NFL Australia 2026: The different approaches of the 49ers and Rams

The Niners will be flying out this Wednesday to Melbourne, arriving in Australia by Friday, giving them a whole week to adapt to the time zone and fight the jet lag.

Whereas the Rams, as per reports, will be flying out next Wednesday and arriving the same Friday that they will be playing the 49ers.

Kittle, Bosa will make the trip to Australia

Ian Rapoport shared that George Kittle and Nick Bosa will make the trip to Melbourne, with Kittle having a high chance of playing in Week 1 after he suffered an Achilles tear during the Wild Card Round in January.

Bosa's appearance against Los Angeles, on the other hand, is not as hopeful as the tight end's, with the 2022 DPOY still on the road to recovery from his ACL injury.

San Francisco's GM John Lynch is hopeful of Bosa's recovery given how he's been behaving at training camp.

“But I will tell you, so long as he responds well, he’s been tracking very well

“Now, always ramping it up to actual football is a difference, and so that’s the next step, and we’re very hopeful,” said Lynch.

Elsa / Staff

Is Donald making an appearance in Week 1?

With one of the most surprising pieces of news of the preseason, Aaron Donald came out of retirement to play for the Rams this upcoming season.

The three-time DPOY retired in 2024 at age 32, feeling like he had accomplished everything he could in the sport.

Just three days ago, Donald announced his comeback after participating in an official workout with the team in early August.

It's unclear whether we will see much of Donald in Week 1, given he hasn't played an NFL game in over two years.

If anything, we could see him make some plays against the Niners in Melbourne and slowly start to make his way back.

Analysis: Could jet lag really affect the Rams?

Ana Gonzalez, DAZN NFL writer

It's certainly a bold decision to make a 15-hour trip with a 17-hour time difference and expect to play a game the same day you arrive.

Can you avoid jet lag? Definitely yes in some cases, but an almost 20-hour time difference will be very hard to acclimatize to in less than a day.

Obviously, both the Rams and the 49ers analyzed the situation and decided what's better for their teams, but it's hard to understand how Los Angeles is expecting their players and coaching staff to get off the plane and play an NFL game immediately after.

They are very clearly seeing something we are not, so it will be interesting to see the game and how this will pan out for the Rams.

Watch every NFL and extensive NCAA College Sports coverage only on DAZN

The 2026 NFL season is nearly here, with a record nine international games, and Game Pass is the only place where you can catch every snap.

Features include American commentary throughout, plus RedZone, NFL Network, Game in 40, Sunday in 60, Multiview, and more, with prices starting at £179.99 per year or £18.99 per month.

And with extensive NCAA College Sports coverage available as a separate subscription and flag football available for free, DAZN remains your go-to for American football coverage.

Sign up for Game Pass on DAZN for full NFL coverage plus NCAA College Sports for the ultimate college sports experience.