NFL Announces 2026 Season Kickoff and International Games
The National Football League (NFL) has announced that the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks will open the 2026 regular season on Wednesday, September 9, at Lumen Field in Seattle. The game will kick off at 8:20 p.m. EDT and be broadcast on NBC and Peacock. The Seahawks’ opponent for this opening game will be revealed when the full regular-season schedule is released later this spring.
NFL Global Expansion with International Games
In addition to the season opener, the NFL will play a record nine international games in 2026, spanning four continents and seven countries. As part of this initiative, the San Francisco 49ers will face the Los Angeles Rams in the first regular-season NFL game to be held in Melbourne, Australia, on September 10 at 8:35 p.m. EDT at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The broadcast partner for the 49ers-Rams game has not yet been announced.
Recent Seahawks-49ers Matchup
The Seattle Seahawks recently defeated the San Francisco 49ers 41-6 in the NFC Divisional Playoffs on January 17, 2026, advancing to the NFC championship game. ESPN reported that Rashid Shaheed returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown and Kenneth Walker III rushed for three scores in the dominant victory.
49ers-Seahawks Rivalry History
The rivalry between the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks dates back to 1976, with the Seahawks currently leading the all-time series 33-24, according to Wikipedia. The teams have met three times in the playoffs, with Seattle winning two of those matchups. Their most recent postseason game was on January 17, 2026, with the Seahawks winning 41-6.
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