Rugby League will descend on the US next year as the Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves will contest a Betfred Super League fixture in Las Vegas.
Scheduled to be hosted at Allegiant Stadium – the host of Super Bowl LVIII – the reigning league champions Warriors will face the Wolves in March 2025, a rematch of the Challenge Cup final from last year.
Rhodri Jones, RL Commercial Managing Director, said: “To have Betfred Super League featuring when Rugby League returns to Las Vegas in 2025, as well as an historic international fixture for England Women, is a mouthwatering prospect and a huge opportunity for the sport.
“We are looking forward to working closely with Wigan Warriors, Warrington Wolves, our commercial and broadcast partners and the NRL to ensure the weekend is another massive success.”
As Jones mentioned, England Rugby League Women’s team will also be in action in Vegas next March, as they will play world champions Australia in an international fixture.
Furthermore, four NRL teams will also compete over the same weekend. The New Zealand Warriors will play the Canberra Raiders, whilst three-time NRL champions, the Penrith Panthers take on Sydney’s Cronulla Sharks.
All four matches will be shown live on Sky Sports – with the Wigan-Warrington match kicking off the action at 9:30pm UK time.
England Women’s Captain Jodie Cunningham, said: “Women’s Rugby League has been on an amazing journey for the last decade – and now we’re heading for Vegas. I think it’s fantastic that the NRL have recognised the importance of the women’s game in this way.
“We all watched the NRL games in Vegas at the start of this season and it was so exciting to see the impact they made.
Andrew Abdo, NRL CEO, added: “Las Vegas 2025 will be a bigger, bolder and better festival of Rugby League.
“The 2025 Las Vegas event will feature two highly anticipated NRL Premiership matches to open the season, the 2024 UK Challenge Cup finalists, Wigan and Warrington, and a Test match showcasing some of the most elite women’s players from both hemispheres.
“We’ve given fans the opportunity to plan early and take advantage of the Las Vegas festival experience – a true bucket list item for all Rugby League and sports fans. “Thank you to all the participating teams who will now get the chance to perform on a global stage with huge exposure.”