The NRL has addressed a major fan complaint by ensuring no two teams will play each other twice within a five-week period in the 2026 season. The full draw will be announced on Friday morning, with Canterbury and St George Illawarra opening the season in Las Vegas on February 27.
Pre-season matches begin February 7, and the All-Stars game returns to New Zealand, taking place in Hamilton on February 15. Dylan Brown will face his former club Parramatta for the first time in Round 13, when his new team Newcastle hosts the Eels on May 30.
The 2025 season saw 15 instances of teams meeting again within five weeks, including seven within four weeks. This raised fairness concerns, as teams could face rivals twice while missing key players due to injury. Commentators and former players heavily criticized the draw, with Matty Johns noting teams were playing each other multiple times early in the season.
In 2026, the shortest gap between return matches will be six weeks, occurring only five times, mostly late in the season. The NRL credits its new AI-driven draw process for this improvement.
Regional venues will feature more prominently in pre-season, with North Queensland playing Penrith in Mackay on February 13, and South Sydney facing Manly in Mudgee on February 22. Napier and Hamilton will host back-to-back rugby league days in New Zealand, and Cronulla will take a pre-season match to Henson Park.
