The 49ers won 12 games last year despite massive injuries to key players like quarterback Brock Purdy, defensive end Nick Bosa, and linebacker Fred Warner.
All three are on target to return this year, and if they and the 49ers can stay relatively healthy, it’s setting up for a big season in the Bay Area.
The NFL agrees, with the 49ers being featured five times in prime time during the 2026 season, including matchups against the Rams in Australia to kick the season off, and games against the Commanders on Monday Night Football, the Vikings on Sunday Night Football in Mexico City, a Thursday night matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers, and a Sunday night home game against the Eagles in Week 17.
It’s a difficult but manageable schedule for a team with Super Bowl aspirations.
Here is a deeper look:
The 49ers’ annual regular-season trips to Los Angeles over the years have had a strong home-field feel, simply because so many of their fans invade SoFi Stadium. It remains to be seen what the crowd will look like in Australia, but between the travel and the opponent and the importance of the outcome, this is as tough as it gets for the 49ers.
The last time the 49ers played at Lumen Field, they simply ran out of gas in a 41-6 loss in the divisional round of the playoffs. It was a wounded, taxed team against a club just starting its Super Bowl run. The return trip will not be any easier, but the 49ers are hoping to be in much better physical shape.
You could go in all sorts of directions here, even staying right in the NFC West, but the Eagles are always a formidable opponent. Plus, their season ended last season in a playoff loss to the 49ers. They have long memories in Philly, so you add revenge to the list of why this will be a handful for the 49ers. Plus, there are all sorts of playoff implications this time of the year.
The Cardinals are shaping up as the patsies in the otherwise brutal NFC West. That is bad news for them, because the 49ers, Rams, and Seahawks will be licking their chops knowing one big punch could set up an easy day at the office. The 49ers should make quick work of the Cardinals before turning their attention to bigger fish to fry.
If the 49ers can take care of business against the Rams in Week 1, they have an excellent chance to start the season 2-0 by returning home in Week 2 against the Dolphins. Yes, the 49ers will be making the long trip to and from Australia, but they will have an extended break before the home opener against Miami, a team very much in rebuild mode. The Dolphins open the season against the Raiders in Las Vegas, so there is a decent chance they stay on the West Coast the week before they visit the Bay Area. The 49ers should easily win this game, though.
Yes, it could be a weather game in early December in East Rutherford. But with the Giants in year one of the John Harbaugh era, and young quarterback Jaxson Dart still transitioning to the NFL, this sets up as a fairly easy game for the 49ers, who will be looking to start their late-season playoff push.
Assuming they are healthy, this should be a fun trip to New York.
It doesn’t get much better than getting a break near the halfway point of the season, so consider the 49ers fortunate that the bye week arrives in Week 8. It comes right after their trip to Atlanta, and gives them a prolonged period to get ready for the Raiders, who visit the Bay Area in Week 9. It’s also a nice break before making their second international trip to play the Vikings in Mexico City in Week 11. As good fortune goes, it worked out well for San Francisco.
The last seven weeks will tell the tale of the 49ers’ season, assuming they successfully manage the first 10 games of the season and position themselves for a push for the division title and the top seed in the playoffs.
But they have to take care of business down the stretch, specifically in marquee matchups against the Vikings, at home against the Seahawks and Rams, and on the road against the Chargers and Chiefs. It will help if they can create a cushion for themselves so they are not in a position to have to sweep those games.
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