What We Know About the 49ers' 2026 NFL Schedule So Far
With the vast majority of free agency signings complete and the annual NFL Draft adding eight new players, attention now turns to the San Francisco 49ers' 2026 NFL schedule.
It's May, and in recent years that's meant one thing: NFL schedule release season. While a confirmed date is still pending as to when to expect each game and the timings to fit television slots and quotas, we already know a few key details as anticipation builds for the full regular season.
Here's what we know so far:
Los Angeles Rams vs 49ers - Melbourne, Australia - Week 1
It's already confirmed that San Francisco will be making the 16 or 17-hour flight down under to face divisional rivals, the Los Angeles Rams, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
It will be the first NFL fixture in Australia, with the Rams as the home team and the 49ers as the away team, meaning there will be no trip to SoFi Stadium this year.
It's a move Kyle Shanahan has admitted he believes was intentional. Still, with the trip coming to start the season, the decision theoretically helps with scheduling concerns later in the year. But it's a decision that Shanahan believes brings no real benefit to the franchise aside from growing to a newer and wider audience.
49ers vs Miami Dolphins - Mexico City, Mexico - Week 11
On top of travelling to Australia to play the Rams, the 49ers will also host an international game, playing again in Mexico City after their win against the Arizona Cardinals back in 2022.
It's not yet official, but NBC Sports Bay Area has reported that the Miami Dolphins will be the opponents for the 49ers in Week 11, which would fall on Sunday, November 22.
So the 49ers will play in three countries in 2026.
Full list of 2026 opponents
After the City by the Bay finished third in the NFC West, their 2026 opponents will consist of four teams from the NFC East and AFC West, as well as third-place teams from the NFC North, AFC East and NFC South.
Here is the full list of home and away opponents:
Home:
- Arizona Cardinals
- Los Angeles Rams
- Seattle Seahawks
- Denver Broncos
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Washington Commanders
- Miami Dolphins (Reportedly Week 11, Mexico City)
- Minnesota Vikings
Away:
- Arizona Cardinals
- Los Angeles Rams (Week 1, Australia)
- Seattle Seahawks
- Dallas Cowboys
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Los Angeles Chargers
- New York Giants
- Atlanta Falcons
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/49ers/onsi as What We Know About the 49ers' 2026 NFL Schedule So Far.
Copyright ABG-SI LLC. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. All Rights Reserved.
This story was originally published May 4, 2026 at 10:00 AM.