The NFL’s 2026 season continues tonight with the first Thursday Night Football matchup, as the San Francisco 49ers face the Los Angeles Rams at Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia. This marks the first regular-season NFL game ever held in Oceania.
Los Angeles enters the campaign as a strong championship contender, bolstered by an off-season acquisition of league-leading pass rusher Myles Garrett and the comeback of defensive tackle Aaron Donald, who retired after the 2024 season. The 49ers, who split their two meetings with the Rams last year, will look to seize an early divisional advantage with a victory Down Under.