Fred Warner didn’t need a 49ers jersey on Tuesday to remind everyone which of San Francisco’s international trips should bring the most juice.
The 49ers have two overseas games on next season’s schedule: a Week 1 meeting with the Los Angeles Rams in Australia and a Week 11 matchup with the Minnesota Vikings in Mexico City. Both come with plenty of travel, and neither figures to be easy on the body. But Warner made it clear there’s one stop he’s already looking forward to more than the other.
He was in Mexico City for Mexico’s World Cup game against Ecuador, and he was firmly on the home side’s bandwagon. Mexico won 2-0, and Warner’s support made plenty of sense given his Mexican-American background.
“Mexico City, DUUUB CITYYYY!”
- Fred Warner pic.twitter.com/qJNF9C950O
- Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) July 1, 2026
That kind of energy is exactly why the 49ers’ November trip should feel a lot different from the early-season slog in Australia. The Rams game in Week 1 will bring the usual headaches that come with a long-haul flight and a major time change. Mexico City, on the other hand, has the makings of a lively scene, especially with the Niners expecting strong support.
San Francisco has already played in Mexico City twice, and both times the crowd leaned heavily toward the 49ers. That was especially obvious in 2022, when the Niners beat the Arizona Cardinals 38-10 and Warner turned in a classic performance with six tackles, two for loss and a sack.
The NFL has said the 49ers have the most fans of any team in Mexico, which only adds to the expectation that the Faithful will show up loud in November.
Warner’s presence in Mexico City also serves as a reminder of how much San Francisco missed him last season after his ankle injury. He was the team’s best defender and one of its most important leaders, and losing him had a real impact. The good news for the 49ers is that he appears to be pretty much fully recovered.
He came close to returning late last season, but sitting out and avoiding another setback was probably the wiser call. If he’s healthy going into next season, the 49ers will need him exactly where they’ve always needed him: setting the tone on defense.
For now, though, one of those international games already has a different feel. Australia may be the tougher trip. Mexico City should be the fun one.
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Kyle Shanahan May Already Be Bracing For Another Staff Loss
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The bigger question now is how long the 49ers can keep him in the fold. Bleacher Report has already pointed to Kubiak as a possible head-coaching candidate for 2027, and his name carries obvious weight in coaching circles given his family background and the success of his brother, Klint, with the Raiders. For Shanahan, the challenge is familiar: develop assistants, lean on them heavily, and then try to keep them from becoming the next attractive hire elsewhere. [Read more 🡒]