Get ready for a historic NFL season opener! The San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams are taking their fierce NFC West rivalry down under, with a Week 1 showdown in Melbourne, Australia, on Thursday, September 10, 2026, at 8:35 p.m. ET.

In a groundbreaking move for sports broadcasting, this marquee matchup will be streamed exclusively on Netflix. The streaming giant, which has been expanding its live sports portfolio with Christmas Day games over the past two years, will now host the NFL's first-ever regular-season game in Melbourne at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Club.

For fans in local markets, the game will still be available on over-the-air television, but viewers everywhere else will need a Netflix subscription to catch the action. This marks a significant shift in how we consume football, blending the excitement of international expansion with the convenience of streaming.

While the matchup promises high-octane football, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan hasn't hidden his reservations about the long-haul travel to Australia to kick off the season in such an unconventional way. Still, for fans and the league, this game represents a bold new frontier—and a must-watch event for any NFL enthusiast.