Watch Rams land in Australia for Melbourne for Week 1 clash with 49ers

The Los Angeles Rams have arrived in Melbourne for their historic Week 1 matchup with the San Francisco 49ers, completing a 15-hour flight as part of an unusual approach to the longest road trip for a regular-season game in NFL history.

After the game, Los Angeles plans to immediately return to California, meaning the team will spend less time on the ground in Melbourne than it will traveling to and from Australia.

The #Rams have landed in Australia after a 15-hour flight, as their plan to fly in, play a football game, and get the heck out with another 15-hour flight home is officially underway: pic.twitter.com/cxHXsdDeAc

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 9, 2026

On the other hand, San Francisco has taken the opposite approach. The 49ers flew nearly 8,000 miles and 16 hours to Melbourne last Wednesday night, arriving Friday morning, more than a week before the season opener.

Rams head coach Sean McVay’s plan is built around maintaining the team’s existing body clock rather than spending more than a week adjusting to Melbourne time. Although the game begins in the morning locally, that start corresponds to a window close to a normal Pacific Time primetime kickoff.

Los Angeles used a similar quick-turnaround strategy before last season’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, winning 35-7. However, the Melbourne journey presents a longer travel challenge. The Rams’ previous London trip involved an approximately seven-hour flight, while the flight to Melbourne is more than twice as long.

Sticking to their usual routine can help the Rams stay within the 4-to-8 p.m. body-clock window linked to better athletic performance and make the eventual return to California easier.

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