The San Francisco 49ers made history with a commanding victory over the Los Angeles Rams, defeating their NFC West rivals 27-7 in the first-ever NFL regular-season game played in Australia.
In front of a huge crowd of 100,021 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Brock Purdy delivered an outstanding performance, throwing three touchdown passes as San Francisco opened its 2026 campaign in style.
Purdy Leads San Francisco to Victory
Purdy completed 25 of 34 passes for 205 yards and three touchdowns, connecting with Demarcus Robinson, Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel for scores.
After a relatively slow start, the 49ers began to take control late in the second quarter. Purdy found Robinson for a 39-yard touchdown, giving San Francisco a 10-7 lead before halftime.
The 49ers then pulled away after the break. Evans caught a short touchdown pass in the third quarter before Purdy connected with Samuel for another score early in the fourth.
Rams Struggle Under the Melbourne Lights
The Rams struggled to generate consistent offensive momentum throughout the contest.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford finished with 155 passing yards, one interception and no touchdown passes as San Francisco’s defense repeatedly disrupted Los Angeles’ attack.
The Rams did manage to score through Kyren Williams, who produced the first NFL touchdown in Australia with a five-yard rushing score in the second quarter.
But the 49ers defense tightened up after that, including a crucial goal-line stand that prevented Los Angeles from adding another touchdown.
