The Los Angeles Rams are preparing to open the 2026 season more than 7,900 miles from home. Sean McVay apparently does not intend to turn the trip into an extended stay.
Los Angeles is expected to take an aggressive approach to its travel schedule ahead of the Sept. 10 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia, per a July 30 report from The Daily Telegraph.
Rather than arriving roughly a week early to adjust to the time change, the Rams are preparing to follow a similar blueprint to the one they used for their 2025 trip to London.
San Francisco is taking a different route.
The 49ers are planning to arrive in Melbourne as much as a week before the game, according to the report, creating a clear contrast between two NFC West rivals before either team takes a snap.
For McVay, there is at least recent evidence behind the gamble.
Rams Had Success With Similar London Travel Plan
GettyLONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 19: A general view outside the stadium as fans arrive prior to the NFL 2025 game between Los Angeles Rams and Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium on October 19, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
The Rams raised eyebrows last October when they waited until the day before their game against the Jacksonville Jaguars to arrive in London.
Los Angeles landed Saturday morning, roughly 30 hours before kickoff at Wembley Stadium. The Jaguars, meanwhile, had arrived Tuesday and were given several days to settle into the time change, according to the Associated Press.
It ended up being one of the Rams’ most convincing performances of the season.
Los Angeles jumped out to a 21-0 halftime lead and cruised to a 35-7 victory.
Matthew Stafford threw five touchdown passes, setting a record for an NFL international game, while the Rams improved to 5-2.
The result gave McVay a successful test case for keeping his team closer to its normal routine.
Instead of spending most of the week overseas, the Rams practiced in Baltimore following their Week 6 win over the Ravens and made the final leg of the trip shortly before the game.
Australia presents a more sizeable challenge.
Melbourne is considerably farther from Los Angeles than London, and the time change forces both teams to account for a significant disruption to their normal sleep schedules.
McVay still appears willing to lean on a formula that already worked once.
Rams, 49ers Taking Opposite Approaches Before Week 1
The fact that the travel comes in Week 1 makes the approach more notable.
The Rams and 49ers will play the NFL’s first regular-season game in Melbourne at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The game is scheduled for 10:35 a.m. local time Friday, Sept. 11, which translates to Thursday night in the United States.
That means the Rams will begin a season with Super Bowl expectations by experimenting with a travel strategy in a divisional matchup.
San Francisco’s plan offers the more conventional route.
Arriving early would give the 49ers additional time for their bodies to adjust before kickoff.
Los Angeles is betting that maintaining its normal rhythm for as long as possible will be more valuable.
Both teams received extra recovery time on the back end of the trip.
The 49ers return home to play the Miami Dolphins on Sept. 20, while the Rams do not play again until hosting the New York Giants on Monday night, Sept. 21.
The schedule should limit some of the concern about the return flight. But it doesn’t reduce the importance of getting the initial plan right.
Los Angeles went 1-1 against San Francisco during the 2025 regular season before finishing one win short of the Super Bowl.
With the NFC West again expected to be competitive, giving away ground in Week 1 could matter months later.
McVay has rarely been afraid to adjust his team’s routine when he believes there is an edge to find.
His London experiment produced a dominant win.
Now the Rams are preparing to test the idea on a much bigger stage.
Rams’ Sean McVay Makes Bold Travel Decision for 49ers Australia Opener