2026 NRL season

The 2026 NRL season was the 119th season of professional rugby league in Australia and the 29th season run by the National Rugby League (NRL). The regular season was followed by a finals series contested by the top eight teams on the competition ladder. The Penrith Panthers were the minor premiers, while the Sydney Roosters defeated the Newcastle Knights in the Grand Final to win their 16th premiership.

The season recorded the highest aggregate and average regular season crowds in first-grade rugby league history, surpassing the record set the previous year.

The season was also the highest scoring in first-grade rugby league history, with 10,167 points scored across 213 games, surpassing the 253 game 1998 season in which 10,131 points were scored. At an average of 47.73 points scored per match, 2026 was also the highest average scoring season since 2004.

Teams The lineup of teams in the league remained unchanged for the 4th and final consecutive year, with seventeen participating in the regular season: ten from New South Wales, four from Queensland, and one from each of Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory, and New Zealand.

Club Season Home ground(s) Head coach Captain(s) Brisbane Broncos 39th season Suncorp Stadium Michael Maguire Adam Reynolds Canberra Raiders 45th season GIO Stadium Ricky Stuart Joseph Tapine Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 92nd season Accor Stadium Cameron Ciraldo Stephen Crichton Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 60th season Ocean Protect Stadium Craig Fitzgibbon Blayke Brailey & Cameron McInnes Dolphins 4th season Suncorp Stadium and Kayo Stadium Kristian Woolf Tom Gilbert & Isaiya Katoa Gold Coast Titans 20th season Cbus Super Stadium Josh Hannay Tino Fa'asuamaleaui & Moeaki Fotuaika Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 77th season 4 Pines Park → Kieran Foran Jake Trbojevic & Tom Trbojevic Melbourne Storm 29th season AAMI Park Craig Bellamy Harry Grant Newcastle Knights 39th season McDonald Jones Stadium Justin Holbrook Kalyn Ponga New Zealand Warriors 32nd season Go Media Stadium Andrew Webster Mitchell Barnett & James Fisher-Harris North Queensland Cowboys 32nd season Queensland Country Bank Stadium Todd Payten Reuben Cotter & Tom Dearden Parramatta Eels 80th season CommBank StadiumJason Ryles Mitchell Moses Penrith Panthers 60th season CommBank Stadium Ivan Cleary Nathan Cleary & Isaah Yeo South Sydney Rabbitohs 117th season Accor StadiumWayne Bennett Cameron Murray St. George Illawarra Dragons 28th season St. George Venues Jubilee Stadium and WIN Stadium → Dean Young Damien Cook & Clint Gutherson Sydney Roosters 119th season Allianz Stadium Trent Robinson James Tedesco Wests Tigers 27th season CommBank Stadium, Leichhardt Oval, and Campbelltown Sports Stadium Benji Marshall Apisai Koroisau & Jarome Luai

Venues Venues for the 2026 National Rugby League competition. New South Wales Sydney Parramatta Sydney Olympic Park Woolooware Allianz Stadium CommBank Stadium Accor Stadium Ocean Protect Stadium Capacity: 42,500 Capacity: 30,000 Capacity: 82,000 Capacity: 15,000 Brookvale Leumeah Lilyfield Carlton 4 Pines Park Campbelltown Sports Stadium Leichhardt Oval St. George Venues Jubilee Stadium Capacity: 18,000 Capacity: 17,500 Capacity: 20,000 Capacity: 20,500 Newcastle Gosford Wollongong McDonald Jones Stadium polytec Stadium WIN Stadium Capacity: 27,500 Capacity: 20,059 Capacity: 22,000 Mudgee Bathurst Glen Willow Oval Carrington Park Capacity: 10,000 Capacity: 13,000 Queensland Brisbane Redcliffe Gold Coast Townsville Suncorp Stadium Kayo Stadium Cbus Super Stadium Queensland Country Bank Stadium Capacity: 52,500 Capacity: 10,000 Capacity: 27,690 Capacity: 25,455 Australian Capital Territory Victoria Western Australia Canberra Melbourne Perth GIO Stadium AAMI Park Optus Stadium HBF Park Capacity: 25,011 Capacity: 30,050 Capacity: 61,266 Capacity: 20,500 Northern Territory New Zealand Darwin Auckland Wellington Christchurch TIO Stadium Go Media Stadium Hnry Stadium One New Zealand Stadium Capacity: 12,215 Capacity: 25,000 Capacity: 34,500 Capacity: 25,000

Stadium locations Venues used for the 2026 National Rugby League season.

Pre-season

Trials Italics indicates a non-NRL club

DateTimeHomeScoreAwayStadiumReport7 February 202518:00 AEST (UTC+10:00)16–26 DolphinsMarley Brown Oval, Gladstone14 February 202519:10 AEST (UTC+10:00) Sunshine Coast Falcons14–26 Brisbane BroncosSunshine Coast Stadium, Sunshine Coast22 February 202514:00 AEST (UTC+10:00) Souths Logan Magpies22–58 Brisbane BroncosDavies Park, Brisbane

All Stars match

Pre-season Challenge

The 16-game pre-season challenge was played from 7 February to 22 February 2026 and was won by the Parramatta Eels, the first team to score the maximum 30 competition points.

Regular season Results

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 F1 F2 F3 GF Brisbane BroncosPEN–26PAR–8MEL+4DOL+14GCT+14NQL–4WTI+1CBY+20SYD–14MAN–28NZL–30XSGI–4GCT–5SOU–42XSYD–6CRO–12XPEN+2NQL–8NEW–24DOL–8NZL–34CAN+4MEL–26CBY+14 Canberra RaidersMAN+1*NZL–34CBY–4CRO–12NEW–20SOU+2MEL+4WTI–19GCT+16PEN–12XDOL–8NQL+14SYD–26PAR–3MEL–22SGI+8XCBY+24SOU+10WTI+46PEN–24NEW–6CRO+4BRI–4XNQL+20 Canterbury-Bankstown BulldogsSGI+1*XCAN+4NEW–8SOU–8PEN+16PAR–18BRI–20NQL–16DOL–32CRO–22MEL+10WTI–6PAR+2XMAN+1*GCT+18XCAN–24WTI+32NZL+12MEL+14SYD–2SOU–16SGI+30PEN–14BRI–14 Cronulla-Sutherland SharksGCT+40PEN–20DOL–28CAN+12NZL+14SYD–12XNQL–12WTI+42SOU–24CBY+22XMAN+6SGI+22NZL+2SYD–19XBRI+12DOL+66NEW+2MAN+36SOU+16SGI–8CAN–4GCT+8PAR–20MEL–4NQL+10SYD–36 DolphinsSOU–10GCT+4CRO+28BRI–14MAN–34XPEN–1*NZL–2MEL+18CBY+32SOU+22CAN+8XNQL+26SYD+38WTI+14NZL+2NEW–2CRO–66NQL+20XSGI+6BRI+8MAN+22PAR+18SYD+14GCT+4NZL+10XSYD–16 Gold Coast TitansCRO–40DOL–4NQL–14SGI+8BRI–14PAR+42NZL–8XCAN–16SYD–16NEW–24MAN–2XBRI+5WTI–8PEN+1CBY–18XMEL–4MAN+6SGI+20NZL–36NQL–22NEW–10CRO–8SOU–20DOL–4 Manly Warringah Sea EaglesCAN–1*NEW–20XSYD–17DOL+34SGI+10NQL+32PAR+15PEN–2BRI+28WTI+28GCT+2CRO–6SOU+14XCBY–1*MEL+26PAR–9NQL–1*GCT–6CRO–36XMEL–22DOL–22NEW+20SGI+34NZL–1 Melbourne StormPAR+48SGI+26BRI–4NQL–4PEN–40NZL–24CAN–4SOU–42DOL–18WTI+28PAR+26CBY–10SYD+14NEW+2XCAN+22MAN–26XGCT+4SYD–8SOU–2CBY–14MAN+22XPEN—8BRI+26CRO+4 Newcastle KnightsNQL+10MAN+20WAR–26CBY+8CAN+20WTI–20SYD–14PEN–32SOU+4SGI+34GCT+24XPAR+6MEL–2XSGI+2WTI+6DOL+1SOU–2CRO–2SYD–1BRI+24CAN+6GCT+10MAN–20NZL–14XSOU+10NZL+2PEN+8SYD–1 New Zealand WarriorsSYD+24CAN+34NEW+26WTI–18CRO–14MEL+24GCT+8DOL+2PAR+22XBRI+30SGI+18PEN–2XCRO–2NQL+18DOL–2XWTI+26SGI+8CBY–12GCT+36PEN+16BRI+34SOU+19NEW+14MAN+1DOL–10NEW–2 North Queensland CowboysNEW–10WTI–28GCT+14MEL+4SGI+32BRI+4MAN–32CRO+12CBY+16PAR–3*SYD+6SOU+12CAN–14DOL–26XNZL–18PEN+14XMAN+1*DOL–20BRI+8SYD–70GCT+22PAR–2XWTI+14CAN–20CRO–10 Parramatta EelsMEL–48BRI+8SGI+10PEN–28WTI–2*GCT–42CBY+18MAN–15NZL–22NQL+3*MEL–26XNEW–6CBY–2CAN+3XSOU–20MAN+9SYD–16XPEN–6WTI+3SOU–4NQL+2DOL–18CRO+20SGI–2 Penrith PanthersBRI+26CRO+20SYD+36PAR+28MEL+40CBY–16DOL+1*NEW+32MAN+2CAN+12SGI+22XNZL+2WTI+68XGCT–1NQL–14SOU+22XBRI–2PAR+6CAN+24NZL–16SYD–6MEL+8CBY+14WTI+28SYD+7XNEW–8 South Sydney RabbitohsDOL+10SYD–8WTI+4XCBY+8CAN–2SGI+18MEL+42NEW–4CRO+24DOL–22NQL–12XMAN–14BRI+42XPAR+20PEN–22NEW+2CAN–10MEL+2CRO–16PAR+4CBY+16NZL–19GCT+20SYD+30NEW–10 St. George Illawarra DragonsCBY–1*MEL–26PAR–10GCT–8NQL–32MAN–10SOU–18SYD–46XNEW–34PEN–22NZL–18BRI+4CRO–22XNEW–2CAN–8WTI+14XNZL–8GCT–20DOL–6CRO+8WTI+2CBY–30MAN–34PAR+2 Sydney RoostersNZL–24SOU+8PEN–36MAN+17XCRO+12NEW+14SGI+46BRI+14GCT+16NQL–6XMEL–14CAN+26DOL–38CRO+19BRI+6XPAR+16MEL+8NEW+1NQL+70CBY+2PEN+6WTI–1DOL–14SOU–30PEN–7CRO+36DOL+16NEW+1 Wests TigersXNQL+28SOU–4NZL+18PAR+2*NEW+20BRI–1CAN+19CRO–42MEL–28MAN–28XCBY+6PEN–68GCT+8DOL–14NEW–6SGI–14NZL–26CBY–32CAN–46PAR–3XSGI–2SYD+1NQL–14PEN–28 Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 F1 F2 F3 GF Bold – Home game X – Bye * – Golden point game Opponent for round listed above margin

Ladder

Ladder progression Numbers highlighted in green indicate that the team finished the round inside the top eight. Numbers highlighted in blue indicates the team finished first on the ladder in that round. Numbers highlighted in red indicates the team finished last place on the ladder in that round. Underlined numbers indicate that the team had a bye during that round.

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 1 Penrith Panthers 2 4 6 8 10 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 28 28 30 32 32 34 36 36 36 38 40 42 2 New Zealand Warriors 2 4 6 6 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 20 22 22 24 24 26 28 30 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 3 Dolphins 0 2 4 4 4 6 6 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 24 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 4 Sydney Roosters 0 2 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 16 18 18 20 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 38 38 38 5 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 2 2 2 4 6 6 8 8 10 10 12 14 16 18 20 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 32 32 34 34 34 6 South Sydney Rabbitohs 2 2 4 6 8 8 10 12 12 14 14 14 16 16 18 20 22 22 24 24 26 26 28 30 30 32 34 7 Newcastle Knights 2 4 4 6 8 8 8 8 10 12 14 16 18 18 20 22 24 26 26 26 26 28 30 32 32 32 34 8 North Queensland Cowboys 0 0 2 4 6 8 8 10 12 12 14 16 16 16 18 18 20 22 24 24 26 26 28 28 30 32 32 9 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 0 0 2 2 4 6 8 10 10 12 14 16 16 18 20 20 22 22 22 22 22 24 24 24 26 28 28 10 Melbourne Storm 2 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 6 8 8 10 12 14 16 16 18 20 20 20 20 22 24 24 26 28 11 Canberra Raiders 2 2 2 2 2 4 6 6 8 8 10 10 12 12 12 12 14 16 18 20 22 22 22 24 24 26 28 12 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 2 4 6 6 6 8 8 8 8 8 8 10 10 12 14 16 18 20 20 22 24 26 26 26 28 28 28 13 Parramatta Eels 0 2 4 4 4 4 6 6 6 8 8 10 10 10 12 14 14 16 16 18 18 20 20 22 22 24 24 14 Brisbane Broncos 0 0 2 4 6 6 8 10 10 10 10 12 12 12 12 14 14 14 16 18 18 18 18 18 20 20 22 15 Wests Tigers 2 4 4 6 8 10 10 12 12 12 12 14 16 16 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 20 20 22 22 22 16 Gold Coast Titans 0 0 0 2 2 4 4 6 6 6 6 6 8 10 10 12 12 14 14 16 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 17 St. George Illawarra Dragons 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 2 4 4 6 6 6 8 10 10 10 10 12 14 14 14 16

Finals series

HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and time (AEST)VenueRefereeAttendance Qualifying and elimination finals South Sydney Rabbitohs 10–20 Newcastle Knights 11 September, 19:50 Allianz Stadium Ashley Klein 28,152 New Zealand Warriors 16–26 Dolphins 12 September, 16:05 Go Media Stadium Adam Gee 26,131 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 26–16 North Queensland Cowboys 12 September, 19:50 Allianz Stadium Grant Atkins 17,429 Penrith Panthers19–12 Sydney Roosters 13 September, 16:05 CommBank Stadium Gerard Sutton 22,148 Semi-finals Sydney Roosters 46–10 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 19 September, 19:50 Allianz Stadium Adam Gee39,147 New Zealand Warriors 10–12 Newcastle Knights 20 September, 16:05 Eden Park Ashley Klein 48,511 Preliminary finals Dolphins 20–36 Sydney Roosters 25 September, 19:50 Suncorp Stadium Adam Gee 52,286 Penrith Panthers 14–22 Newcastle Knights 27 September, 16:00 Accor Stadium Gerard Sutton 57,102 Bracket

Player statistics and records In Round 2, Alex Johnston surpassed Ken Irvine's record of 212 tries in the NRL and its predecessor competitions. In Round 5, Thomas Jenkins became the first player to score 12 tries in their first 5 games of a season, having tied the record of 10 tries in the first 4 games the previous week. In Round 7, Thomas Jenkins became the first player in the NRL era to score 2 or more tries in 7 consecutive games. In Round 9, Alex Johnston became the first player in the NRL and its predecessor competitions to score 17 career hat-tricks. Johnson also became the first player to score 100 or more tries at a single venue, that being Accor Stadium. In Round 10, Jason Taumalolo surpassed former teammate Johnathan Thurston as the most capped North Queensland Cowboys player of all time. In Round 12, Moeaki Fotuaika surpassed Mark Minichiello as the most capped Gold Coast Titans player of all time. In Round 12, Alex Johnston became the first player in the NRL era to score a try in each of their first ten games of a season, surpassing KL Iro who scored in his first nine games in 2025.