49ers Host Vikings in Mexico City on Nov. 22 as NFL Starts 3-Year Mexico Return
Updated
Updated · 49ers.com · May 13
49ers Host Vikings in Mexico City on Nov. 22 as NFL Starts 3-Year Mexico Return
9 articles · Updated · 49ers.com · May 13
Week 11 on Nov. 22 will send San Francisco and Minnesota to Estadio Banorte for a Sunday Night Football game, marking the 49ers' first Mexico City appearance since 2022.
The matchup is part of the NFL's new three-year commitment to stage regular-season games in Mexico, where the league says it has its largest fanbase outside the United States.
San Francisco is one of the NFL's most familiar Mexico participants, having beaten Arizona 38-10 at Estadio Azteca in 2022 after also playing in the league's first international regular-season game there in 2005.
The NFL has held six regular-season games in Mexico City over the past 21 years, and the 2026 return fits a broader push that includes year-round fan programs, flag football development and community outreach.
As the NFL expands to four continents, is it building a truly global sport or just exporting an American spectacle?
Will the 49ers' historic two-continent travel schedule in 2026 be a competitive advantage or a season-ending handicap?
Why were rivals like the Raiders barred, and what does this opponent choice reveal about the NFL's global marketing strategy?