Rams and 49ers prepare for season opener in Melbourne
4 sources • 2 min read • Latest: Sep 4, 2026, 9:44 PM
Last updated Sep 4, 2026
The Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers will play their NFL season opener at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday, September 11. The match, which kicks off at 10:35 a.m. local time, marks the first NFL game held in Australia. The two teams are employing contrasting travel strategies to manage the 17-hour time difference and 8,000-mile flight. The 49ers are scheduled to arrive a week before the game to adjust their body clocks to the local time. Conversely, the Rams intend to arrive one day before kickoff and depart immediately after the game, a "hit-and-run" approach they previously tested during a trip to London. Neurologist W. Christopher Winter and sleep specialist Meeta Singh have offered conflicting assessments regarding whether immediate travel or early acclimation is more beneficial for athletic performance during the early-morning kickoff.
- •The Rams and 49ers open the NFL season in Melbourne on September 11.
- •The 49ers plan to travel to Australia on September 2 for acclimation.
- •The Rams intend to arrive in Melbourne the day before the game.
- •The game is scheduled for 10:35 a.m. local time on September 11.
- 9:44 PMYahoo Sports — The Incredible Lengths the 49ers Have Gone to Behind the Scenes for Their Australia Trip
- 1:51 PMYahoo Sports — 49ers, Rams taking opposite approaches to longest road trip in NFL history
- 2:05 PMYahoo Sports — The Rams think they’ve figured out jet lag. Australia is about to test their theory
"The San Francisco 49ers are making sure their players are well taken care of on their trip to Australia for a Week 1 game against the Los Angeles Rams. The Niners are in an unfamiliar environment to play football, but they have arrived in the Land Down Under several days before the game against their […] The post The Incredible Lengths the 49ers Have Gone to Behind the Scenes for Their Australia Trip appeared first on Gridiron Heroics.
"The 49ers are already in the air aboard their 16-hour flight to Melbourne, Australia, for a game against the Rams that won't kick off for another seven and a half days.
"The Rams and 49ers are about to embark on the longest road trip in NFL history. They’ve also come up with radically different ideas for how to survive it.
Sources
External links- Yahoo SportsSep 4, 2026, 9:44 PMThe Incredible Lengths the 49ers Have Gone to Behind the Scenes for Their Australia Trip
The San Francisco 49ers are making sure their players are well taken care of on their trip to Australia for a Week 1 game against the Los Angeles Rams. The Niners are in an unfamiliar environment to play football, but they have arrived in the Land Down Under several days before the game against their […] The post The Incredible Lengths the 49ers Have Gone to Behind the Scenes for Their Australia Trip appeared first on Gridiron Heroics.
- Yahoo SportsSep 3, 2026, 1:51 PM49ers, Rams taking opposite approaches to longest road trip in NFL history
The 49ers are already in the air aboard their 16-hour flight to Melbourne, Australia, for a game against the Rams that won't kick off for another seven and a half days.
- Yahoo SportsSep 2, 2026, 2:05 PMThe Rams think they’ve figured out jet lag. Australia is about to test their theory
The Rams and 49ers are about to embark on the longest road trip in NFL history. They’ve also come up with radically different ideas for how to survive it.
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