NRL reveals plans for historic State of Origin fixtures in New Zealand
- Paywalled Daily Telegraph article
The NRL is ramping up its attack on New Zealand rugby by drawing up historic plans for male and female State of Origin blockbusters in consecutive years on Kiwi soil.
In a landmark moment for the sport, this masthead can reveal the NRL is in the advanced stages of talks for rugby league’s $100 million Origin showpiece to be held in New Zealand in 2027.
And in a two-pronged bonanza for the code in New Zealand, the NRL has discussed staging the first women’s overseas Origin fixture in Christchurch as early as next year.
It is understood NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo has been authorised to complete the deal with New Zealand authorities for Queensland and NSW’s male and female stars to play back-to-back ‘Anzac Origin’ clashes in 2026-27.
The ARL Commission has taken the gala event to new domestic markets in recent years, with Perth hosting State of Origin in 2019, while Adelaide celebrated their first Queensland-NSW fixture the following season.
Now the NRL is closing in on an unprecedented interstate move across the ditch - 40 years after Origin’s last offshore venture when NSW beat Queensland 30-18 in an exhibition match in Long Beach, California.
The NRL is expanding the Telstra Premiership to Papua New Guinea in 2028 and the ARL Commission is backing moves to take Origin to New Zealand.
Auckland’s Eden Park, which boasts a capacity of 50,000, has been slated as the neutral venue for Game Two of the 2027 Origin series.
The move is a shot across the bow of New Zealand Rugby, which is under siege from rugby league, with the Warriors-Penrith elimination final on Saturday night going head-to-head with an All Blacks-South Africa Test match.
No formal deal has been struck as yet, but if talks progress well in the coming weeks with the NRL and Auckland tourism chiefs, New Zealand will win the vacant neutral-venue slot for 2027.
A key impediment for the NRL is successfully negotiating a kick-off time that is palatable to broadcaster Channel 9, Origin’s exclusive rights holders.
The MCG will host Origin II in 2026. The neutral venue for 2027 remains open, but the ARL Commission has an appetite to take Origin to New Zealand as part of the code’s international growth strategy.
Abdo confirmed the NRL is deep in talks to stage Origin’s first game in New Zealand, but stressed no deal is in place at this stage.
“We are taking a very close look at it,” the NRL CEO told this masthead.
“New Zealand is such an important market for us.
“We have some things that we need to work through contractually.
“We’ve got a plan to obviously announce a schedule on the draw for next year, but we now have a three-match women’s and a three-match men’s (Origin series).
“So thinking about a growth market for both the men’s and women’s Origin is an opportunity for us.
“We haven’t locked in the schedule for 2026 and ‘27 just yet, but we will be announcing those ahead of the draw later this year.
“It will probably be in mid-November.
“We are certainly buoyed by the growth of the game in New Zealand.
“I think the opportunity to play a State of Origin in New Zealand will be great for our fans in New Zealand, but also for the game itself.”
The NRL is planning to use its showpiece event to secure a stranglehold in New Zealand.
The NRL is planning to use its showpiece event to secure a stranglehold in New Zealand.
Eden Park is no stranger to big events. One of New Zealand’s most iconic venues, the stadium staged the 2011 Rugby World Cup final and hosted the NRL Nines for four consecutive years between 2014-17.
The NRL and Auckland tourism chiefs first held preliminary talks two years ago.
Now State of Origin has the backing of the New Zealand government, which will pay between $3 million-$5 million to deliver a maiden trans-Tasman interstate showdown.
One initial sticking point was a noise restriction policy at Eden Park for events taking place after 10.30pm, but Auckland tourism bosses are confident there will be goodwill from local residents to support an Origin fixture.
Another significant hurdle is the kick-off time.
Channel 9 prefers an 8pm kick-off to maximise ratings, equating to a 10pm start time in Auckland, which is two hours ahead of Origin’s key viewership markets in Sydney and Brisbane.
Well-placed sources say the 2027 New Zealand Origin clash could start locally at 9-9.30pm, which is 7-7.30pm in Sydney and Brisbane.
The NRL will need the imprimatur of Channel 9 chiefs but remain hopeful the free-to-air broadcaster will support a minor time shift and green light one of the most significant events in the code’s 118-year history.
The 2025 Origin series attracted 11.4 million viewers across the three games and that figure could be surpassed with the additional strand of a Kiwi audience.
Last month, ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys revealed the NRL were ramping up plans to take State of Origin to New Zealand.
“Yes, that is something we are looking at,” he said.
“Next year we’re going to the MCG and then 2027 is available, so Origin in New Zealand is on our hit list.
“We have to make sure we get it right. It takes planning. There’s a few variables we have to overcome, but nothing is unachievable.
“The problem with Origin in New Zealand is the timing because they are two hours in front of us, so we’re just trying to get around that.
“We have broadcaster obligations regarding State of Origin and we have to honour our agreements with Channel 9.
“If you have a will, you have a way and the New Zealand fans would love to see State of Origin.”
In July, V’landys returned from a fact-finding mission to the United States and the success of the NRL’s Las Vegas venture has opened League Central’s eyes to the power of offshore opportunities.
New Zealand is another attractive market, with the NRL having also discussed hosting a women’s Origin game at Christchurch’s new $680 million, 30,000-capacity Te Kaha Stadium, due to open in 2026.
Christchurch, Townsville and the Gold Coast have been identified as neutral-venue locations for a women’s Origin clash next year.
The Warriors have averaged 25,382 fans to their home games this season and there is a view Origin’s debut at Eden Park will be a 50,000-sellout within hours.
“We are ecstatic at the success of rugby league in New Zealand,” V’landys said recently.
“The Warriors have been outstanding and naturally we want to keep that momentum going.”
- Paywalled Daily Telegraph article
The NRL is ramping up its attack on New Zealand rugby by drawing up historic plans for male and female State of Origin blockbusters in consecutive years on Kiwi soil.
In a landmark moment for the sport, this masthead can reveal the NRL is in the advanced stages of talks for rugby league’s $100 million Origin showpiece to be held in New Zealand in 2027.
And in a two-pronged bonanza for the code in New Zealand, the NRL has discussed staging the first women’s overseas Origin fixture in Christchurch as early as next year.
It is understood NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo has been authorised to complete the deal with New Zealand authorities for Queensland and NSW’s male and female stars to play back-to-back ‘Anzac Origin’ clashes in 2026-27.
The ARL Commission has taken the gala event to new domestic markets in recent years, with Perth hosting State of Origin in 2019, while Adelaide celebrated their first Queensland-NSW fixture the following season.
Now the NRL is closing in on an unprecedented interstate move across the ditch - 40 years after Origin’s last offshore venture when NSW beat Queensland 30-18 in an exhibition match in Long Beach, California.
The NRL is expanding the Telstra Premiership to Papua New Guinea in 2028 and the ARL Commission is backing moves to take Origin to New Zealand.
Auckland’s Eden Park, which boasts a capacity of 50,000, has been slated as the neutral venue for Game Two of the 2027 Origin series.
The move is a shot across the bow of New Zealand Rugby, which is under siege from rugby league, with the Warriors-Penrith elimination final on Saturday night going head-to-head with an All Blacks-South Africa Test match.
No formal deal has been struck as yet, but if talks progress well in the coming weeks with the NRL and Auckland tourism chiefs, New Zealand will win the vacant neutral-venue slot for 2027.
A key impediment for the NRL is successfully negotiating a kick-off time that is palatable to broadcaster Channel 9, Origin’s exclusive rights holders.
The MCG will host Origin II in 2026. The neutral venue for 2027 remains open, but the ARL Commission has an appetite to take Origin to New Zealand as part of the code’s international growth strategy.
Abdo confirmed the NRL is deep in talks to stage Origin’s first game in New Zealand, but stressed no deal is in place at this stage.
“We are taking a very close look at it,” the NRL CEO told this masthead.
“New Zealand is such an important market for us.
“We have some things that we need to work through contractually.
“We’ve got a plan to obviously announce a schedule on the draw for next year, but we now have a three-match women’s and a three-match men’s (Origin series).
“So thinking about a growth market for both the men’s and women’s Origin is an opportunity for us.
“We haven’t locked in the schedule for 2026 and ‘27 just yet, but we will be announcing those ahead of the draw later this year.
“It will probably be in mid-November.
“We are certainly buoyed by the growth of the game in New Zealand.
“I think the opportunity to play a State of Origin in New Zealand will be great for our fans in New Zealand, but also for the game itself.”
The NRL is planning to use its showpiece event to secure a stranglehold in New Zealand.
The NRL is planning to use its showpiece event to secure a stranglehold in New Zealand.
Eden Park is no stranger to big events. One of New Zealand’s most iconic venues, the stadium staged the 2011 Rugby World Cup final and hosted the NRL Nines for four consecutive years between 2014-17.
The NRL and Auckland tourism chiefs first held preliminary talks two years ago.
Now State of Origin has the backing of the New Zealand government, which will pay between $3 million-$5 million to deliver a maiden trans-Tasman interstate showdown.
One initial sticking point was a noise restriction policy at Eden Park for events taking place after 10.30pm, but Auckland tourism bosses are confident there will be goodwill from local residents to support an Origin fixture.
Another significant hurdle is the kick-off time.
Channel 9 prefers an 8pm kick-off to maximise ratings, equating to a 10pm start time in Auckland, which is two hours ahead of Origin’s key viewership markets in Sydney and Brisbane.
Well-placed sources say the 2027 New Zealand Origin clash could start locally at 9-9.30pm, which is 7-7.30pm in Sydney and Brisbane.
The NRL will need the imprimatur of Channel 9 chiefs but remain hopeful the free-to-air broadcaster will support a minor time shift and green light one of the most significant events in the code’s 118-year history.
The 2025 Origin series attracted 11.4 million viewers across the three games and that figure could be surpassed with the additional strand of a Kiwi audience.
Last month, ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys revealed the NRL were ramping up plans to take State of Origin to New Zealand.
“Yes, that is something we are looking at,” he said.
“Next year we’re going to the MCG and then 2027 is available, so Origin in New Zealand is on our hit list.
“We have to make sure we get it right. It takes planning. There’s a few variables we have to overcome, but nothing is unachievable.
“The problem with Origin in New Zealand is the timing because they are two hours in front of us, so we’re just trying to get around that.
“We have broadcaster obligations regarding State of Origin and we have to honour our agreements with Channel 9.
“If you have a will, you have a way and the New Zealand fans would love to see State of Origin.”
In July, V’landys returned from a fact-finding mission to the United States and the success of the NRL’s Las Vegas venture has opened League Central’s eyes to the power of offshore opportunities.
New Zealand is another attractive market, with the NRL having also discussed hosting a women’s Origin game at Christchurch’s new $680 million, 30,000-capacity Te Kaha Stadium, due to open in 2026.
Christchurch, Townsville and the Gold Coast have been identified as neutral-venue locations for a women’s Origin clash next year.
The Warriors have averaged 25,382 fans to their home games this season and there is a view Origin’s debut at Eden Park will be a 50,000-sellout within hours.
“We are ecstatic at the success of rugby league in New Zealand,” V’landys said recently.
“The Warriors have been outstanding and naturally we want to keep that momentum going.”
