Per a new report, the season opener for the Los Angeles Rams vs. the San Francisco 49ers is reportedly set to stream live on Netflix.
The Los Angeles Rams not only drew an international game for the 2026 season, but they will be taking on their NFC West rivals, the San Francisco 49ers, as part of the NFL's international expansion. The game will take place for the first time in Australia, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 10 at 8:35 p.m. EST.
According to The Athletic's Dan Shanoff and Andrew Marchand, the game itself will be streamed live on Netflix. The popular streamer got into the live sports game in recent years and was the hub for the NFL's Christmas slate in both 2024 and 2025.
Now, it appears that the company is expanding into potentially being a hub for international games as well. Per the article from Shanoff and Marchand, both the NFL and Netflix declined to comment.
The Rams and 49ers are not only a strong game to kick off Week 1 for the league, but even more so due to both teams' recent successes. Both were in the thick of the NFC West playoff hunt, but both were eliminated before reaching the big show.
During the regular season in 2025, they split their series 1-1. The 49ers won during Week 5 with a 26-23 OT victory, while the Rams took their Week 10 meeting with a far more sizable 42-26 victory.
On top of the Rams being one of the most exciting teams in the league, the 2026 season has been rumored to be the final for Matthew Stafford, though that has not been confirmed. Should it be the case, the meeting of the divisional rivals will be even bigger.
That said, the Rams are also expected to go on another deep playoff run, as the core of the roster mostly stayed unchanged through the 2026 offseason. Upgrades were made, specifically in the secondary, as former Kansas City Chiefs cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson were acquired via trade and free agency.
Los Angeles struggled against strong passers, hence their need to upgrade the secondary unit. The 49ers always pose a big problem due to the skill set that quarterback Brock Purdy presents.
The Rams taking on a divisonal rival to kick off the season is big enoug, but for the game to take place in Australia and live on Netflix, it could end up being one of the most popular games of the 2026 season.