49ers to Play in Mexico City and Melbourne During 2026 Regular Season

The San Francisco 49ers will play two international regular-season games during the 2026 NFL season, returning as the designated home team for a Mexico City contest and traveling to Melbourne to face the Los Angeles Rams, the league confirmed as part of a record nine international games next season. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said at his pre-Super Bowl news conference that the Mexico City game will take place in December, with the full opponent, date and kickoff time to be released when the league unveils the complete 2026 schedule in spring.

Locally impactful for fans in Santa Clara and across San Francisco County, the Niners’ 17-game regular-season slate will consist of eight home games at Levi’s Stadium, seven true road games and two international matchups, meaning San Francisco will give up a home fixture to play abroad for the first time since 2010. The team’s opponent in Mexico City and the exact timing of both international contests remain unannounced pending the NFL’s spring schedule release.

The Mexico City venue is the renovated Estadio Azteca, now called Estadio Banorte, which had been closed for renovations since May 2024 and is set to reopen in March with a Mexico vs. Portugal soccer match as part of World Cup preparations. The stadium upgrades were cited as part of why Mexico City is ready to host the NFL again, and the league’s new three-year agreement to stage regular-season games in Mexico is expected to run through 2028.

San Francisco’s return to Mexico City continues a history that includes the club’s 2005 trip, a 31–14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals in front of 103,467 fans, the NFL’s first international regular-season game, and a 2022 Monday night win over Arizona, 38–10. Those past matchups underscore the commercial and fan interest that NFL officials say Mexico offers.

The 49ers are among 10 NFL teams that hold marketing rights in Mexico under the league’s Global Markets Program. The other teams with Mexican marketing rights include the Arizona Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, Miami Dolphins, Pittsburgh Steelers and Los Angeles Rams. The NFL office in Mexico estimates a 40 million-strong fan base there, the largest outside the United States.

Leaguewide, the NFL plans a record nine international regular-season games across four continents and seven countries, with locations slated in London (two games at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and one at Wembley), Melbourne, Rio de Janeiro, Paris, Munich, Mexico City and Madrid. BBC reporting noted the 49ers will become only the third franchise to play two international games in the same season and the second to play them in two different countries.

49ers CEO Al Guido framed the announcement around fan energy, saying in a statement: “We are thrilled to return to Mexico and to play in front of one of the most passionate fan bases in the league. After two unforgettable experiences in 2005 and 2022 in Mexico City, we’re excited to reunite with the Mexico faithful and look forward to the energy local fans will bring in creating a true home‑field advantage for our team abroad.” Arturo Olivé, NFL Mexico director general, added: “We are delighted to bring regular‑season NFL games back to Mexico City, reaffirming our deep and long‑standing connection with fans across the country.”

Local fans should watch for the NFL’s spring schedule release to confirm the Mexico City opponent, kickoff time and the date for the 49ers‑Rams game in Melbourne, which is expected to take place in Week 1 but is not finalized. Planning to travel to Estadio Banorte or the Melbourne Cricket Ground for a Niners game? Tell us where you’ll be watching or how you’re planning to get there.