49ers' 2026 schedule provides inviting stretch between treks to Melbourne, Mexico City
Congrats, Kyle. It appears the complaints you lodged effectively landed in the NFL schedule-maker's office.
On Thursday, about six weeks after San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan publicly moaned about his team's million-mile travel schedule - Melbourne, Mexico City, oh my - the league unveiled a 17-game slate that might soften those international blows that landed earlier this offseason.
The 49ers, of course, will still make unwanted NFL history in 2026. They will become the first team to play two international games in non-consecutive weeks and will trek a league-record 38,105 miles while crossing 58 time zones (another record).
However, the NFL did provide a soft landing after the 49ers begin with a 17-hour, 7,900-mile flight to Australia - tentatively scheduled to depart on Sept. 2 - for their season opener against the Rams on Sept. 10.
After returning, the 49ers will have three straight home games (Dolphins, Cardinals, Broncos) for the first time since 2023. That will begin a two-month stretch in which they'll play five of seven games at home, leave the West Coast only once (Atlanta), face just two 2025 playoff teams (Broncos, at Seahawks) and enjoy a coveted midseason bye (Week 8).
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In addition, the league appeared to look after the 49ers before they go Down Under: Their two road preseason games are short hops to Los Angeles (Chargers) and Las Vegas.
The 49ers will also play just two road games (Atlanta, New York Giants) with 10 a.m. West Coast starts and will get a mini-bye to prepare for one of their most daunting dates: at Kansas City on Dec. 27. The 49ers will play a Thursday night road game against the Chargers on Dec. 17 before meeting the Chiefs, whose five-game series winning streak includes two Super Bowl victories.
Of course, there are reasons to lodge more complaints. After spending more than a week in Australia, they'll be on the road for nine full days in November. That journey will be bookended by games at Dallas (Nov. 15) and in Mexico City against the Vikings (Nov. 22). Between those games, the 49ers will practice at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., to acclimate to the altitude at Estadio Banorte in Mexico City, which is 7,200 feet above sea level.
Fittingly, given their travel mileage, the 49ers will close the regular season by playing three of four games on the road: After their back-to-back visits to the Chargers and Chiefs, they'll host the Eagles before finishing at Arizona.
Week 1
Thursday, Sept. 10: at L.A. Rams (Melbourne, Australia), 5:35 p.m. Netflix
Shanahan isn't happy this game isn't being played at SoFi Stadium, where 49ers fans would have filled the stands. But those not sporting red and gold are thrilled this game is being held at Melbourne Cricket Ground. Still sparkling SoFi is a symbol of NFL excess. MCG, known as "The G", was built in 1853. Corporate or crackling with history? Advantage, The G, mate.
Week 2
Sunday, Sept. 20: vs. Dolphins, 1:25 p.m., Fox
"Rocky." "Rudy." "Purdy." OK, that last one has yet to enter the sports-underdog movie canon. When it does, however, the Dolphins will play a role in the most dramatic scene. In Miami's last trip to Levi's Stadium, on Dec. 4, 2022, the untested, Mr. Irrelevant rookie QB was summoned from the sideline due to an injury. And, sorry to spoil the ending, but Brock Purdy began beating the odds. That day, he diced up the Dolphins in a 33-17 win while wearing No. 13. That's the number he's worn to honor Dan Marino, the Dolphins legend who was his dad's boyhood hero and was watching Purdy from a Levi's luxury suite. The next week, in his first start, Purdy outplayed the greatest QB in NFL history, Tom Brady, while his family bawled in the stands. Hey, Hollywood: Hello? What's taking so long?
Week 3
Sunday, Sept. 27: vs. Cardinals, 1:05 p.m., Fox
New Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur was a 49ers assistant coach from 2017-2020. (Note: I've been staring at the screen for five minutes since typing that last sentence). Anything else interesting about this game? OK. Moving on …
Week 4
Sunday, Oct. 4: vs. Broncos, 1:25 p.m., CBS
Shanahan and Broncos head coach Sean Payton, among the NFL's brightest offensive minds, have met only twice. Can this game be a repeat of their first meeting? In 2019, Shanahan and Payton spent three hours channeling Bill Walsh and Don Coryell: 49ers 48, Saints 46.
Week 5
Sunday, Oct. 11: at Seahawks, 1:25 p.m., Fox
The Seahawks ended their 2025 regular season smoking cigars in the visitors locker room at Levi's Stadium. And they ended their season celebrating a Super Bowl by smoking cigars and playing beer-can baseball in Levi's home locker room. In between those parties? Seahawks 41, 49ers 6. The 49ers might be motivated for this one.
Week 6
Monday, Oct. 19: vs. Commanders, 5:15 p.m., ESPN/ABC
Deebo Samuel? Done. He lasted just one season with Washington. But could the 49ers meet another pass-catcher who was recently their WR1? If Brandon Aiyuk plays in the NFL this season, there's a strong chance it will be with the Commanders, whose QB, Jayden Daniels, is a friend and former college teammate. An Aiyuk/Shanahan pregame meeting? It would top Jim Harbaugh and Jed York's I-hate-you hug (2014 regular-season finale) for will-someone-throw-a-punch suspense.
Week 7
Sunday, Oct. 25: at Falcons, 10 a.m., Fox
Shanahan has often explained Christian McCaffrey's heavy workload by saying the running back doesn't like coming off the field. Does McCaffrey have some authority of which we aren't aware? If McCaffrey really is an unofficial player-coach, he won't be spending much time on the sideline in Atlanta. The Falcons have Bijan Robinson, McCaffrey's friend and training partner who is five years younger than McCaffrey and might be better. McCaffrey heard similar talk last year. The result in the 49ers' 20-10 win: McCaffrey had a season-high 201 total yards, 109 more than the challenger to the dual-threat-back throne.
Week 8: Bye
Week 9
Sunday, Nov. 8: vs. Raiders, 1:05 p.m., CBS
Raiders rookie QB Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 draft, will make his return to the Bay Area, where he played at Cal … before he ditched the Bears for greener pastures (and more green) at Indiana. These homecoming stories were more heartwarming before college football players were corporations. And, yeah, get off my lawn.
Week 10
Sunday, Nov. 15: at Cowboys, 1:25 p.m., Fox
The 49ers have won the last four meetings. The streak includes a 42-10 victory in 2023 - their largest margin of victory over Dallas - and playoff wins after the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Their domination has extended beyond the field. In 2023, they traded QB Trey Lance to the Cowboys and received a fourth-round pick. Shanahan said the compensation was a "little better than we anticipated." Translation: Crushed the Cowboys again!
Week 11
Sunday, Nov. 22: vs. Vikings (Mexico City), 5:20, NBC
The 49ers are the home team. And they'll feel the love. Is all of Mexico mad about the 49ers? It felt that way during their last visit in 2022. At the end of their 38-10 romp over the Cardinals, QB Jimmy Garoppolo faced the stands and cheered the (consults Spanish dictionary) … aficionados: "It was electric," he said. "The fans were nuts." Said Shanahan: "This was one of the coolest events I've ever been a part of. It was one of my favorite games."
Week 12
Sunday, Nov. 29: vs. Seahawks, 1:25 p.m., Fox
Week 13
Sunday, Dec. 6: at N.Y. Giants, 10 a.m., Fox
The 49ers have pounded the Giants by an average of 18.3 points in winning the last three meetings, but they don't have Brian Daboll or Joe Judge to kick around anymore. New head coach John Harbaugh is 4-1 against the 49ers, including a Super Bowl victory. The good news for the 49ers? The ex-Ravens coach won't have Lamar Jackson or circa 2012 playoffs Joe Flacco.
Week 14
Sunday, Dec. 13: vs. L.A. Rams, 1:25 p.m., Fox
Week 15
Thursday, Dec. 17: at L.A. Chargers, 5:15 p.m., Prime Video
Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh, the former 49ers head coach, doesn't eat chicken because it's a "nervous bird." Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, the former 49ers offensive coordinator, once explained to Bay Area writers: "Mike McDaniel is just prepared for everything. So much so that he's speaking in the third person." These guys are offbeat. But their recent union, with McDaniel joining Harbaugh in January, could allow Robo QB Justin Herbert to finally find the rhythm that leads to his first career playoff victory.
Week 16
Thursday, Dec. 27: at Chiefs, 1:25 p.m., CBS
A story: General manager John Lynch attended Texas Tech's pro day in 2017. The Red Raiders QB ripped rockets through the West Texas wind. Lynch, as he recalled in 2021, called Shanahan. His message: "We might want to rethink this because he put on a show." The Patrick Mahomes Show, now entering Season 10, features a 5-0 record against the 49ers, including two rip-their-heart-out Super Bowl wins. Five years ago, after "2-3 Jet Chip Wasp" but before "Tom and Jerry," Lynch was already lying awake due to the pick he didn't make: "That will probably haunt me for a while."
Week 17
Sunday, Jan. 3: vs. Eagles, 5:20 p.m., NBC
Dre vs. Dom II: The Showdown in Santa Clara. Three years after their sideline scuffle led to a double ejection, "Big Play Dre" (49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw) and "Big Dom" (Eagles head of security Dom DiSandro) will be part of a game with big-fight energy. Since the Eagles' NFC Championship Game haymaker in January 2023, their fellow conference heavyweight has scored two of their own TKOs: There was the 49ers' 42-19 win in 2023 before they ejected Philly from the playoffs in last season's wild-card upset, when Greenlaw was with the Broncos.
Week 18
Saturday, Jan. 9 or Sunday, Jan. 10: at Cardinals, TBD, TBD
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