The San Francisco 49ers aren’t just gearing up for another playoff run in 2026 - they’re preparing for a season that’s going to span the globe. According to reports, the Niners are set to serve as the home team for the NFL’s return to Mexico City, marking their second international game of the season after opening the year in Australia. That’s right - two continents, two hemispheres, and a whole lot of frequent flyer miles.
This isn’t just a novelty. It’s history in the making.
With scheduled games in both Australia and Mexico, the 49ers will become the first team in NFL history to play multiple international games in nonconsecutive weeks. We've seen teams like the Jaguars play back-to-back games in London, and just last season, the Vikings pulled off a two-stop European swing with games in Ireland and England.
But those teams condensed their travel into one trip. San Francisco?
They’re going full-on globetrotter - and doing it the hard way.
The Niners will kick off their season in Melbourne, facing off against division rival Los Angeles Rams in what’s expected to be a Week 1 showdown. Then, roughly three months later, they’ll head south of the border to take the field in Mexico City in December - likely in Week 13 or 14, based on the league’s scheduling rules for international games.
All told, this ambitious itinerary will have the 49ers logging over 38,100 miles during the regular season - a number that would set a new NFL record for travel distance in a single season. For context, the current high-water mark belongs to the 2025 Chargers and the 2016 Rams, both of whom crossed the 37,000-mile threshold. The Rams, who are also headed to Australia this year, are projected to travel around 35,000 miles in 2026.
But this isn’t just about stamps in the passport. There’s strategy behind the Niners’ international push. Team owner Jed York recently confirmed that the organization requested to be the home team for the Mexico City game, citing the team’s strong ties to the region.
“For us, Mexico is one of our markets,” York said. “We will most likely give up a home game this season to play abroad, and Mexico is always No. 1 on my list.”
That’s not just lip service. The 49ers have already played twice in Mexico City, including the most recent NFL game held there - a 2022 matchup against the Cardinals. With the league’s return to Mexico now official, thanks to a multiyear agreement announced by commissioner Roger Goodell during Super Bowl week, the Niners are once again poised to represent the NFL on one of its biggest international stages.
The December game will be played at Estadio Banorte - formerly known as Estadio Azteca - and marks the league’s seventh game in Mexico City since 2005. While the opponent hasn’t been finalized, the Niners’ home schedule gives us a few clues.
They’re set to host the Cardinals, Rams, Seahawks, Eagles, Commanders, Vikings, Broncos, Raiders and Dolphins in 2026. With the Rams already booked for Australia and the Commanders likely heading to Europe, both can probably be crossed off the list.
Arizona could be a strong candidate. The Cardinals have marketing rights in Mexico and have already faced the 49ers twice in Mexico City.
If the NFL opts for an AFC-NFC clash - a common theme in international games - the Broncos might make sense. The Raiders also have a strong following in Mexico, but given their Bay Area roots, the league may prefer to keep that rivalry closer to home.
This Mexico City game is just one piece of a much larger global puzzle. The 2026 season will feature nine international games across the NFL’s expanding footprint. Here's the full list of host cities:
- Melbourne, Australia
- London (three games)
- Munich
- Rio de Janeiro
- Madrid
- Paris
- Mexico City
So far, the home teams confirmed are the Rams (Australia), Saints (Paris), and Cowboys (Rio). The Commanders, Lions, and Falcons are also expected to host international games, though their destinations haven’t been revealed. With the 49ers now joining that group, seven of the nine “home” teams are known.
For 49ers fans, this season is shaping up to be a wild ride - one that spans time zones, climates, and continents. It’s a logistical challenge, sure.
But it’s also a bold step into the NFL’s international future. And if the Niners can handle the travel as well as they’ve handled NFC defenses lately, they might just find themselves making one more trip in February - this time, to the Super Bowl.