NFL set to have rare Wednesday season opener due to Rams vs. 49ers in Australia

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The NFL may begin the 2026 season on a rare Wednesday night because of the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers matchup in Australia.

Reports indicate the Week 1 game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground is being considered for either Wednesday, September 9, or Thursday, September 10, due to travel and time-zone factors.

The unusual scheduling possibility has created ripple effects for the league’s traditional kickoff format.

Australia game could shift traditional opener

Yahoo Sports reported that the Rams-49ers clash in Melbourne is likely to be staged midweek to accommodate international logistics.

If the contest is played on Wednesday, it would serve as the official season opener in an uncommon slot for the league.

The NFL season last opened on a Wednesday on September 5, 2012, when the New York Giants hosted the Dallas Cowboys.

If instead the game takes place on Thursday, the defending Super Bowl LX champion Seattle Seahawks would move into a Wednesday night kickoff role.

The Seahawks would ordinarily host the Thursday opener under league tradition, but the overseas fixture has forced the NFL to evaluate alternative arrangements.

Historic first for Australia

The Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers will meet in what will be the first NFL regular-season game ever staged in Australia.

The Melbourne Cricket Ground is set to host the matchup as part of the league’s expanding international calendar.

With a record number of global games expected in 2026, the NFL appears prepared to adjust its established opening-week structure.

Whether Wednesday or Thursday is selected, the 2026 campaign is poised to launch in unprecedented fashion.