The San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams will make NFL history Thursday night when the NFC West rivals open their 2026 seasons nearly 8,000 miles from home at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:35 p.m. ET on Netflix, which will be 10:35 a.m. Friday morning in Melbourne. The matchup will be the NFL’s first regular season game played in Australia.
Both teams enter the opener following 12-5 seasons that ultimately ended at the hands of the eventual Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. Los Angeles advanced to the NFC Championship Game behind an offense that led the league in both scoring and total yardage. Matthew Stafford earned league MVP honors after throwing for 4,707 yards and 46 touchdowns, while Puka Nacua finished with 1,715 receiving yards and Davante Adams caught 14 touchdown passes.
The Rams spent the offseason strengthening the other side of the ball, acquiring reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett and All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie. Aaron Donald also came out of retirement, although the three-time Defensive Player of the Year did not make the trip to Melbourne and has been ruled out for the opener.
San Francisco’s 12-win campaign came despite lengthy absences from several of its biggest stars. Brock Purdy, Nick Bosa, Fred Warner and George Kittle all missed significant time before the 49ers’ season ended with a 41-6 loss to Seattle in the divisional round. Christian McCaffrey remained healthy throughout the year, finishing with 1,202 rushing yards, 924 receiving yards and 17 total touchdowns.
The 49ers will have Bosa and Kittle available Thursday after both were limited during the week without receiving game designations. Kittle’s return is particularly notable after working his way back from an Achilles injury, although San Francisco could remain mindful of his workload in the opener.
The two organizations have also taken dramatically different approaches to the unusual travel demands. San Francisco arrived in Melbourne nearly a week before kickoff to adjust to the time difference, while Los Angeles landed roughly 28 hours before the game and plans to remain on Pacific Time. That adds another variable to a divisional matchup that the teams split last season.
49ers vs. Rams Odds Today
The Rams enter tonight’s matchup as four-point favorites at Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook:
- Moneyline: 49ers +170, Rams -210
- Spread: 49ers +4 (-110), Rams -4 (-110)
- Total: Over 48 (-110), Under 48 (-110)
Referenced odds are subject to change.
49ers vs. Rams Best Bet
Hard Rock Bet’s Stats Hub provides matchup trends, streaks and other useful data for every game on the NFL schedule. One trend involving San Francisco’s star tight end stands out ahead of Thursday night’s opener:
George Kittle Over 33.5 Receiving Yards (-110): Kittle has recorded at least 29 receiving yards in nine consecutive regular season appearances. That alternate line comes with a much steeper price, so we’ll instead target Kittle’s standard receiving total of 33.5 yards.
His extensive history against Los Angeles gives us another reason to take the higher number. Kittle has averaged 67.4 receiving yards across 14 career meetings with the Rams, clearing 33.5 yards nine times. Most recently, Kittle finished with 84 yards on nine catches against Los Angeles last season after recording 61 yards in his lone appearance against the Rams in 2024. He has surpassed tonight’s line in three of his four most recent meetings with LA.
The injury situation adds some uncertainty, but it may also be giving us an opportunity to get in at a lower number. Kittle spent the offseason recovering from an Achilles injury and was limited throughout the practice week in Melbourne. He carries no injury designation into Thursday, however, meaning he is cleared to play even if the 49ers are careful with his workload.
With a nine-game streak of at least 29 receiving yards, a career average against Los Angeles nearly double tonight’s line and a modest threshold following his return from injury, we’ll back Kittle to finish with at least 35 yards.
- Best Bet: George Kittle Over 33.5 Receiving Yards (-110)
Betting Splits at Hard Rock Bet
Hard Rock Bet players are all over the Rams on the moneyline:
- Moneyline: The Rams account for 85.1% of all tickets and 84.5% of the handle.
- Spread: Los Angeles -4 has received 61.9% of tickets and 61.8% of the money.
- Total: Under 48 has attracted 53.4% of tickets but a larger 57.4% share of the handle.
Top 5 Most-Bet Player Props for SF-LAR
Anytime touchdown scorers account for four of the five most popular player props for Thursday night’s game, with CMC leading the way:
- Christian McCaffrey – Over 0.5 Anytime Touchdowns
- Kyren Williams – Over 0.5 Anytime Touchdowns
- Puka Nacua – Over 0.5 Anytime Touchdowns
- Matthew Stafford – Over 1.5 Passing Touchdowns
- Davante Adams – Over 0.5 Anytime Touchdowns
49ers vs. Rams Game Info
- 📍 Where: Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, Australia
- 📅 Date: Thursday, September 10
- ⏰ Kickoff: 8:35 p.m. ET
- 📺💻 TV/Streaming: Netflix
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