The NFL is about to make history.
The San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams are set to go head-to-head tonight at the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the first-ever NFL regular-season game in Australia. The clash for NFC West supremacy isn’t just a showcase of superstars — it also comes with plenty of compelling storylines. From a defensive force making his Rams debut to an offensive star who can do it all, there’s plenty to keep an eye on heading into kickoff.
Here’s what to know ahead of the game.
A 16-hour flight and a 17-hour time difference are certain to rattle internal clocks, but the teams took very different approaches to adjusting. The 49ers arrived early to acclimate, while the Rams opted to leave Tuesday evening, putting them in Australia on Thursday, about 24 hours before the game. We’ll see which of the two travel strategies pays dividends after kickoff.
While newly unretired Aaron Donald won’t be joining the Rams for their Week 1 game in Australia, his teammate Myles Garrett will be making his Rams debut. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year gives Los Angeles one of the most intimidating defensive fronts in football, and seeing the high-level pass rusher in blue and gold is sure to be one of the game’s biggest moments.
At 38, Matthew Stafford continues to perform at the highest level after winning NFL MVP during a remarkable 2025 campaign. And Stafford is no stranger to the big stage — he’s been proving himself since the Detroit Lions drafted him in 2009. Beyond the individual accolades, he led the Rams to a Super Bowl victory in 2022.
On the other side is Brock Purdy, a rising star who went from Mr. Irrelevant — the nickname given to the final player selected in an NFL Draft — to franchise quarterback in just a few seasons. He nearly reached the mountaintop in Super Bowl LVIII, when the 49ers narrowly lost to the Kansas City Chiefs.
It’s an established championship and MVP pedigree meeting a legacy still being built.
This game of football will also be a chess match, adding another chapter to one of the NFL’s most fascinating coaching rivalries. Rams coach Sean McVay and 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan are longtime friends who coached together on Washington’s staff in the early 2010s. Now head coaches and NFC West rivals, the two have battled it out for years. This time, the rivalry is reinvigorated on an entirely new stage: the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Somebody is going to make a piece of history that can never be taken away. Whoever crosses the goal line first will become the first player to score an NFL regular-season touchdown Down Under. So, who will it be? Rams running back Kyren Williams or wide receiver Puka Nacua? 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey or tight end George Kittle?
Buckle up — some of the NFL’s best offensive weapons will be on the field in Australia, facing off against stout defenses on both sides. Pregame coverage begins on Netflix at 6:30 p.m. ET / 3:30 p.m. PT. The game kicks off at 8:35 p.m. ET / 5:35 p.m. PT. Click here for everything to know about NFL Melbourne 2026.
