The 49ers head to Mexico City

The year 2026 will mark a historic turning point for the San Francisco 49ers.

Wednesday, the NFL officially confirmed that the California team will host a regular season game in Mexico City. The game, scheduled for December, will take place in the electric atmosphere of Estadio Banorte, a stadium recently renovated to host the elite of American football. It will be a return to their roots for the Niners, who have already played on Mexican soil in 2005 and 2022. On their last visit, they crushed the Arizona Cardinals 38-10. Team CEO Al Guido has made no secret of his enthusiasm at the prospect of returning to Mexico, considered one of the most passionate fan bases in the league. For the occasion, San Francisco will sacrifice a game at Levi's Stadium, a first since 2010.
This trip to Mexico is part of an aggressive global strategy. The 49ers hold exclusive marketing rights in the country, alongside powerhouses such as the Dallas Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Although the opponent will not be revealed until spring, speculation is rife, with rivals such as the Rams and Dolphins appearing on the team's 2026 schedule. A 2026 season marked by global travel

Logistics will be a major challenge for the 49ers, who will play two international games in the same season. In addition to the Mexican stop, the team will fly to Australia to face the Los Angeles Rams at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The game in Mexico City will be the ninth played outside the United States in 2026, an all-time record for the NFL. In addition to Mexico and Australia, the league plans to make stops in Paris, Madrid, Munich, Rio de Janeiro, and three games in London. This expansion reflects Commissioner Roger Goodell's desire to transform the NFL into a truly global product, with Mexico as a central pillar of this growth through 2028.

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