49ers CEO says team likely to play 2026 home game abroad

San Francisco 49ers leadership signaled the club expects to play at least one of its nine 2026 home games outside the United States, a move that would replace a Bay Area home date and reverberate through the local ticketing market and game-day economy. CEO Al Guido told reporters at Radio Row in the Moscone Center that "Yeah, that's safe to say," when asked whether the 49ers would play an international home game in 2026, and added that "We've already notified our season ticket members and our sponsors that it's likely that we play an international home game based off the [nine home games] scenario."

The scheduling logic is straightforward under the NFL's 17-game regular-season format: teams alternate between eight and nine home games each year, and the 49ers flip to nine home games in 2026 after an eight-home-game slate in 2025. Guido cautioned that the league chooses the market, saying "The NFL selects which market you go to" and noting that marketing rights can factor into the conversation: "Sure, they ask you some questions, and it might matter what marketing rights you have."

Owner Jed York has publicly expressed a preference for Mexico City, saying "For us, Mexico is one of our markets. We will most likely give up a home game this season to play abroad, and Mexico is always number one on my list." The club has precedent in Mexico City: the 49ers played in Estadio Azteca in 2022, a 38-10 victory over the Arizona Cardinals that executives point to as evidence of strong international support. Guido framed that turnout as part of a broader trend, observing that over the last five years many San Francisco fans follow the team on the road and that the fan base now often looks forward to international games.

League context matters. The NFL requires teams to participate in an international regular-season game at least once every eight years, and the league has announced a slate of 2026 international markets that includes London, Madrid, Munich, Melbourne, Mexico City, Paris and Rio de Janeiro. Any placement for the 49ers will come from the league office rather than the team unilaterally designating a destination.

For San Francisco County residents the immediate impacts are practical and economic. Season ticket holders face the prospect of losing a local home date and will need clarity on seat credits, exchanges or refunds. Local hospitality and retail businesses that benefit from game-day crowds could see reduced revenue for the weekend tied to the displaced fixture. Sponsors notified by the team will need to reframe activation plans tied to a Santa Clara-area stadium date and consider new logistics for an overseas event.

What happens next is a formal league assignment and an official schedule release. The team and the NFL will need to confirm which specific 2026 home date would be played abroad, the opponent and ticketing remedies for impacted season ticket holders. For fans and local businesses the key near-term step is watching for that confirmation and the shape of the ticket-exchange and compensation policies the 49ers and the league make available.