The World Club Challenge will return in 2026, with the newly crowned NRL Premiers, Brisbane Broncos, set to face either Hull KR or Wigan Warriors next year.
The trophy has not been contested since 2024, when Wigan beat Penrith Panthers 16-12 at the Brick Community Stadium; however, it is set to return from next season.
Super League sides have held the trophy for the past two years, with St Helens also tasting victory over Penrith in the 2023 edition down under, while the Sydney Roosters were the last team to lift the title back in 2020. The Chooks also won it in 2019.
Brisbane have already booked their place in the returning match, after they beat Melbourne Storm in an all-time classic to win the title in yesterday’s Grand Final.
‘The World Club Challenge is important to the game’
There has been plenty of discussion over the return of the World Club Challenge, with suggestions it could even be taken to Las Vegas as part of the NRL’s festival of rugby league in Sin City, but now NRL CEO Andrew Abdo has confirmed it will return from next season.
“We’ll wait and see who wins both competitions and then work with the RFL to facilitate that,” he told ABC.
“In terms of when it’s played and where it’s played, we wait until we have both winners and work with both clubs. The World Club Challenge is pretty important to the game and quite unique and it’s definitely something we’ll work with the clubs on.
NRL CEO Andrew Abdo confirmed the Broncos will face the Super League winners in the 2026 World Club Challenge.
“The World Club Challenge is important to the game and is quite unique,” he said.— NRLCentral (@centralNRL) October 6, 2025
While Abdo has confirmed that full details will be ironed out following the Super League Grand Final, there are several leading contenders to host the fixture.
Brisbane Broncos’ home ground, Suncorp Stadium, seems to be the most likely, given that the previous World Club Challenge took place in the UK, but yet either Craven Park or the Brick could also play host as well.
Vegas is also an option as well; however, Hull KR’s already-scheduled involvement in the festival when they face Leeds Rhinos could bring that to a halt for this year at least, should the Robins win the Grand Final on Saturday (11th October). Should Wigan win, however, Vegas would be a viable option.
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