The Best NFL Week 1 Game Is in Australia: Ranking the Top 3 Matchups
The NFL released its official schedule for the upcoming season on Thursday, and even though we are still months away from the new campaign kicking off, it’s already time to dissect every aspect of the slate.
As all good stories do, it all begins with the opening chapter: Week 1.
New signings, new head coaches, and a whole lot of optimism in the air, here are my top three games for the first week of the NFL regular season.
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3. Buffalo Bills vs. Houston Texans
Could this be a Week 1 preview of the AFC Championship game next January? The Bills might have the best offense in the conference with the additional help Buffalo got for quarterback Josh Allen, specifically, former Chicago Bears wideout DJ Moore, in the offseason. And on the other end, the Houston Texans have a generational defense that almost made it to the Super Bowl, even with C.J. Stroud turning the ball over every other play.
2. New England Patriots vs. Seattle Seahawks
Well, while the first game might be a preview, this is a sequel.
The Patriots and Seahawks battled in the final game of the previous season and will now open the very next campaign, as Drake May and New England try to gain a shred of redemption in Week 1 in the Super Bowl rematch.
Could A.J. Brown be on the Patriots by this point? One person who will for sure not be back for the sequel is, ironically enough, the reigning Super Bowl MVP, Kenneth Walker III, who is now a part of the Kansas City Chiefs.
1. San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams
Fully healthy, these might be two of the top four teams in the entire league heading into the season. A rivalry that transcends sports in Northern California vs. Southern California will be the second game played of the season, following the Wednesday night clash between the Patriots and Seahawks.
And it’ll be played in Australia.
Melbourne will host the NFC West bout between the 49ers and Rams, which might be better than any game London has ever hosted throughout its two decades of hosting regular-season games.
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This story was originally published May 14, 2026 at 4:15 PM.