SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers‘ international travel in 2026 will not only take them Down Under to Australia but also to Mexico City.
The NFL announced Wednesday that the Niners will be the home team for a regular-season game at Estadio Banorte in Mexico City next season. At his pre-Super Bowl news conference, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said the game will take place in December. The exact date, kickoff time and opponent will be announced when the full NFL schedule is released in the spring.
“We’re delighted to host the San Francisco 49ers once again in Mexico City for the 2026 NFL Mexico game,” NFL Mexico director general Arturo Olive said in a statement. “We look forward to being back in a country that plays such a meaningful role in the growth of our game.”
San Francisco will give up a home game to play internationally for the first time since 2010. The 49ers last played in Mexico City in 2022, a 38-10 win against the Arizona Cardinals, and played there in 2005.
The Niners have international marketing rights in Mexico City along with the Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys, Las Vegas Raiders, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers. While the NFL doesn’t have to schedule an opponent that also has marketing rights in Mexico City, the Niners are set to host the Raiders, Broncos, Dolphins, Rams and Cardinals in 2026.
“We are thrilled to return to Mexico and play in front of one of the most passionate fan bases in the league,” Niners CEO Al Guido said. “After two unforgettable experiences in 2005 and 2022 in Mexico City, we’re excited to reunite with the Mexico faithful and look forward to the energy the local fans will bring in creating a true home field advantage for our team abroad.”
For the 49ers, December’s trip to Mexico means they will have two international games in the same regular season for the first time in franchise history. They will face the Rams at Australia’s Melbourne Cricket Ground, a game the league announced during Super Bowl week.
The Mexico City game will be played at the newly renovated Estadio Banorte, formerly known as Estadio Azteca and the same place the Niners met the Cardinals in 2022. Before that game, the 49ers spent a week in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to help acclimate to the altitude in Mexico City.
The NFL has also had games at Estadio Banorte in 2016, 2017 and 2019. There are plans for games to be played there in 2027 and 2028.
The Mexico City game is one of a league-record nine international contests slated for 2026. In addition to Mexico City and Melbourne, the league also has scheduled games in Paris, Munich, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and three in London.
