The NFL is bringing regular-season football back to Mexico City this season, and the Las Vegas Raiders could be the opponent for the San Francisco 49ers at the newly renovated Azteca Stadium. The league announced Wednesday that the 49ers will play a home game in Mexico, though the date and opponent have not been finalized.
The Raiders are scheduled to face the 49ers this season and are expecting to play an international game, making them a natural candidate for the matchup. The two teams share a history as former Bay Area rivals before the Raiders moved to Las Vegas.
Azteca Stadium, recently renamed Banorte, has been closed since May 2024 for renovations ahead of the 2026 World Cup. It will reopen in March with a soccer match between Mexico and Portugal. The game is the first of a three-year contract between the NFL and Mexico.
“We are delighted to bring regular-season NFL games back to Mexico City, reaffirming our deep and long-standing connection with fans across the country,” said Arturo Olivé, director general of NFL Mexico.
The 49ers last played in Mexico City in 2022, defeating the Arizona Cardinals 38-10 at Estadio Azteca. The NFL has hosted six regular-season games in Mexico since 2005, when the 49ers faced the Cardinals in the league’s first international regular-season game.
“We are thrilled to return to Mexico and to play in front of one of the most passionate fan bases in the league,” said 49ers CEO Al Guido. “After two unforgettable experiences in 2005 and 2022, we are excited to reunite with the Mexico faithful.”
According to the NFL’s Mexico office, the 49ers are among the most popular teams in the country, along with the Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers, and New England Patriots. Mexico has an estimated 40 million NFL fans, the largest fan base outside the United States. The 49ers are one of 10 teams with marketing rights in Mexico through the league’s Global Markets Program.
The Mexico City game will be the second international contest for the 49ers this season; they are also scheduled to play the first regular-season game in Australia.
