Kyle Shanahan Claims Rams Wanted 49ers for Australia Game

Fantastic words from the head coach.

Mar 30, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan during the 2026 NFL Annual League Meeting at the Arizona Biltmore. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan believes the Los Angeles Rams specifically requested the 49ers as their opponent for the Week 1 season opener in Australia.

The 49ers and the Rams will face off at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, a matchup that will bring one of California’s biggest intrastate rivalries to kick off the season.

Shanahan believes the decision may have been intentional, as 49ers fans have often traveled to Rams home games in large numbers, turning the stadium red and gold and leaving the Rams heavily outnumbered.

"I know for a fact they did, and that's what's so bothersome," Shanahan said alongside Matt LaFleur on Pro Football Talk Live with Mike Florio and Chris Simms.

Kyle Shanahan wants 49ers-Rams in Mexico

Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; NBC Sports analyst Kyle Shanahan prior to the New England Patriots game against the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

As a result of the season opener, Kyle Shanahan would like to see the Los Angeles Rams face the San Francisco 49ers in the reverse fixture not in Santa Clara at Levi's Stadium, but instead in Mexico City, where the 49ers are scheduled to play their second regular-season game abroad.

Shanahan has already voiced his displeasure about the matchup, offering sarcastic remarks during the NFL Annual Meeting, and believes a neutral-site rematch would provide a fairer balance.

"Hopefully, the league will do right and let us play the Rams in Mexico, since we've gotta go out of the country twice, and they requested us. I'm requesting them in Mexico—not that that gives us an advantage, it's just fair to make them go out of the country [twice].

"And I get that," Shanahan said. "That would suck to have to do silent cadence and have our home game at their stadium, so I get their ambitions, but they were rewarded that. So I'm just hoping we can get our request still. I'd love for them to come to Mexico."

It would be an intriguing prospect if both teams end up playing abroad twice against each other in one of the league’s most significant rivalries.

Shanahan has reason to question the fairness of the situation, because if his claim carries any weight, the Rams may have secured an early edge by pursuing a matchup they felt could favor them competitively. The opening weeks of the season can often shape the trajectory of the first half of the regular season.

A neutral-site rematch in Mexico City could help balance the scales while also expanding the rivalry’s global reach, giving international fans the chance to witness one of the National Football League’s most intense divisional battles.