49ers Open 2026 With 27–7 Rout of Rams in Historic Melbourne Game

The San Francisco 49ers began the 2026 season with a statement victory, defeating the Los Angeles Rams 27–7 at Melbourne Cricket Ground on Thursday, September 10, in the United States, and Friday, September 11, local time in Australia. The game was the first NFL regular-season contest played in Australia. [1][2]

The result gave San Francisco a 1–0 record and dropped Los Angeles to 0–1. Although the matchup was officially listed as “49ers at Rams,” the game was played at Melbourne Cricket Ground as part of the NFL’s international schedule. [1][3]

Brock Purdy led the 49ers’ offense with three touchdown passes and 205 passing yards. Mike Evans, Demarcus Robinson and Deebo Samuel Sr. each caught a scoring pass, while Purdy completed passes to eight different receivers and was not sacked on 34 attempts. [2][4]

San Francisco built its lead methodically. Evans caught a short touchdown pass in the first quarter, and Robinson later added a 39-yard scoring reception. Samuel’s 15-yard touchdown catch extended the 49ers’ advantage to 24–7, before Eddy Piñeiro’s 56-yard field goal supplied the final points. [2][4]

The Rams’ lone touchdown came on a rushing score by Kyren Williams, but Los Angeles struggled to sustain offensive momentum after that drive. San Francisco’s defense repeatedly forced the Rams into difficult situations, and the 49ers controlled the game after halftime. [2][4]

The opening quarter reflected the unusual circumstances of the event. Both teams had to adjust to a long international trip and a morning kickoff in Melbourne, but San Francisco appeared better prepared. The 49ers had traveled to Australia roughly a week before the game, while the Rams arrived much closer to kickoff. That difference does not establish a single cause for the result, but it was part of the pregame context surrounding the matchup. [2]

The setting added historical weight to what was otherwise a familiar NFC West rivalry. The Melbourne Cricket Ground drew 100,021 spectators, the seventh-largest crowd for an NFL regular-season game, according to game coverage cited by CBS Sports. [5] The crowd watched the league begin a new chapter in a country better known for Australian rules football, cricket and other established sports.

For San Francisco, the victory was especially encouraging because it combined efficient quarterback play with a balanced attack and a clean pocket for Purdy. The 49ers did not need a high-volume passing performance: Purdy’s effectiveness came from distributing the ball, avoiding turnovers and converting opportunities in the red zone. [2][4]

The Rams, meanwhile, face an immediate need to diagnose why a team widely viewed as a Super Bowl contender produced so little resistance. Los Angeles’ offensive difficulties were compounded by the travel schedule, but the 27–7 margin also exposed how quickly a projected contender can fall behind when it loses early control of a game. The defeat is only one result, not a season-long verdict, yet it leaves the Rams chasing San Francisco in the division from the opening week. [1][2]

The teams are scheduled to meet again in the regular season on Sunday, December 13, at San Francisco. That rematch will be played in a conventional NFC West setting, but the Melbourne result will shape the early-season conversation around both clubs. [3]

For now, the 49ers own the first win of the 2026 regular season for this rivalry—and the first NFL regular-season victory in Australia. Purdy’s three-touchdown performance, San Francisco’s preparation and a defense that kept Los Angeles from finding a rhythm turned an international showcase into a decisive opening-night win. [1][2][4]