- Anthony Albanese reportedly approved $600m funding for a new NRL team
- The NRL’s 19th team is believed to be based in Papua New Guinea.
- But football fans have expressed concerns about the plan.
Football fans fear Anthony Albanese is making a “horrible decision” amid reports the Australian Prime Minister has given the green light to $600 million in funding to launch a new NRL team in Papua New Guinea.
News Corporation reports that the federal government has reached an agreement in principle with the ARL Commission to fund the NRL’s 19th team over a 10-year plan.
Albanese reportedly sees the massive investment as part of his government’s “soft diplomacy” strategy in the Pacific region, in what is arguably the biggest expansion deal in the sport’s history.
The same outlet reports that the Papua New Guinean side will enter the competition in 2028, a year after the Western Bears join the league as the 18th club.
The government will fund the Pacific team until 2037, when they believe the team will be self-funded.
But football fans are far from convinced by the project and expressed their concern that it is doomed to failure on social media on Wednesday evening.
“Horrible decision,” one fan wrote on X. “This won’t work.”
Another said: “Terrible. No fan will want to travel there.”
Football fans have expressed concern over Anthony Albanese’s $600 million proposal for Papua New Guinea
Federal government reportedly willing to fund new NRL team for 10 years
“This will be the worst decision in rugby league history,” predicted a third fan.
“Maybe it’s just me but I’m struggling to understand how this makes sense,” began a fourth. “Yes, Papua New Guinea are league-mad, but how do we expect them to be competitive in the NRL?
“I’ve visited there several times and I wonder how they are going to attract talent; they can’t rely solely on their boys.”
A fifth fan simply wrote: “Dollars before sense.”
However, Albanese has strongly defended the project, describing it as a “game changer”.
“This is a radical change in our relationship with Papua New Guinea,” Albanese told News Corp.
‘The aim would be for any government funding to go towards economic development for schools. It’s not just for the NRL team and paying Alex Johnston (Souths winger) to play for Papua New Guinea.
‘We definitely support the NRL bid and, more importantly, Prime Minister (James) Marape in Papua New Guinea strongly supports an NRL team.
‘To have an NRL team in Papua New Guinea, we would have to put the right road and infrastructure in place.
‘It is an important part of economic development and youth engagement in Papua New Guinea.
Albanese sees the plan as part of Australia’s soft power diplomacy in the Pacific region.
But football fans have shared their concerns about the latest news on social media.
‘It’s not just about sport itself, it’s about building people-to-people relationships and economic development for Papua New Guinea, that’s how the government sees it.
‘I was in Papua New Guinea in January and saw children and adults wearing State of Origin and NRL club sweatshirts.
“The support there is fanatical.”
The $600 million pledged by the government is not just for the new NRL team, but is part of what it describes as a broader social, economic and educational programme to help a nation of 10 million people.
A rugby league “mini-city” complex is expected to be built in Port Moresby, where Australian rules football stars and their families will live.