Here’s what we already know about the 2025 National Rugby League season.
Related: 2024 Calendar: Key Rugby League Dates
Related: 2025 Super League: What We Know About Super League’s 30th Season So Far
2025 World Club Challenge Unlikely
The World Club Challenge is unlikely to take place in 2025 after the Penrith Panthers indicated they were not interested in playing the fixture, citing player welfare with a trip to Las Vegas to open the season in March.
2025 NRL Pre-Season
South Sydney Rabbitohs have confirmed that the 2025 Charity Shield match against St George-Illawarra Dragons will be played at Mudgee’s Glen Willow Stadium. This will also be played at the same venue in 2026.
March 1, 2025 – Rugby League Las Vegas Festival
It was announced on July 9, 2024 that the 2025 NRL season would open with Canberra Raiders and New Zealand Warriors, Penrith Panthers and Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks playing in Las Vegas. In addition to the games, Super League clubs Wigan and Warrington would play to open the event, while the Australia Jilaroos would play England in a women’s test match.
The historic four-game schedule will be played at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Saturday, 1 March 2025 (local time).
- Super League – Wigan v Warrington (1:30pm PST / 8:30am AEDT)
- NRL – Canberra Raiders v New Zealand Warriors (4:00pm PST / 11:00am AEDT)
- Test Match – Australian Jillaroos vs England (6:00pm PST / 1:00pm AEDT)
- NRL – Penrith Panthers vs Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (8:30pm PST / 3:30pm AEDT)
NRL Round 1 Fixtures
The first round fixtures were announced on November 17, 2024.
02/03/2025 at 11:00 – Canberra Raiders vs New Zealand Warriors – Allegiant Stadium
02/03/2025 at 15:30 – Penrith Panthers vs Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks – Allegiant Stadium
06/03/2025 at 20:00 – Sydney Roosters vs Brisbane Broncos – tba
07/03/2025 at 18:00 – Wests Tigers vs Newcastle Knights – tba
07/03/2025 at 20:05 – Dolphins vs South Sydney Rabbitohs – Suncorp Stadium
08/03/2025 at 17:30 – St George-Illawarra Dragons vs Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs – tba
08/03/2025 at 19:35 – Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles vs North Queensland Cowboys – 4 Pines Park
09/03/2025 at 16:05 – Melbourne Storm vs Parramatta Eels – tba
Related: 2025 NRL: Squads and Player Movements
2025 NRL Regular Season
With Penrith’s stadium being redeveloped, the Panthers will play 8 home games at Parramatta’s CommBank Stadium and home games forming part of Magic Round and Las Vegas in round 1. Their two other home games will be played at Carrington Park in Bathurst and Glen Willow Stadium in Mudgee.
South Sydney has announced they will play a home game at Optus Stadium in both 2025 and 2026 seasons.
State of Origin
The following dates have been pencilled in for the 2025 State of Origin series:
- Game 1 – Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane (May 28)
- Game 2 – Optus Stadium, Perth (June 18)
- Game 3 – Accor Stadium, Sydney (July 9)
2025 IRL World Series
Embed from Getty ImagesIt was announced in October 2023 that the inaugural International Rugby League World Series will be played in 2025 to determine the final two teams to play in the men’s 2026 Rugby League World Cup. The World Series will involve four sides from each of the regions: Cook Islands (Asia-Pacific), Americas, European and Middle East-Africa.
The teams automatically qualifying for the World Cup are: Australia, England, Fiji, Lebanon, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Tonga.
2025 Ashes Test Series – Australia to Host England
Embed from Getty ImagesFor the first time since 2003 the Ashes Rugby League test series between Australia and England will take place. The series will take place in Australia for the first time in 32 years. In 1992, Australia beat Great Britain in the test series 2-1.
Related: 2025 NRL: Jerseys Club-By-Club
Would be nice to know the date of the 2025 Charity Shield in Mudgee. People need to arrange time off and accommodation but time is running out. Can’t see any reason why they can’t give us a date.
There has been no date provided yet by the NRL in regard to the pre-season matches. We should find out soon, though.