MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers have arrived in Melbourne for their season-opening NFL game against the Los Angeles Rams at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sept. 11.
It is expected to be the first of many regular-season NFL games in front of its growing Australian fan base.
The team’s 200-member traveling party touched down on Friday morning after a 15-hour chartered Qantas flight and will spend a week acclimatizing before facing the Rams in front of an expected sold-out crowd at the MCG.
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan speaks at a news conference after a preseason NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
The Rams are scheduled to arrive next Thursday, only about 24 hours before the game.
The match is scheduled for a Friday morning start in Australia so it can be televised on Thursday evening during prime time in the eastern United States.
Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter
The Warm-Up
Winnipeg Jets Game Days
On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.
___
See AP’s full NFL coverage here