Week 5
San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks
October 11, 2026
Lumen Field
NFC West Rivalry
49ers–Seahawks
Harbaugh-Carroll NFC West war
The 49ers and Seahawks have been NFC West rivals since Seattle joined the division in 2002, but the rivalry exploded in the early 2010s. Their peak years produced some of the most intense games of that decade.
The Rivalry
San Francisco and Seattle first played in 1976 and met only sporadically until 2002, when realignment placed the Seahawks in the NFC West. The rivalry caught fire when Pete Carroll took over Seattle in 2010 and Jim Harbaugh joined San Francisco in 2011. Both staffs built around young, mobile quarterbacks — Russell Wilson in Seattle and Colin Kaepernick in San Francisco — and turned the teams into consistent playoff contenders. From 2010 through 2014, one of the two clubs won the NFC West every season. The games grew physical, emotional, and headline-driven, none more so than the 2013 NFC Championship.
What's at Stake
Twice-yearly divisional meetings keep the NFC West race and playoff seeding in play whenever these teams face off. The matchup separates the Bay Area from the Pacific Northwest. Both franchises have reached Super Bowls in the modern era, and they have met multiple times in the postseason.
Famous Moments
- 2013 — Seattle won the NFC Championship Game 23-17, sealed by Richard Sherman's tipped pass and game-ending interception.
- 2014 — The Seahawks beat the 49ers on their way to a second straight conference title run.
- 2022 — San Francisco won a Wild Card game 41-23 over Seattle.
- 2025 — Seattle routed the 49ers 41-6 in the Divisional Round.
The 49ers–Seahawks Games in 2026
The Two Teams
NFC West
San Francisco 49ers
· Santa Clara
Five-time Super Bowl champions, the 49ers built a 1980s-90s dynasty around Joe Montana, Jerry Rice and Steve Young.
NFC West
Seattle Seahawks
Lumen Field · Seattle
Founded in 1976, the Seahawks won Super Bowl XLVIII and are famed for their "12th Man" crowd-noise tradition.
Plan the Trip
This rivalry packs two of the NFC's best atmospheres. Seattle plays at Lumen Field, an open-air stadium renowned for crowd noise and a passionate "12s" fan base, while San Francisco hosts at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, in Silicon Valley south of the city. About 800 miles apart, the two are an easy flight, and a winter divisional game in Seattle belongs on any bucket list.
Frequently Asked Questions: 49ers–Seahawks
The two teams first met in 1976. The 49ers and Seahawks have been NFC West rivals since Seattle joined the division in 2002, but the rivalry exploded in the early 2010s. Their peak years produced some of the most intense games of that decade.
Twice-yearly divisional meetings keep the NFC West race and playoff seeding in play whenever these teams face off. The matchup separates the Bay Area from the Pacific Northwest. Both franchises have reached Super Bowls in the modern era, and they have met multiple times in the postseason.
Yes — they meet 2 times in the 2026 NFL season. The game pages, each with a fan-travel guide, are linked on this page.
San Francisco 49ers host at their home stadium in Santa Clara; Seattle Seahawks play at Lumen Field in Seattle.
