- The NRL has confirmed the four teams that will play in Las Vegas next year
- Football will return to Sin City after a successful trip in March
- The NRL revealed that there will be a nine-hour extravaganza
The NRL has turned its 2025 Las Vegas adventure into a nine-hour extravaganza, with its season-opening doubleheader, women’s trial match and Super League fixture all taking place on the same day.
League chiefs on Tuesday confirmed the game’s worst-kept secret: Penrith, Cronulla, Canberra and the Warriors will all be heading to Las Vegas next year.
The matches will be two of four to be played at Allegiant Stadium on March 1, with Wigan and Warrington kicking off the event in a Super League regular season encounter.
As revealed by AAP last week, Australia’s women will also face England in an international Test match on the same day at the same venue.
Initially, the idea was to play four matches during a weekend-long rugby league festival in the United States.
But officials opted for a full-day event, with the Super League match kicking off at 1:30 p.m. local time.
This means the action will kick off at 8.30am in Australia, before the final NRL match between Penrith and Cronulla finishes at 5.30pm.
“This is the sequel. We’re going to make sure this sequel is bigger and better,” NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo said.
The four teams that will play in Las Vegas next year have been confirmed
‘We have four games, not two.
‘The opportunity to showcase rugby league in Las Vegas, the sports and entertainment capital of the United States, in that stadium, is unique.
“And the exciting thing is that we’re offering four new clubs, and ultimately their fan base and clubs, the opportunity to experience what we all experienced in 2024.”
The addition of a women’s match is the most notable change, after officials had also considered whether to play an NRLW match or a women’s State of Origin match.
The women’s game is seen as the biggest growth area for rugby league in the US, although there are no fully professional sports like the NFL or rugby in North America.
Officials also believe it could open up a talent pipeline for NRLW clubs once American athletes get a taste of the women’s game.
“I don’t think they’ve seen a women’s sport played with the level of speed, endurance, skill and intensity of rugby league played by our players,” Abdo said.
‘There is an opportunity to gain new fans, and there is also an opportunity to offer an engaging event for existing fans.
“It’s too good to pass up and we’re excited about this match.”