The NRL has locked in its most ambitious Las Vegas venture yet, confirming that six teams (four from Australia and two from the UK Super League) will headline the 2026 season opener at Allegiant Stadium.

Scheduled for Saturday, February 28 (Sunday, March 1 AEDT), the expanded showcase aims to cement rugby league's foothold on American soil with blockbuster clashes and unprecedented fan access.

The four NRL clubs making the journey are the Bulldogs, Dragons, Knights and Cowboys, while the UK will be represented by Hull KR and Leeds Rhinos in a standalone Super League fixture.

The three-game schedule will see the Bulldogs face the Dragons, the Knights meet the Cowboys and Hull KR take on Leeds in a day-long rugby league festival under the roof of the state-of-the-art Allegiant Stadium.

The NRL has also partnered with major tourism and broadcast stakeholders to launch its most competitive travel packages yet.

Charter flights have been tailored to club allegiances, with Sydney-based fans able to book return fares from $2,800, while charters out of Newcastle and Townsville begin at $2,990.

Each flight will carry bespoke themes to bring a uniquely club-centric atmosphere to the trans-Pacific journey.

NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said the 2026 event was about turning an already bold idea into a global sporting spectacle.

โ€œLas Vegas has become a bucket list item for not only NRL and Super League fans but for fans of world-class sport and entertainment,โ€ he said.

โ€œWe've worked with our partners to create affordable travel packages for fans who want to take advantage of a once-in-a-lifetime trip with family and friends.โ€

The 2024 edition of the Vegas experiment proved the concept had legs.

The inclusion of more teams, a transatlantic dimension and early access to tickets and packages represents a significant ramp-up in ambition from Moore Park HQ.

Kick-off times and broadcast details will be released in the coming months.

2 COMMENTS

  2. Why not eight ?

    Well that’s three matches of NRL and one of Super League (or maybe two and two).
    Either way. that’s too much for one day.
    Magic round has only three matches on any day.

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