It was clear from the final 2025 NFL standings that the Los Angeles Rams are competing in the toughest NFL division by a mile. And the projections for 2026 indicate that the competition will be just as heated, as some oddsmakers project three NFC West Division teams at 10.5 wins or better.
That sets the stage for a showdown that everybody anticipates as a clash of NFL superpowers to open the 2026 NFL season. And that game will be hosted halfway around the globe, in Melbourne, Australia.
The San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams are slated to debut as the first NFL football game to be played in Australia.