The NFL revealed its complete 256-game 2020 regular-season schedule on Thursday at 5:00 p.m. PT. The San Francisco 49ers will kick off the season against the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium. The team is currently scheduled to participate in five prime-time matchups this year.
The 49ers will face six playoff teams in seven matchups during the upcoming season—the Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, and twice against the Seattle Seahawks. Four of those seven matchups will be at Levi's Stadium, assuming the full 17-week schedule is played and the 49ers are allowed to host games in Santa Clara.
San Francisco's opponents combined for a 134-120-2 record last season. The .528 winning percentage by opponents makes the 49ers' schedule the fourth-toughest in the NFL, based on last year's results, and the most difficult in the NFC. Only the Patriots, Jets, and Dolphins are scheduled to face opponents with a higher combined winning percentage.
The schedule could be delayed or even shortened, with earlier games being eliminated, due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. For now, the NFL is planning for a full slate of games until it has more information.
The 49ers' Week 16 game will either take place on Saturday, December 26, or Sunday, December 27. The NFL will announce the date and time for that specific game no later than the week following the Week 8 contests.
Below is the complete 2020 49ers schedule, which you can also find on our official schedule page.
Regular Season
Week | Date | Time | Opponent | TV |
1 | Sun, Sep 13 | 1:25 pm | Cardinals | FOX |
2 | Sun, Sep 20 | 10:00 am | at Jets | FOX |
3 | Sun, Sep 27 | 10:00 am | at Giants | FOX |
4 | Sun, Oct 4 | 5:20 pm | Eagles | NBC |
5 | Sun, Oct 11 | 1:05 pm | Dolphins | FOX |
6 | Sun, Oct 18 | 5:20 pm | Rams | NBC |
7 | Sun, Oct 25 | 1:25 pm | at Patriots | CBS |
8 | Sun, Nov 1 | 1:25 pm | at Seahawks | FOX |
9 | Thu, Nov 5 | 5:20 pm | Packers | NFLN |
10 | Sun, Nov 15 | 1:25 pm | at Saints | FOX |
11 | BYE | |||
12 | Sun, Nov 29 | 1:05 pm | at Rams | FOX |
13 | Mon, Dec 7 | 5:15 pm | Bills | ESPN |
14 | Sun, Dec 13 | 1:25 pm | Redskins | FOX |
15 | Sun, Dec 20 | 5:20 pm | at Cowboys | NBC |
16 | TBA | TBA | at Cardinals | TBA |
17 | Sun, Jan 3 | 1:25 pm | Seahawks | FOX |
* All times Pacific
Notes: "Flexible scheduling" will be used in Weeks 11-17. Additionally, in Weeks 5-10, flexible scheduling may be used in no more than two weeks. In Weeks 5-16, the schedule lists the games tentatively set for Sunday Night Football on NBC. Only Sunday afternoon games are eligible to be moved to Sunday night, in which case the tentatively scheduled Sunday night game would be moved to an afternoon start time.
Preseason
Week | Date | Time | Opponent | TV |
1 | Aug 13-17 | TBA | at Broncos | TBA |
2 | Aug 20-24 | TBA | Raiders | TBA |
3 | Aug 27-30 | TBA | at Bears | TBA |
4 | Sep 3-4 | TBA | Chargers | TBA |
Complete 2020 San Francisco #49ers Schedule (all times Pacific) https://t.co/jnqo1KwWjY pic.twitter.com/tkQdEmFUCD
— 49ers Webzone (@49erswebzone) May 8, 2020
Below are some week-by-week notes provided by the 49ers Communications department.
A Closer Look at the 2020 Schedule…
- The 49ers are scheduled to have just two games start at 10:00 a.m. PT, with no such games coming after Week 3. This marks the fewest 10:00 a.m. PT scheduled games in a single season for San Francisco since 2014 (two games).
- The Niners open the regular season at home for the first time since 2017.
- San Francisco opens the regular season against the Arizona Cardinals, marking the first time since 2016 the team opens against an NFC West opponent.
- The 49ers open and close the regular season at home (Week 1 vs. Arizona & Week 17 vs. Seattle) for the first time since 2016.
- The 49ers face six teams in 2020 that reached the postseason in 2019 (Buffalo, Green Bay, Philadelphia, New England, New Orleans and Seattle).
- San Francisco has five scheduled games on prime time in 2020 (Week 4 vs. Philadelphia, Week 6 vs. Los Angeles Rams & Week 15 at Dallas on SNF), (Week 13 vs. Buffalo on MNF) and (Week 9 vs. Green Bay on TNF). The team went 5-1 in prime-time games last season.
- The Niners are scheduled to host two of the team's three games on Sunday Night Football, which would be the most by the team since hosting two games on SNF in 2001 [W, 24-14 vs. Car. (10/7/01) & W, 35-0 vs. Buf. (12/2/01)]. The 49ers are 11-6 all-time at home on SNF.
- The Buffalo Bills (Week 13) and Miami Dolphins (Week 5) will be making their first visits to Levi's Stadium.
- San Francisco is taking on the New York Giants and Jets in consecutive weeks for the second time in team history (Weeks 13-14 of 1986) and the first time doing so on the road in back-to-back weeks.
Week 1 – Sunday, September 13 vs. Arizona – 1:25 p.m. PT on FOX
- The 49ers are 18-12 at home against the Cardinals and have won seven out of their last 11 home games vs. Arizona.
- San Francisco opens the season at home against the Cardinals for the first time since 2008.
Week 2 – Sunday, September 20 at New York Jets – 10:00 a.m. PT on FOX
- The 49ers are 10-3 overall against the Jets, including a 6-1 record on the road.
- San Francisco travels to MetLife Stadium to take on the Jets for the first time since defeating the Jets, 34-0, in 2012.
- The Niners have won two of the last three meetings between the two teams.
Week 3 – Sunday, September 27 at New York Giants – 10:00 a.m. PT on FOX
- The 49ers are 20-21 overall against the Giants, including an 8-11 record on the road.
- San Francisco travels to MetLife Stadium to take on the Giants for the first time since 2015. The two teams have split each of the past two contests played at MetLife, with the last 49ers win coming in a 16-10 victory in 2014.
- The 49ers and Giants have alternated wins in each of the previous five matchups.
Week 4 – Sunday, October 4 vs. Philadelphia – 5:20 p.m. PT on NBC
- San Francisco owns the overall series record vs. Philadelphia, 19-13-1, and is 9-8 at home.
- The Niners are hosting the Eagles on Sunday Night Football for the second time and the first since 2010.
- The 49ers have won two of the last three overall meetings against the Eagles.
- San Francisco hosts Philadelphia at Levi's Stadium for the second time, having defeated the Eagles, 26-21, on September 28, 2014.
Week 5 – Sunday, October 11 vs. Miami – 1:05 p.m. PT on FOX
- The 49ers are 6-7 in the overall series against the Dolphins.
- The Dolphins are making their first trip to Levi's Stadium. San Francisco is hosting Miami for the first time since December 9, 2012, when they defeated the Dolphins, 27-13.
Week 6 – Sunday, October 18 vs. Los Angeles Rams – 5:20 p.m. PT on NBC
- San Francisco leads the all-time series against the Rams, 71-67-3.
- The Niners are scheduled to host the Rams in prime time for the second-consecutive season, having defeated the Rams at Levi's Stadium, 34-31, on Saturday Night Football in Week 16 of 2019.
- The two teams are set to meet on Sunday Night Football for the first time since 2004.
- San Francisco is 6-3-1 in their last 10 meetings at home against the Rams, with the Niners holding a 35-34-2 series record at home against the Rams.
Week 7 – Sunday, October 25 at New England – 1:25 p.m. PT on CBS
- San Francisco owns the overall series record vs. New England, 8-5, including a 4-3 record versus the Patriots on the road.
- The 49ers will travel to New England for the first time since 2012, when they defeated the Patriots, 41-34, on NBC's Sunday Night Football.
Week 8 – Sunday, November 1 at Seattle – 1:25 p.m. PT on FOX
- The 49ers are 8-15 overall on the road at Seattle.
- In 2019, San Francisco earned their first victory at Seattle since 2011 as they clinched the NFC West after defeating the Seahawks, 26-21, on NBC's Sunday Night Football.
Week 9 – Thursday, November 5 vs. Green Bay – 5:20 p.m. PT on FOX/NFLN Amazon
- The 49ers face the Packers for the first time on Thursday Night Football. San Francisco has won each of their past two TNF games.
- San Francisco is 32-36-1 in the all-time series vs. Green Bay and 20-12-1 at home.
- The Niners have won six out of the last eight overall games against the Packers.
- The 49ers and Packers squared off twice at Levi's Stadium in 2019, in the regular season on NBC's Sunday Night Football, when the 49ers posted a 37-8 victory, and in the NFC Championship Game, with the Niners earning a trip to Super Bowl LIV after a 37-20 victory over the Packers.
- San Francisco takes on Green Bay in three-consecutive regular seasons for the first time since 1998-2000.
Week 10 – Sunday, November 15 at New Orleans – 1:25 p.m. PT on FOX
- San Francisco is 49-26-2 all-time vs. New Orleans and 26-14 on the road.
- The Niners have won three of the past four meetings against the Saints at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, including a thrilling 48-46 victory in 2019.
- This marks the first time the 49ers and Saints face off in consecutive regular seasons since 2013-14.
Week 11 – Sunday, November 22 – BYE
- This marks the third time in four seasons that the 49ers have had their BYE in Week 11.
Week 12 – Sunday, November 29 at Los Angeles Rams – 1:05 p.m. PT on FOX
- The 49ers have won three of their four matchups at the Rams since their return to Los Angeles in 2016.
- San Francisco makes their debut in Los Angeles' SoFi Stadium, which opens in 2020.
Week 13 – Monday, December 7 vs. Buffalo – 5:15 p.m. PT on ESPN
- San Francisco is 6-6 vs. Buffalo, including a 4-3 record at home. The Niners have won three of the past five meetings.
- The 49ers are facing the Bills on Monday Night Football for the first time, as San Francisco holds a 49-28 overall record on MNF. The Niners 49 victories on MNF are the most by any NFL franchise.
- The Bills are making their first trip to Levi's Stadium, with San Francisco hosting Buffalo for the first time since October 7, 2012, when they defeated the Bills, 45-3.
Week 14 – Sunday, December 13 vs. Washington – 1:25 p.m. PT on FOX
- The Niners lead the overall series vs. Washington, 21-11-1.
- The 49ers have won five of the previous six matchups against Washington, including a 9-0 victory in 2019 at FedExField.
- San Francisco hosts Washington at Levi's Stadium for the second time, having defeated the Redskins, 17-13, on November 23, 2014.
Week 15 – Sunday, December 20 at Dallas – 5:20 p.m. PT on NBC
- San Francisco has an all-time record of 17-18-1 against Dallas and are 8-8-1 overall on the road against the Cowboys.
- The 49ers face the Cowboys in prime time for the first time since the two teams squared off on Sunday Night Football in 1990 (W, 24-6 at Dal.).
- This marks the 49ers first trip to AT&T Stadium since opening the 2014 season with a 28-17 victory at Dallas on September 7, 2014.
Week 16 – Saturday or Sunday, December 26 or 27 at Arizona
- San Francisco owns the overall series record vs. Arizona, 31-26.
- Last season, the two teams squared off on Thursday Night Footballfor the second time in four years, with San Francisco defeating Arizona on the road, 28-25.
- In 2019, the 49ers defeated the Los Angeles Rams at home on Saturday Night Football, 34-31.
Week 17 – Sunday, January 3 vs. Seattle – 1:25 p.m. PT on FOX
- San Francisco is 17-26 in the all-time series vs. Seattle and 9-11 at home.
- Each of the 49ers last two home games against the Seahawks have gone to overtime, with the team's splitting the contests.
- The 49ers and Seahawks finish the season against each other for the second-consecutive season.