The San Francisco 49ers' upcoming international matchup in Mexico City appears set for earlier in the season than initially expected. According to ESPN's Brady Henderson, citing NFL Executive Vice President of Media Distribution Hans Schroeder, the game is scheduled for Week 11.
That timing places the contest in November rather than December, which had been the early assumption.
While the week is now known, the opponent has yet to be revealed. Schroeder indicated that the NFL will wait until the full schedule is released in May to announce the matchup. However, the exact date and opponent could surface in the days leading up to the official unveiling.
Per NFL EVP of Media Distribution Hans Schroeder, the 49ers' Mexico City game will be in Week 11. He said the league will likely wait until the full schedule release to announce the opponent. Same for the other international games whose non-host teams aren't already known.
— Brady Henderson (@BradyHenderson) March 31, 2026
The 49ers will serve as the home team at Estadio Banorte in Mexico City. The matchup will be the second of two international games for San Francisco in 2026. The first comes in Week 1 on September 10, when the team faces the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia.
As for potential opponents in Mexico City, the 49ers are slated to host NFC West rivals, as well as the Las Vegas Raiders, Denver Broncos, Washington Commanders, Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, and Miami Dolphins, in 2026.
Denver has already been ruled out, per Benjamin Allbright, and a second international matchup against the Rams appears unlikely—regardless of any lobbying from head coach Kyle Shanahan.
The 49ers have played four regular-season international games in franchise history. They faced the Arizona Cardinals at Estadio Azteca—now known as Estadio Banorte—in 2005 and 2022, and also played in London at Wembley Stadium in 2010 and 2013.
San Francisco's only international loss came in the 2005 game in Mexico City.
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