The NRL is planning to take its teams and competition worldwide – with tentative talks underway for an historic ‘Global Round’ to launch the 2027 season.
The competition is looking to introduce an historic round that would open the campaign in two years’ time, with nine matches being played in a plethora of cities around the world including the south of France and London.
The NRL will be an 18-team competition by 2027 following Perth Bears’ introduction to the competition, and ARLC supremo Peter V’landys is looking to launch a major project as part of his trip to England to watch this autumn’s Ashes.
V’landys and NRL CEO Andrew Abdo will hold what have been described as ‘high-level meetings’ by the Sydney Morning Herald to explore the possibility of hosting NRL fixtures across the globe.
Other major destinations around the world including Dubai, Hong Kong and Las Vegas are also on the scheduling, with the NRL looking to build on its initial success in Vegas and boost the profile of the competition across the globe.
It is a bold project but if it comes off, it would essentially ensure that the NRL is streamed around the world for almost 24 hours non-stop due to the games taking place in various timezones.
France would then potentially be the starting point for the fixtures, with a game to be played in the south of the country on a Saturday evening. That would then be followed by games taking place in Miami and Hawaii in the morning (Australian time) before the Las Vegas fixtures get underway.
The round would potentially finish with two games on the Sunday afternoon in London, with the English capital deemed a priority venue for such a plan to be executed.
The plan comes at a time when the NRL is looking to secure a bumper TV deal for the 2028 season, with its existing contract expiring at the end of the 2027 campaign. The Herald says any ‘Global Round’ would be a ‘key bargaining chip’ in strengthening negotiations with broadcasters.
