriots | Allianz Arena | Munich
- Week 11 (Nov. 22): San Francisco 49ers vs. Minnesota Vikings | Estadio Banorte | Mexico City
What time does Rams-49ers NFL game start?
04:10 PM ET, September 10 2026, Tom VieraThe 49ers and Rams start their regular season at Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia, at 8:35 p.m. ET, 5:35 p.m. PT on Thursday, Sept. 10.
How to watch Rams vs. 49ers game today
04:05 PM ET, September 10 2026, Tom VieraYou can only watch the Rams vs. 49ers game on Netflix if you're outside the local markets. That means you will need Netflix to watch the NFL game today, unless you live in either the Los Angeles or San Francisco market.
Fans looking to watch in one of those markets can see the game on their local NBC affiliate:
- Streaming (national): Netflix
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rams vs 49ers live updates: Stream info, how to watch NFL Week 1 Australia game
