Which NRL Teams Are Playing in Las Vegas 2026?
The 2026 NRL season will launch with another landmark double-header at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Saturday, February 28, 2026 (local time), or Sunday, March 1 in Australia. This event represents the third consecutive year the league has opened its season in the United States, as the NRL looks to expand rugby league’s global footprint.
The two NRL fixtures for the 2026 season opener are:
- Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs vs. St. George Illawarra Dragons
- Newcastle Knights vs. North Queensland Cowboys
In addition, an English Super League match between Hull Kingston Rovers and Leeds Rhinos will be played, offering fans the chance to compare rugby league teams from different hemispheres.
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs vs. St. George Illawarra Dragons
The Bulldogs enter the 2026 season under head coach Cameron Ciraldo. Key players include captain Stephen Crichton, Matt Burton, Viliame Kikau, and Lachlan Galvin. A significant change for the Bulldogs is the departure of hooker Reed Mahoney to the North Queensland Cowboys; Bailey Hayward is set to fill the role.
The Bulldogs finished 3rd on the 2025 ladder, entering Las Vegas with strong form and high expectations for the season ahead.
The Dragons, coached by Shane Flanagan, have made a few high-profile additions for 2026, including fullback Clint Gutherson and forward Damien Cook. Other key players include Moses Suli and Valentine Holmes. The Dragons concluded the 2025 season in 15th place, reflecting a period of rebuilding and the opportunity to showcase renewed strength in Las Vegas.
Newcastle Knights vs. North Queensland Cowboys
The Newcastle Knights, now under the guidance of head coach Justin Holbrook, aim to reverse a challenging 2025 campaign in which they finished 17th on the ladder. Key players include Kalyn Ponga, Bradman Best, Dane Gagai, Tyson Frizell, Dylan Brown, and Sandon Smith. The team has adapted to departures such as Jayden Brailey and Leo Thompson, creating opportunities for emerging players to stamp themselves early in the 2026 season.
The North Queensland Cowboys, coached by Todd Payten, finished 12th in 2025 and will look to leverage the addition of Reed Mahoney and leadership from co-captains Tom Dearden and Reuben Cotter. The squad has also adjusted to the departure of Valentine Holmes to the Dragons, making the Las Vegas opener an important stage for establishing early-season momentum.
NRL Las Vegas 2026 Match Dates
The 2026 Las Vegas event will be held again at Allegiant Stadium, renowned for its world-class facilities and capacity to host large international crowds. The schedule for the opening round is as follows:
- Saturday, February 28, 2026 (Local Time, Nevada, USA)
- Bulldogs vs. Dragons
- Knights vs. Cowboys
- Hull KR vs. Leeds Rhinos (Super League)
Games will be late morning / early afternoon depending which state or territory you are in, on Sunday, March 1, 2026 (Australian Time).
The setup has been streamlined from previous years, reducing the event from four matches in 2025 to three in 2026. This adjustment focuses on high-quality play and fan engagement. The inclusion of the English Super League fixture also adds international appeal, highlighting the growing global reach of rugby league.
Who Played in Las Vegas 2025?
The 2025 NRL Las Vegas event featured a different set of teams from the previous year, continuing the league’s efforts to expand its international presence and showcase elite rugby league on a global stage and give more eyeballs to other teams. The sides were the Canberra Raiders, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, New Zealand Warriors, and Penrith Panthers. These fixtures offered North American fans their first live experience of new top-tier Australian rugby league teams but also provided players and clubs with the unique challenge of performing in an international setting outside the usual home and away grounds back home.
On the field, the Canberra Raiders demonstrated dominant form, defeating the New Zealand Warriors convincingly with a scoreline of 30-8, highlighting their attacking skills and defensive resilience. In the other match, the Penrith Panthers edged out the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in a closely contested encounter, finishing 28-22 in a match that kept spectators on the edge of their seats as to whether the Panthers could have a winning start to the season where it went in search of a five-peat.
The event drew a decent crowd, with 45,209 fans attending across both fixtures, further establishing the Las Vegas season opener as a highly successful and important showcase for the NRL. In just a couple of years these fixtures have now become a huge talking point for sports fans around the US and Australia and the opening rounds in 2026 are eagerly anticipated.
How to Watch the NRL 2026 Vegas Games
Both games will be shown live on Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Australia. You can watch the games on Fox Sports or stream them on Kayo Sports, with the second of the matches also available on free-to-air via the Nine Network and 9Now. Keep your eyes peeled on local listings to confirm exactly when the first of the games kicks off.
Final Thoughts
The 2026 NRL Las Vegas opener shows another massive milestone in rugby league’s international expansion. The Bulldogs, Dragons, Knights, and Cowboys enter the event with contrasting 2025 performances, making the fixtures both competitively compelling and strategically significant. With the Bulldogs finishing 3rd in 2025, Knights 17th, Cowboys 12th, and Dragons 15th, the stage is set for matches featuring a mixture of form, rebuilding, and ambition.
The event’s combination of NRL and Super League fixtures, alongside loads of fan-focused activities in and around Vegas, shows the NRL’s commitment to lifting the profile of rugby league internationally. The Las Vegas opener is more than a season launch; it is a celebration of this great Aussie sport’s growth, a platform for emerging talent, and a unique opportunity for fans around the world to engage with rugby league at its highest level in one of the world’s greatest destinations. For tickets, travel information, and further event details, visit the NRL website.