Netflix is making a bold play in the world of live sports, and it's one that promises to shake up how fans catch NFL action. According to a recent report from The Athletic, the streaming giant is set to broadcast the Week 1 matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams—live from Australia. This development comes after ESPN lost the rights to the game as part of the broader acquisition of NFL Network.

Here's the backstory: ESPN originally held the broadcast rights to four games, but those are now being split between Netflix and YouTube, as reported by CNBC via ProFootballTalk. The 49ers-Rams clash, an NFC West rivalry that always delivers high stakes and electric energy, is one of those four. It's a perfect candidate for an international showcase, and Netflix is stepping in to fill the void.

This addition brings Netflix's 2026 NFL lineup to three games. Alongside the Week 1 international showdown, the platform will also air two Christmas Day games (which falls on a Friday this year). And if that wasn't enough, Netflix is reportedly planning to broadcast a Thanksgiving Eve game for the first time in 2026, per John Ourand. That's a holiday triple-header that could become a new tradition for football fans.

The NFL is going global in a big way this season. A record nine international games are on the slate, with stops in Australia, Brazil, Mexico, France, Spain, Germany, and England. The full 2026 schedule is expected to drop next week, either Wednesday or Thursday, so mark your calendars.

Of course, this expansion comes with a familiar frustration for fans: the need to juggle multiple streaming subscriptions. As The Athletic notes, "The league is expected to have a slight increase in nationally broadcast games, with the addition of the Netflix game in Australia and other potential games moving to YouTube." The NFL, for its part, reassures that "87 percent of its game inventory is available through broadcast outlets."

For the Australia game between the Rams and 49ers, local networks will carry it, but out-of-market viewers will need to fire up their Netflix subscriptions a few months earlier than usual. So, if you're a die-hard fan of either team—or just love the thrill of international football—get ready to stream from Down Under. It's a new era for the NFL, and your game-day wardrobe might need an upgrade to match the global vibe.