The San Francisco 49ers will have some tough games to play this year, including two international contests, one in Australia and one in Mexico City.
Apart from those two games, San Francisco’s schedule isn’t that difficult, but with the Australia game against the Los Angeles Rams opening their 2026 season, the start may be a bit more challenging.
However, ESPN’s Nick Wagoner recently predicted that the 49ers will start the year on a win streak.
“Despite the long Australia trip, the 49ers will open the season 3-0,” Wagoner wrote. “Beating the Rams anywhere is a tall task, and the disparate travel plans between the teams — the Niners will spend about a week in Melbourne while the Rams will be in and out — will provide an interesting test case for jet lag recovery and time zone acclimation. But San Francisco almost always finds a way to be competitive with the Rams. and if it can get a win there, the Niners will have manageable home games against the rebuilding Dolphins and Cardinals to soften the blow when they return to the United States.”
After those games, San Francisco could win a fourth in a row, with a home game against the Denver Broncos, but a Week 5 showdown with the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks on the road could be the end of the winning streak.
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This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: ESPN insider makes bold prediction for start to 49ers season
Reporting by Mike Masala, Niners Wire / Niners Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
