49ers Coach Delivers Blunt Response to First NFL Game in Australia

Kyle Shanahan is not thrilled about his team playing the Rams in Melbourne to start the season.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 6:21pm by Ben Kaplan

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A fractured, cubist painting depicting an abstract football game, with the players' forms broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in a palette of deep red, navy blue, and bright gold.The NFL's push for international expansion faces skepticism from some coaches like the 49ers' Kyle Shanahan, who see little benefit in the long travel required to play a regular season game in Australia.San Francisco Today

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan expressed frustration and skepticism about his team playing the Los Angeles Rams in the NFL's first-ever regular season game in Australia. Shanahan sarcastically said he was 'so fired up' about the long trip to Melbourne, questioning if they were 'going back in time, or into the future.' He said he sees no positives for his team in making the journey, though the Rams are likely more enthusiastic given their international marketing rights in Australia and New Zealand.

Why it matters

This game represents the NFL's continued push to grow the sport globally, but Shanahan's blunt comments highlight the challenges and reluctance some teams face in playing international regular season games, especially those requiring long-haul travel to start the season.

The details

The 49ers and Rams are scheduled to play at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 11, 2026 in the first NFL regular season game to be held in Australia. Both teams will have to arrive a week early to acclimate and attend publicity events. Last season, both teams were eliminated from the playoffs by the eventual Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.

  • The 49ers and Rams will play on September 11, 2026 in Melbourne.
  • Both teams will arrive in Australia a week before the game.

The players

Kyle Shanahan

The head coach of the San Francisco 49ers who expressed frustration about his team playing the first NFL game in Australia.

Sean McVay

The head coach of the Los Angeles Rams, who is likely more enthusiastic about the game in Australia given the Rams' international marketing rights.

Seattle Seahawks

The team that eliminated both the 49ers and Rams from the playoffs last season on their way to winning the Super Bowl.

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What they’re saying

“'I was so fired up. That was our goal, to go 19 hours away to play a game, are we going back in time, or into the future? It is what it is, we'll deal with it.'”

— Kyle Shanahan, Head Coach, San Francisco 49ers

“'No, not at all, I don't see any pro. It's cool for the league to play globally... but as far as the team doing it, no, there's not much benefit.'”

— Kyle Shanahan, Head Coach, San Francisco 49ers

What’s next

The 49ers and Rams will have to finalize their travel plans and acclimation schedule for the trip to Australia in the coming months.

The takeaway

While the NFL continues to push for global expansion, some coaches like Kyle Shanahan remain skeptical about the benefits and challenges of playing regular season games outside the United States, especially when it requires such extensive travel to start the season.