The San Francisco 49ers, commonly known as the Niners, are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West division. The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) and joined the NFL in 1950 after the AAFC merged with the NFL. The Niners have been one of the most successful teams in NFL history, winning a record five Super Bowl championships, 16 NFC championships, and 24 playoff appearances.