Seahawks, 49ers Kick Off NFL's Global Expansion

0:00On March 25th, the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks will kick off the 2026 NFL regular season at home on Wednesday, September 9th. The game starts at 8.20pm, Eastern daylight time from Lumenfield in Seattle, and will air on NBC and Peacock. Meanwhile, the San Francisco 49ers face the Los Angeles Rams the next night in the first ever NFL regular season game in Melbourne, Australia. That matchup at the Melbourne Cricket Ground begins at 8.35pm, Eastern daylight time on Thursday, September 10th. Fans are buzzing about the league's push into new markets, with this Australia game marking a big step for international growth. It highlights how the NFL is drawing in global audiences beyond North America. The league plans a record, nine international games that season, spread across four continents in seven countries. Details on the Seahawks opponent and the broadcast for the Rams 49ers game will come later this spring with the full schedule. As the NFL ramps up its worldwide presence, these openers set the stage for an exciting year ahead.