49ers Coach Shanahan on Australia Game

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan expressed mixed feelings about the team’s historic Week 1 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia, acknowledging the excitement of playing internationally while lamenting the loss of a traditional home-field advantage. The game, the first NFL regular-season contest held in Australia, is scheduled for Friday, September 11, 2026, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Shanahan voiced disappointment that the league’s decision to move the game overseas meant the 49ers would forfeit what he considers an annual "home game" in Los Angeles. The 49ers have a significant fanbase that often fills SoFi Stadium with their team’s colors when they play the Rams there. "It's disappointing to let them off the hook and get them out of that," Shanahan said at a press conference on Monday, September 7, referring to the Rams potentially avoiding a hostile crowd. However, he anticipates a similar fan presence in Melbourne, noting the team's substantial following in Australia. The NFL changed its international game scheduling rules this year, removing a team's ability to protect home games from being moved abroad.