Even the Rams Acknowledge the 49ers' Takeover at SoFi Stadium Every Year
One of the biggest letdowns of the upcoming season is that the San Francisco 49ers won't play the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium.
One of the NFL's best intrastate rivalries will now be contested in Melbourne, Australia, as part of the league's international expansion. It will take place in Week 1 of the new season, marking the first-ever NFL game on that continent.
The matchup itself will be played on Friday morning in Australia, but will be on Thursday Night Football in the US.
Rams safety Quentin Lake admits the 49ers' difficult presence for this fixture
Although the fixture will now be played Down Under rather than in Los Angeles, head coach Kyle Shanahan believes the Rams purposely chose the 49ers because of their overwhelming fan presence, something a Rams player has now admitted makes life difficult.
"I go into SoFi against the 49ers, and mind you, I didn't really know anything about the rivalry or anything like that," shared safety Quentin Lake on the Victory Degree Podcast with Nik Atanackovic.
"Get into SoFi, and I'm like, 'Dang, there's a lot of 49ers fans.' Like, OK, I kind of understand that. This is like pre-game, so I'm like, OK, this might be normal, they might come out early.
"We get to the game, and we're coming out of the tunnel, and I'm like, 'Why do I hear more boos than cheers?'" Lake continued. "And then you run out of the tunnel, and I'm telling you, it's a sea of red."
It shows just how significant this matchup is for the San Francisco 49ers. Despite being a relatively short trip within the same state, the proximity only adds to the rivalry.
Under Shanahan, the 49ers have lost just three games at SoFi Stadium, two of them by a field-goal margin. That includes the NFC Championship Game, when they led 17–7 before ultimately losing.
It's clearly an important game for Shanahan. While the Rams have had more recent success over the 49ers since 2023, San Francisco's 26–23 overtime win last season stands as one of his best, considering the circumstances, available weapons, play-calling and coaching.
So it's a shame that the 49ers won't be able to face the Rams on their home turf, especially when considering their superiority in recent years and how well-travelled the 49ers faithful are for this fixture.
It's a dynamic that has consistently disrupted the Rams' home advantage, with the crowd often leaning heavily in San Francisco's favour and amplifying the rivalry's intensity.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/49ers/onsi as Even the Rams Acknowledge the 49ers' Takeover at SoFi Stadium Every Year.
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This story was originally published April 15, 2026 at 6:00 AM.