The San Francisco 49ers will travel more than 38,000 miles, play in three countries, and visit seven states in their quest to win the franchise’s sixth Super Bowl.
The NFL released its 2026 schedule Thursday, nearly two months after the 49ers were selected to open the season in Melbourne, Australia, against the Rams. The slate is notably imbalanced: Three of the 49ers’ first four games are at home and three of their final four games are on the road.
The 49ers were designated as the “road” team for their Week 1 game in Australia but will give up a home date at Levi’s Stadium, as they’ll play the Minnesota Vikings on “Sunday Night Football” in Week 11 in Mexico City.
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Here’s the full schedule and six takeaways from the 49ers’ 2026 slate.
Week 1
Opponent: Los Angeles Rams
Thursday, Sept. 10, Melbourne Cricket Ground
On-air: Netflix
Week 2
Opponent: Miami Dolphins
Sunday, Sept. 20, 1:25 p.m., Levi’s Stadium
On-air: FOX
Week 3
Opponent: Arizona Cardinals
Sunday, Sept. 27, 1:05 p.m., Levi’s Stadium
On-air: FOX
Week 4
Opponent: Denver Broncos
Sunday, Oct. 4, 1:25 p.m., Levi’s Stadium
On-air: CBS
Week 5
Opponent: Seattle Seahawks
Sunday, Oct. 11, 1:25 p.m., Lumen Field
On-air: FOX
Week 6
Opponent: Washington Commanders
Monday, Oct. 19, 5:15 p.m., Northwest Stadium
On-air: ESPN
Week 7
Opponent: Atlanta Falcons
Sunday, Oct. 25, 10 a.m., Mercedes Benz Stadium
On-air: FOX
Week 8: BYE
Week 9
Opponent: Las Vegas Raiders
Sunday, Nov. 8, 1:05 p.m., Levi’s Stadium
On-air: CBS
Week 10
Opponent: Dallas Cowboys
Sunday, Nov. 15, 1:25 p.m., Cowboys Stadium
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On-air: FOX
Week 11
Opponent: Minnesota Vikings
Sunday, Nov. 22, 5:20 p.m., Estadio Banorte
On-air: NBC
Week 12
Opponent: Seattle Seahawks
Sunday, Nov. 29, 1:25 p.m., Levi’s Stadium
On-air: FOX
Week 13
Opponent: New York Giants
Sunday, Dec. 6, 10 a.m., MetLife Stadium
On-air: FOX
Week 14
Opponent: Los Angeles Rams
Sunday, Dec. 13, 1:25 p.m., Levi’s Stadium
On-air: FOX
Week 15
Opponent: Los Angeles Chargers
Thursday, Dec. 17, 5:15 p.m., SoFi Stadium
On-air: Amazon Prime Video
Week 16
Opponent: Kansas City Chiefs
Sunday, Dec. 27, 1:25 p.m., GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium
On-air: CBS
Week 17
Opponent: Philadelphia Eagles
Sunday, Jan. 3, 5:20 p.m., Levi’s Stadium
On-air: NBC
Week 18
Opponent: Arizona Cardinals
Saturday, Jan. 9, or Sunday, Jan. 10, at State Farm Stadium
On-air: TBD
Football at the cricket ground
The 49ers will travel more than 15,500 miles round trip to play in the NFL’s first-ever game in Australia.
Kyle Shanahan and his team enjoy playing the Rams on the road, because 49ers fans pack SoFi Stadium, but the crowd in Australia might be more neutral. The environment should be raucous, as Melbourne Cricket Ground — the largest stadium in the Southern Hemisphere — accommodates more than 100,000 fans, whereas SoFi Stadium seats 70,240.
The Week 1 matchup begins Sept. 10 at 5:35 p.m. PT, but Melbourne is 17 hours ahead of San Francisco, where the game will kick off Sept. 11 at 10:35 a.m.
The 49ers will fly back to the West Coast after the divisional showdown, which airs on Netflix.
Mexico City Part III
The 49ers’ Week 11 matchup with the Vikings marks the franchise’s third visit to Mexico City.
This year’s game will take place at the renovated Estadio Banorte (formerly Estadio Azteca), which was the site of San Francisco’s 2005 and 2022 matchups with the Arizona Cardinals.
The trip to Mexico City is actually shorter than visits to Atlanta and East Rutherford, New Jersey, but might be the most grueling on players, as Estadio Banorte is 7,200 feet above sea level. The 49ers will likely practice at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs — elevation 7,258 feet — over three days before heading to Mexico City. That’s what they did in 2022.
Because the 49ers were slated to play eight of their 17 regular-season games on the road, the Week 11 matchup means they’ll still play eight true home games.
Primetime showdowns
The 49ers are initially slated to have five primetime matchups in 2026, which includes both international games.
The 49ers will also play the Commanders on “Monday Night Football” in Week 6, the Chargers on “Thursday Night Football” in Week 15, and the Eagles on “Sunday Night Football” in Week 17.
Only the Week 6 game against Washington and the Week 17 matchup with Philadelphia will take place at Levi’s Stadium.
Heat wave
After opening the season in Australia, the 49ers will return to Santa Clara for three consecutive home games at Levi’s Stadium.
Two of those games — a Week 2 matchup with Miami and a Week 3 game against Arizona — come against teams from the Sun Belt that are well equipped to handle the heat.
The 49ers lost 24-23 to the Cardinals in a key early-season 2024 matchup when the temperature at Levi’s Stadium was 91 degrees — with recorded temperatures at field level reaching triple digits.
The team played two September home games last year, but the temperature at kickoff for matchups with the Cardinals and Jaguars was under 75.
The 49ers also have a pair of late-season games where cold weather could be a factor. Their Week 13 matchup against the New York Giants and their Week 16 game against the Kansas City Chiefs will be played outdoors.
Revenge games
How much will the Cowboys miss Osa Odighizuwa?
The 49ers’ defensive tackle will have a shot to show his former team what it’s missing when San Francisco travels to Arlington in Week 10.
Linebacker Dre Greenlaw will face the Broncos in Week 4, while corner Jack Jones and offensive lineman Robert Jones will meet the Dolphins in Week 2 if they make the 53-man roster.
The most intriguing revenge game might be when the 49ers travel to Atlanta in Week 7, as defensive coordinator Raheem Morris will set the game plan against the Falcons, who fired him after a two-year stint as head coach.
Former 49ers Jauan Jennings (Vikings), Kendrick Bourne (Cardinals), and Jason Pinnock (Giants) will all get a shot against the team that let them go, while Dee Winters, Matt Hennessy, and Curtis Robinson (Cowboys) are looking forward to Week 10.
The bye week
The 49ers have a Week 8 bye sandwiched between a road game against the Falcons and a home date with the Raiders.
Shanahan wasn’t a fan of the team’s late-season Week 14 bye in 2025, especially after the 49ers had three consecutive Week 9 byes from 2022 to 2024.
A Week 8 bye will force the 49ers to play in 10 consecutive weeks to end the season, including once on short rest when they travel to SoFi Stadium for a Week 15 showdown with Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers.