NRL announces USA venue for double-header 2024 season opener

The NRL has advised that four clubs that will take part in an historic rugby league double header in the USA city of Las Vegas, Nevada to open the competition’s 2024 season.

Marking the first time NRL games will be played outside of Australia, New Zealand and the Oceania region, the twin fixtures see the Brisbane Broncos, Manly Sea Eagles, South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Sydney Roosters play at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium weeks after the Super Bowl will be held at the same venue.

The two matches, to be played at the 65,000-seat home of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders, will be the centrepiece of a week of events focussed on promoting Australia.

Set to be played in late February or early March, the four teams heading to the USA each made successful proposals to the NRL, which made the selection in consultation with Channel Nine and Fox Sports.

In a statement, NRL Chief Executive, Andrew Abdo advised “the 2024 Las Vegas matches will form part of an exciting ‘Australia Week’ in Las Vegas where we will be showcasing rugby league and Australia to the US market.

“We are now working collaboratively with the four clubs to finalise arrangements for the proposed matches in Las Vegas and make this a blockbuster event for fans by maximising travel, attendance and enjoyment of a unique rugby league experience.

“Rugby league will be on a stage which the sport has simply never been on before and we look forward to giving all clubs the opportunity in coming years.”

All interested NRL clubs were asked to submit a business case as to why they should be chosen for the trip with reports indicating that the bids from the Rabbitohs and Sea Eagles were assisted by their respective links with Hollywood stars Russell Crowe and Hugh Jackman.

This will be South Sydney’s second foray into playing games in the USA, having played in an exhibition match against the Leeds Rhinos in January 2008 at Jacksonville Florida’s Hodges Stadium at the University of North Florida.

Rabbitohs chief executive Blake Solly said: “We’re confident that we can develop a strong fan and Member base off the back of this Las Vegas event in February and March next year and we look forward to growing our Club and the sport internationally alongside the Sea Eagles, Roosters and the Broncos.”

Earlier this week it was confirmed that Perth’s Optus Stadium will play host to the NRL’s State of Origin Series in 2025 and 2028.

The move to lock in Perth for 2025 and 2028 is in line with the NRL’s policy of one neutral venue and one home venue for each of the states in the three-match series. The showpiece event was played in Adelaide in 2023 and will be played in Melbourne in 2024 and 2026.

The domed Allegiant Stadium - built at a cost of US$3 billion - will stage Super Bowl LVIII on 11th February.

Lower image: Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium. Credit: Arup.