The San Francisco 49ers live stream schedule for 2026 starts unlike any previous season: San Francisco opens against the Rams in the NFL’s first regular-season game in Australia, streaming nationally on Netflix.
The 49ers also play a Sunday Night Football game in Mexico City and have five confirmed prime-time appearances overall. FOX carries the largest share of the remaining schedule, with CBS, ESPN, NBC and Prime Video also involved.
For broader league-wide viewing information, see our Stream NFL Games Live guide.
49ers Open the 2026 Season on Netflix From Australia
The most unusual broadcast on San Francisco’s schedule comes immediately in Week 1.
The 49ers face the Los Angeles Rams at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Thursday, September 10, in the NFL’s first regular-season game in Australia.
The US broadcast begins at 8:35 p.m. ET / 5:35 p.m. PT on Netflix. Because of the time difference, kickoff occurs Friday morning in Melbourne.
For US viewers, this is an important distinction: 49ers-Rams is a Netflix game, not a FOX regional broadcast and not a Prime Video Thursday Night Football game.
NFL Sunday Ticket is also unnecessary for this matchup because Netflix has the national distribution.
The Australia opener is the first of San Francisco’s five currently scheduled prime-time games.
San Francisco 49ers 2026 Schedule and TV Channels
San Francisco 49ers 
Los Angeles Rams 
Miami Dolphins
San Francisco 49ers 
Arizona Cardinals
San Francisco 49ers 
Denver Broncos
San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers 
Seattle Seahawks 
Washington Commanders
San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers 
Atlanta Falcons 
Las Vegas Raiders
San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers 
Dallas Cowboys 
Minnesota Vikings
San Francisco 49ers
Seattle Seahawks
San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers 
New York Giants
Los Angeles Rams
San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers 
Los Angeles Chargers
San Francisco 49ers 
Kansas City Chiefs 
Philadelphia Eagles
San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
Arizona Cardinals Five 49ers Games Have National Prime-Time Windows
San Francisco’s official schedule release identifies five prime-time appearances in 2026.
| Week | Matchup | Date | Broadcast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 49ers vs. Rams in Melbourne | Sept. 10 | Netflix |
| Week 6 | Commanders at 49ers | Oct. 19 | ESPN |
| Week 11 | Vikings vs. 49ers in Mexico City | Nov. 22 | NBC |
| Week 15 | 49ers at Chargers | Dec. 17 | Prime Video |
| Week 17 | Eagles at 49ers | Jan. 3 | NBC |
These games alone require four different national platforms: Netflix, ESPN, NBC and Prime Video.
That makes the 49ers’ 2026 viewing setup more varied than simply subscribing to a service carrying FOX and CBS.
Commanders at 49ers is Monday Night Football
The first prime-time game at Levi’s Stadium comes in Week 6.
San Francisco hosts the Washington Commanders on Monday, October 19 at 8:15 p.m. ET / 5:15 p.m. PT.
The game is scheduled for ESPN as Monday Night Football.
Because ESPN distributes the game nationally, viewers outside the Bay Area do not need NFL Sunday Ticket.
For cord-cutters, the important requirement is access to ESPN through a compatible live television or streaming package.
The 49ers then travel to Atlanta in Week 7 before their Week 8 bye.
49ers vs. Vikings in Mexico City Is Sunday Night Football
San Francisco’s second international game of the season comes in Week 11.
The 49ers host the Minnesota Vikings at Estadio Banorte in Mexico City on Sunday, November 22. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:20 p.m. ET / 5:20 p.m. PT, with NBC carrying the game as Sunday Night Football.
This is the 49ers’ first game in Mexico City since 2022.
For viewers in the United States, NBC is the key broadcaster. Sunday Night Football is also associated with Peacock streaming access, so this game does not depend on regional FOX or CBS distribution.
The Mexico City matchup also means San Francisco plays two regular-season games outside the United States in 2026: the Rams game in Melbourne and the Vikings game in Mexico City.
FOX Carries Eight Confirmed 49ers Games
Despite the international and prime-time schedule, FOX remains the network carrying the largest number of San Francisco games.
The eight currently assigned FOX broadcasts are:
- Week 2: Dolphins at 49ers
- Week 3: Cardinals at 49ers
- Week 5: 49ers at Seahawks
- Week 7: 49ers at Falcons
- Week 10: 49ers at Cowboys
- Week 12: Seahawks at 49ers
- Week 13: 49ers at Giants
- Week 14: Rams at 49ers
Several of those games are NFC West matchups, including both scheduled meetings with Seattle and the December home game against Los Angeles.
For Bay Area viewers, the local FOX affiliate will be particularly important.
Out-of-market viewers have a different problem: their local FOX station may carry another regional NFL matchup. Those are the weeks when NFL Sunday Ticket can become useful.
CBS Has Three 49ers Games
Three San Francisco games currently belong to CBS:
- Week 4: Denver Broncos at 49ers — Oct. 4, 4:25 p.m. ET
- Week 9: Las Vegas Raiders at 49ers — Nov. 8, 4:05 p.m. ET
- Week 16: 49ers at Kansas City Chiefs — Dec. 27, 4:25 p.m. ET
The Week 9 Raiders matchup is particularly notable for Bay Area fans, while the December trip to Kansas City gives San Francisco another late-afternoon CBS window.
CBS games shown by a viewer’s local affiliate can also be available through Paramount+ under the applicable local NFL on CBS streaming rules. The 49ers’ own viewing guide identifies Paramount+ as an option for local CBS broadcasts in supported markets.
49ers at Chargers is on Prime Video
San Francisco’s second Thursday game comes much later than its Netflix opener.
The 49ers visit the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday, December 17 at 8:15 p.m. ET / 5:15 p.m. PT.
This time, the broadcaster is Prime Video as part of Thursday Night Football.
The distinction matters:
- Week 1 Thursday vs. Rams: Netflix
- Week 15 Thursday at Chargers: Prime Video
The two Thursday broadcasts therefore require completely different streaming services.
Eagles at 49ers Gets Sunday Night Football in Week 17
San Francisco’s final game with a confirmed network assignment is one of its biggest national windows.
The Philadelphia Eagles visit the 49ers on Sunday, January 3, 2027 at 8:20 p.m. ET / 5:20 p.m. PT, with the game scheduled for NBC Sunday Night Football.
It is San Francisco’s second NBC Sunday night appearance after the Mexico City game against Minnesota.
Because Week 17 falls inside the NFL’s flexible scheduling period, late-season broadcast details should still be checked closer to kickoff. The league can make certain scheduling adjustments based on its flex procedures.
How Bay Area Fans Can Watch the 49ers Without Cable
For viewers within the 49ers’ local television market, FOX and CBS cover most of the ordinary Sunday schedule.
The team’s official viewing page identifies FOX for Sunday FOX broadcasts, CBS for Sunday CBS broadcasts, NBC for Sunday Night Football, ESPN for Monday Night Football and Prime Video for Thursday Night Football.
The 2026 schedule adds Netflix to that mix because of the Melbourne opener.
A Bay Area fan attempting to cover every currently assigned game therefore needs access to:
- FOX + CBS + NBC + ESPN + Netflix + Prime Video
A live TV streaming service can combine several of the traditional channels, but Netflix and Prime Video remain separate streaming platforms.
What Out-of-Market 49ers Fans Need
For a 49ers fan living outside Northern California, regional FOX and CBS games can be the difficult ones.
If your local station chooses another matchup, NFL Sunday Ticket provides eligible out-of-market Sunday afternoon games. The 49ers’ official viewing guide lists Sunday Ticket through YouTube TV for out-of-market Sunday coverage.
Sunday Ticket does not replace San Francisco’s national platforms.
You would still use:
- Netflix for the Rams game in Australia
- ESPN for Commanders-49ers
- NBC for Vikings-49ers and Eagles-49ers
- Prime Video for 49ers-Chargers
Sunday Ticket is primarily the solution for regional FOX and CBS weeks when San Francisco is not being shown locally.
Week 18 at Arizona Has No TV Network Yet
San Francisco closes the regular season on the road against the Arizona Cardinals.
The NFL currently lists the Week 18 matchup with its date, kickoff time and network still TBD.
That does not mean the game has been omitted from television.
Week 18 assignments are intentionally finalized late. The NFL says three Week 18 games will be placed on Saturday, with the remainder scheduled across Sunday afternoon and Sunday night. Exact assignments are determined after Week 17.
The Cardinals game is therefore the 49ers broadcast that fans will need to recheck at the end of the regular season.
Watching the 49ers in the UK and Canada
For international fans, NFL Game Pass on DAZN provides a broader route to following San Francisco throughout the season.
That is particularly useful in 2026 because the 49ers move between regional US networks and several national streaming platforms.
The Australia opener also creates an unusual viewing time compared with normal US-based NFL games, while San Francisco’s Monday and Sunday night appearances will fall into overnight viewing windows for UK audiences.
Canadian viewers can also use NFL Game Pass for broad season access, while national Canadian NFL broadcasters carry selected Sunday and prime-time games.
FAQs
What channel is 49ers vs. Rams in Australia?
The Week 1 49ers-Rams game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground is scheduled to stream nationally on Netflix on Thursday, September 10 at 8:35 p.m. ET / 5:35 p.m. PT. The game takes place Friday morning local time in Melbourne.
What channel is Commanders vs. 49ers on October 19?
Washington at San Francisco is scheduled for ESPN on Monday, October 19 at 8:15 p.m. ET as Monday Night Football.
How can I watch 49ers vs. Vikings in Mexico City?
The Vikings-49ers Week 11 game in Mexico City is scheduled for NBC Sunday Night Football on November 22 at 8:20 p.m. ET / 5:20 p.m. PT. It will be played at Estadio Banorte.
Is 49ers vs. Chargers on Prime Video?
Yes. San Francisco visits the Chargers on Thursday, December 17 at 8:15 p.m. ET, and the game is scheduled for Prime Video as Thursday Night Football.
What channel is 49ers vs. Cardinals in Week 18?
The network has not been announced yet. San Francisco’s Week 18 road game against Arizona currently has no fixed date, kickoff time or TV assignment. The NFL will finalize Week 18 scheduling following Week 17.
Bottom Line
The 49ers have one of the most unusual broadcast schedules of the 2026 NFL season.
San Francisco begins against the Rams in Australia on Netflix, hosts Washington on ESPN Monday Night Football, plays Minnesota in Mexico City on NBC, visits the Chargers on Prime Video, and hosts Philadelphia in another NBC Sunday Night Football game.
FOX carries eight additional games and CBS has three, while Week 18 at Arizona remains TBD.
For US fans, the most important point is that following every 49ers game in 2026 requires more than a normal FOX/CBS package because Netflix, ESPN, NBC and Prime Video all have team-specific national broadcasts.
