The NFL announced the Rams' 17-game schedule on Thursday, and Los Angeles will open the season far from home, against the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia, on Sept. 10. The opener falls on Thursday night in the United States and the morning of Sept. 11 in Melbourne, a start that sends the Rams more than 8,000 air miles from SoFi Stadium before the season is a week old.
That trip is only the first marker on a schedule built for a team expected to matter deep into January. The Rams received the maximum six prime-time appearances, up from four last season, and they will be on Sunday Night Football against the Denver Broncos, Monday Night Football against the New York Giants and the Buffalo Bills, Thanksgiving eve against the Green Bay Packers and Thursday Night Football against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Last season, the Rams finished 12-5, advanced to the NFC championship game and lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. This year’s slate reflects that standing. The club is being treated like a contender again, with Matthew Stafford coming in as the reigning NFL most valuable player and Trent McDuffie added as an All-Pro cornerback, while the front office also used the No. 13 overall pick on Ty Simpson. Makai Lemon was selected by the Eagles.
The rest of the Rams schedule 2026 follows the league’s rotated format. Los Angeles will play six division games in the NFC West and matchups against teams from the NFC East and AFC West, along with games against clubs from the NFC North, NFC South and AFC East. The schedule also includes a preseason road game against the Chiefs, plus home dates at SoFi Stadium against the New Orleans Saints and the Chargers.
The Seattle meetings shape the back end of the season. The first Rams game against the Seahawks comes in Week 16 on Christmas night in Seattle, and the teams meet again in the regular-season finale at SoFi Stadium on a date still to be determined. That pairing could matter more than any prime-time showcase, because the Rams are not just playing a schedule — they are trying to finish one in Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium.
