Rugby League Las Vegas Explained

Rugby League Las Vegas
Status:Active
Genre:Rugby league
Frequency:Annually
Venue:Allegiant Stadium
Location:Paradise, Nevada
Country: United States
Founders:-->
Participants: National Rugby League and
Super League
Attendance:40,746 (2024)
Capacity:65,000
Organised: National Rugby League
Or Sponsors:-->

Rugby League Las Vegas is an annual event held at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas showcasing the sport of rugby league. The event was started in 2024 by Australia's National Rugby League (NRL) before being joined by Super League clubs from the United Kingdom in 2025.

The event was created by the NRL to expand the audience of the competition and develop rugby league in the United States. The event is contracted until 2028.[1] [2] The later joining of Super League clubs was arranged on a club level with the NRL, and not organising by Super League or the Rugby Football League.[3]

History

In August 2023, the National Rugby League (NRL) announced that two games in the opening round of the 2024 NRL season would be held in Las Vegas. The Brisbane Broncos, Manly Warringah Sea Eagles, South Sydney Rabbitohs, and Sydney Roosters were selected to play in the event,[4] [5] with the remainder of round one being confirmed at a later date.[6] The two matches took place on March 2, 2024, and marked the first NRL regular season games held outside Australia and New Zealand.[7] The 2024 event saw Manly Warringah beat South Sydney[8] and Sydney beat Brisbane[9] in front of an audience of over 40,000, the largest attendance of any rugby league event at the time held in the United States.[10] Both games were aired on Fox Sports in the United States.[11] While stadium attendance was deemed a success, TV viewing fixtures were low in the United States at only 61,000, though it was 16,000 higher than the last NRL programme to be aired in the state. Viewing figures in Australia surpassed 1.6 million across both games.[12] The day prior to the event, a Colonial Cup match between the national men's teams of the United States and Canada was held.[13] The game ended 16–16.[14]

In July 2024, the NRL announced that the 2025 event would feature the Canberra Raiders, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, New Zealand Warriors, and Penrith Panthers.[15] [16] [17] In addition, the 2025 event will also feature an opening round match of the United Kingdom's Super League with Wigan Warriors facing local rivals Warrington Wolves. Like the NRL in 2024, this game marks the first regular season Super League game to be held in the United States.[18] [19] Further, the event would also showcase an ashes test match between the Australia and England women's national sides,[20] which will be the first of three women's test matches of the 2025 Lions and Lionesses tour of Australia.[21] Super League's involvement in the event came after a speculative email was sent to the organizers by Wigan's CEO Kris Radlinski after he watched the 2024 event on TV.[22] [23] Both United States men's and women's national teams will face Greece the day before the 2025 event.[24]

Results

Main Event

The following is a list of results of teams who have played at the main event, held the Allegiant Stadium in Paradise.

GameCompetitionDateTimeTeam 1ScoreTeam 2AttendanceReport
2024Game 12024 NRL season2 March 202419:30 PST Manly Warringah Sea Eagles36–24 South Sydney Rabbitohs40,746[25]
Game 22024 NRL season21:30 PST Sydney Roosters20–10 Brisbane Broncos[26]
2025Game 12025 Super League season1 March 202513:30 PST Wigan Warriors Warrington WolvesTBA
Game 22025 NRL season16:00 PST Canberra Raiders New Zealand Warriors
Game 3Women's International18:00 PST Australia Jillaroos England Lionesses
Game 42025 NRL season20:30 PST Penrith Panthers Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks

Development Matches

A number of development games are held during the weekend to aid the growth of the United States national rugby league teams.

GameCompetitionDateTimeTeam 1ScoreTeam 2VenueAttendanceReport
2024Game 1Men's International1 March 202419:00 PT United States Men16–16 Canada MenEd W. Clark High School, Las VegasUnknown
2025Game 1Women's International28 February 2025TBA United States Women Greece WomenTBA, Las VegasTBA
Game 2Men's InternationalTBA United States Men Greece MenTBA

Statistics

Games by Competition

CompetitionGamesYears
National Rugby League42024 (2), 2025 (2)
Super League12025
Women's Ashes12025

Team Appearances

TeamApps.Years
Brisbane Broncos12024
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles2024
South Sydney Rabbitohs2024
Sydney Roosters2024
Australia Jillaroos2025
Canberra Raiders2025
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks2025
England Lionesses2025
New Zealand Warriors2025
Penrith Panthers2025
Warrington Wolves2025
Wigan Warriors2025

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The NRL is going to Vegas ... To play on one of the smallest rugby league fields ever . 28 August 2023 .
  2. Web site: Sea Eagles, Roosters get wins in Australia's National Rugby League season opener in Las Vegas . . 3 March 2024 .
  3. https://inews.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/wigan-warriors-super-league-us-game-3085856?ico=in-line_link
  4. News: NRL announces four clubs to open 2024 season in Las Vegas . The Guardian . 11 August 2023 . Snape . Jack .
  5. Web site: NRL heading to Las Vegas with double-header confirmed to open 2024 season . 11 August 2023 .
  6. Web site: 2024 NRL schedule confirmed, including Las Vegas double-header, State of Origin & Magic Round . 13 November 2023 .
  7. Web site: NRL confirm details for Rugby League Las Vegas 2024 . 24 August 2023 .
  8. Web site: NRL Las Vegas games to air on Fox in the US . 27 November 2023 .
  9. Web site: Manu's magic show headlines Roosters win in Vegas . 3 March 2024 .
  10. News: 'Fast, brutal, brilliant': NRL's Las Vegas gamble comes up trumps . The Guardian . 3 March 2024 . Tedeschi . Nick .
  11. Web site: NRL Las Vegas games to air on Fox in the US . 27 November 2023 .
  12. News: TV ratings for Vegas venture show slow initial take-up for NRL in the US . The Guardian . 5 March 2024 . Snape . Jack .
  13. Web site: NRL's Las Vegas double-header season opener to be preceded by international clash . 6 January 2024 .
  14. Web site: United States 16 v 16 Canada .
  15. Web site: NRL Vegas 2025: Which clubs will play in America next year? | Sporting News Australia .
  16. Web site: Four-game Vegas extravaganza revealed as teams for 2025 NRL opener locked in .
  17. News: NRL turns Las Vegas venture into nine-hour extravaganza with four matches in one day . The Guardian .
  18. https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/news/12196/13175144/super-league-in-las-vegas-wigan-warriors-and-warrington-wolves-set-for-showdown-at-allegiant-stadium-in-2025
  19. Web site: Wigan Warriors to play Warrington Wolves in Las Vegas in 2025 .
  20. Web site: England Women to face Jillaroos in Las Vegas .
  21. https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/martin-offiah-makes-great-britain-admission-as-more-details-of-lions-return-emerge
  22. Web site: The inside story on how Wigan Warriors secured historic Las Vegas deal .
  23. News: Super League in Las Vegas hailed as 'biggest moment' in its 28-year history . The Guardian . Bower . Aaron .
  24. https://europeanrugbyleague.com/articles/2437/hawks-to-face-greece-men-and-women-as-pa...
  25. https://www.nrl.com/news/2024/03/03/dce-and-brooks-turn-on-the-magic-as-manly-salute-in--vegas/ Manly Warringah vs South Sydney
  26. https://www.nrl.com/news/2024/03/03/dce-and-brooks-turn-on-the-magic-as-manly-salute-in--vegas/ Sydney vs Brisbane