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Rams and 49ers Open NFL Season in Melbourne With First Regular-Season Game in Australia

The Melbourne opener tests team travel plans, roster readiness, Netflix's live-stream model, the NFL's international broadcast approach, the league's push to add more overseas regular-season games.

Overview

  • The San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams meet at the Melbourne Cricket Ground with kickoff set for Friday morning local time, which corresponds to 8:35 p.m. ET and 5:35 p.m. PT for U.S. viewers.
  • Netflix will stream the game live for subscribers while Australian coverage is being carried by Fox Sports/Kayo and Channel Seven/7Plus.
  • The Rams are the designated home team and opened as favorites in sportsbooks, with point spreads around 3.5–4 points and an over/under near 48.5.
  • Teams adopted different travel plans: the 49ers arrived nearly a week early to acclimate while the Rams planned to arrive about 24 hours before kickoff, a split that has become a focal point for coaches and preparation.
  • The matchup spotlights major roster moves and competitive stakes — notably Myles Garrett joining the Rams and Aaron Donald returning — and it kicks off a nine-game overseas slate that owners have voted to expand to 10 games in 2027.