The San Francisco 49ers will play the Los Angeles Rams in the first-ever NFL game in Melbourne, Australia, the league announced Thursday.

The 49ers anticipated potentially giving up a home game for an international one. But because the Rams hold international marketing rights in Australia, the Niners on paper will be the visiting team.

The 49ers could still host a Mexico City game as well. Principal owner Jed York said earlier this week that Mexico City would be a favorable destination for a 49ers game abroad next season: "For us, Mexico is one of our markets. We will most likely give up a home game this season to play abroad, and Mexico is always No. 1 on my list." 

Nine other NFL teams, including the Rams, also have marketing rights in Mexico.

The date and time of the Australia game is technically still TBD, though the first week of the season is the expectation. The flight from San Francisco to Australia is roughly 16 hours, and the time difference in Melbourne is generally 17 to 19 hours ahead.

A venue that seats over 100,000 at maximum capacity, the Melbourne Cricket Ground, will be where the 49ers and Rams play.

This article originally published at Road warriors? 49ers to play in first NFL game in Australia vs. Rams in 2026.

Kyle Shanahan has long yearned to work with Raheem Morris again. Now he will.

The San Francisco 49ers are set to hire the former Atlanta Falcons head coach as their new defensive coordinator, a league source confirmed to the Chronicle. 

Shanahan attempted to hire Morris when he took over as 49ers head coach in 2017. But his request to interview Morris, then the assistant head coach and pass game coordinator in Atlanta, was blocked by then-Falcons head coach Dan Quinn. Shanahan said in 2024 he had "always tried to get him here every single year" when asked about Morris, whom the Falcons had just made a first-time head coach. 

On the heels of Robert Saleh, a 4-3 defensive scheme disciple, Morris does not present the most seamless transition given his background as a 3-4 defensive mind. But perhaps that was less of a hurdle for Shanahan, who finally got his guy after nine years on the job.

Shanahan and Morris previously coached together at three different stops, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2004-05), in Washington (2012-13) and with the Falcons (2015-16).

This article originally published at 49ers set to hire Raheem Morris as DC, reuniting him with Kyle Shanahan.