The first regular-season snap in Australia has a number. It is not close.
San Francisco 49ers 27, Los Angeles Rams 7, Friday morning local at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Reuters / AP: Brock Purdy threw for 205 yards and three touchdowns — Demarcus Robinson 39 yards, Mike Evans 2 yards, Deebo Samuel 15 yards. Eddy Pineiro hit 20 and 56. Kyren Williams scored the league’s first Australian touchdown, a 5-yard run to open the second. That was Los Angeles’s only score. The 49ers scored the last 24.
Matthew Stafford, the reigning MVP: 15 of 25, 155 yards, zero touchdowns, pulled late. The 49ers stuffed him on a fourth-down sneak from the 1 after Puka Nacua was ruled down inches short. Myles Garrett, Rams debut: zero tackles. Quote: “This was the worst version of myself that I’ve put out there.” Aaron Donald did not travel. Alfred Collins was already out for the year.
Crowd: 100,021 — AP: seventh-largest regular-season NFL gate, second-largest international behind Mexico City 2005 (103,467). The 49ers had been in town a week. The Rams arrived the day before. Sean McVay: he does not believe travel is why they lost. Kyle Shanahan vs McVay: 12–7. San Francisco 1–0. Hosts Miami Sept. 20. Rams host the Giants Sept. 21.
What this means for you
If you needed a score, it is 27–7. If you needed Donald, he was in California. If you needed Garrett’s debut, it was a zero. Netflix already rolled the credits.
Bottom line: 27–7 San Francisco. Three Purdy scores. 100,021. The league is 2–0 in 2026 openers.
GLHR NEWS explains the news. Not investment, tax, or trading advice. Do your own work before you act.
