The NFL knows how to keep the sports world talking. With free agency and the draft behind us, the league turned to May to slowly drip-feed next season's schedule before the big official reveal. That day came Thursday, and for San Francisco 49ers fans, the full picture is finally here.

We already knew the Niners would open the season in Melbourne, Australia, against the Los Angeles Rams. Now we have the other 16 games to dissect, and honestly, there's a lot to unpack—starting with the league's growing international obsession.

Remember when the international slate meant the Jacksonville Jaguars quietly playing a throwaway game in London? Those days feel long gone. This year, the NFL jumped the shark with a record nine international games spanning from Mexico City to Melbourne. And the 49ers are caught right in the middle of it, playing in both cities.

Instead of taking a quick 90-minute flight to Los Angeles for what should feel like an extra home game at SoFi Stadium, the 49ers and Rams will travel to the other side of the world for a pivotal divisional matchup. Traditionally, international games paired non-conference teams, but last year's Chiefs-Chargers game in Brazil broke that mold. Now the 49ers are the latest to feel the weight of Roger Goodell's global expansion push.

But Australia isn't the only overseas trip. The 49ers will also lose a home game in Week 11 to face the Minnesota Vikings in Mexico City. It's the third time the franchise has played south of the border—they lost to the Arizona Cardinals in 2005 but redeemed themselves with a 38-10 blowout win over the same team in 2022. This time, however, the 49ers will be the designated home team for the first time.

Ideally, the NFL wouldn't make any single team travel outside the U.S. twice in one season. But the league follows the money, and the 49ers are one of the most profitable teams in the game. For fans, it means a schedule packed with international flair—and plenty of reasons to pack your gear for a long-haul flight.