The Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers are taking their rivalry global - literally. Next season, the two NFC West foes will square off in a regular-season game at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia, marking the first NFL game ever played on Australian soil. The exact date is still under wraps, but the significance is already clear: this is a milestone moment for the league, and for two franchises with plenty of shared history.
For the NFL, this is more than just a game - it’s a statement. Commissioner Roger Goodell called the move to Melbourne “a significant next step” in the league’s effort to grow its international presence.
And he’s not wrong. Melbourne is a sports-mad city with a deep-rooted passion for competition, and the MCG is one of the most storied venues in the world.
Hosting an NFL game there isn’t just symbolic - it’s strategic.
The Rams were already confirmed to be heading to Australia, but until now, their opponent remained a mystery. Enter the 49ers - a team that’s no stranger to international play, but hasn’t ventured abroad since 2022.
In fact, this will be just San Francisco’s second international game in the last 13 years. Their first?
A historic win over the Arizona Cardinals in Mexico City back in 2005, the NFL’s first-ever regular-season game outside the U.S.
Rams president Kevin Demoff made it clear this isn't just a one-off trip - it’s part of a long-term plan. The Rams have held international marketing rights in Australia since 2021, and they’ve been building a fanbase Down Under ever since. Demoff emphasized how much excitement the team has seen from Australian fans, and how the organization is committed to deepening its connection with the Melbourne community in the lead-up to the game.
And let’s not forget what’s happening on the field. Rams vs. 49ers is one of the league’s most compelling rivalries - a battle between two franchises that know each other inside and out.
Last season, they split their regular-season series and both finished with identical 12-5 records. Each made it to the NFC Divisional Round, only to be eliminated by the same team: the Seattle Seahawks.
The 49ers, hampered by injuries, were overmatched in their loss to Seattle. The Rams, meanwhile, pushed the Seahawks to the brink in a gritty NFC Championship showdown.
Now, the next chapter of that rivalry will be written in front of a global audience. It’s not just a game - it’s a showcase.
And it’s part of a broader push by the NFL to take its product to new markets. The 2026 season will feature nine international games, up from seven in 2025.
Goodell has made it clear that the league’s ultimate goal is to have 16 international games each season, with every team playing abroad at least once.
The response from teams and players has been overwhelmingly positive, according to Goodell. “They all want to play,” he said during his Super Bowl week press conference.
“Our players loved it. They felt like ambassadors.”
That sense of pride - of representing not just a team, but the sport itself on a global stage - is something that’s resonated across the league.
So when the Rams and 49ers take the field at the MCG, it won’t just be about wins and losses. It’ll be about legacy, expansion, and the continued evolution of a league that’s thinking big - and going even bigger.