The NRL has announced a landmark $5.3bn broadcasting agreement with Nine Entertainment and Foxtel, securing the game's media rights through to 2034. The seven-year deal, worth approximately $750m annually from 2028, represents a significant increase from the current $400m per year arrangement.
Record-breaking agreement
Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V'landys hailed the deal as a defining moment for rugby league. 'The Commission has worked hard in the last five years to make the game more entertaining for our fans, effectively doubling our audience,' he said. 'Our players and clubs that made this possible will now be justifiably rewarded.'
The agreement surpasses the AFL's previous record of $4.5bn set in 2022. V'landys confirmed that the NRL will receive 95% of the $5.3bn in cash, compared to 10% contra in the previous deal.
Broadcast details
Under the new deal, Nine will continue to screen the NRL grand final and both men's and women's State of Origin series. The free-to-air network has also secured exclusive rights to broadcast three live NRL games per week: Thursday and Friday evenings, and Sunday afternoons. Foxtel and Kayo Sports retain rights to live coverage of every home and away game for both NRL and NRLW seasons, along with all finals except the grand final.
From 2028, the number of NRLW games on free-to-air television will halve from 66 to 33 per season. Nine Entertainment told the ASX it will pay $145m in cash annually to the NRL, offset by $10m worth of advertising.
Industry reactions
Nine CEO Matt Stanton emphasised the enduring partnership. 'Nine brings together an unmatched breadth of media capabilities and a proven track record of growing audiences, deepening fandom and creating cultural moments around the game's biggest occasions,' Stanton said. 'This year alone, the top two highest-rating television programs across any Australian broadcaster have both been NRL.'
Foxtel Group CEO Patrick Delany added that Kayo Sports and Foxtel would remain the home of NRL and live sport in Australia well into the next decade. 'We have been partners in the growth of rugby league for 30 years and are committed to working with the NRL to grow the game at all levels,' Delany said.
Viewership and growth
The NRL attracts massive TV ratings, with last year's grand final between Brisbane and Melbourne drawing an average audience of almost 4.5m, the first time it eclipsed the AFL showpiece since 2015. The men's State of Origin opener attracted close to 4m viewers, up 6% year on year, while the women's series consistently draws around 1m viewers.
V'landys claimed the NRL is the most viewed program in Australia and the Pacific. 'Don't listen to what other people tell you, especially down south, we are the No 1-viewed sport in Australia,' he said. 'The deal future-proofs the game for everybody... our ambition is to grow the game globally.'
Future expansion
The new deal takes effect in 2028, coinciding with the entry of the PNG Chiefs as the competition's 19th team, following the addition of the Perth Bears in 2027. This expansion reflects the NRL's strategy to broaden its reach and increase viewership.
