More than 100,000 watch 49ers shock Rams in Melbourne — SkimNews
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- San Francisco 49ers beat the Los Angeles Rams 27-7 at Melbourne Cricket Ground before more than 100,000 spectators in the NFL's first-ever Asia-Pacific game.
- The match opened the league's record nine international games in 2026 and marked the longest road trip in NFL history.
- The 49ers arrived in Melbourne a week before kickoff, while the Rams spent just over 24 hours in Australia — a preparation gap 49ers receiver Deebo Samuel mocked, saying, "you can't fly 16 hours and be ready to play."
- Brock Purdy went 25-of-34 for 205 yards and three touchdown passes to lead San Francisco's offense, with Demarcus Robinson, Mike Evans, and Samuel all scoring after a Kyren Williams rushing touchdown had given the Rams an early four-point lead.
- Rams head coach Sean McVay refused to blame the travel: "I make no excuses... We just weren't good enough. I didn't coach good enough, and we'll look at it and we'll move forward."
- The Rams had entered as Super Bowl favorites after acquiring defensive end Myles Garrett and luring Aaron Donald out of retirement.
Why it matters: The Rams entered as Super Bowl favorites after loading up on Myles Garrett and Aaron Donald, so a 27-7 loss to a team that flew in a week early undercuts the early return on those acquisitions. For the NFL, drawing 100,000+ to the MCG after a 16-hour flight validates a record nine international games in 2026 and establishes Australia as a viable Asia-Pacific market.
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