Overview
- The NRL opened its 2026 season in Las Vegas for a third straight year, announcing a crowd of 45,719 at Allegiant Stadium.
- Round‑1 results in Vegas: Newcastle Knights beat North Queensland Cowboys 28–18, and Canterbury Bulldogs edged St George Illawarra Dragons 15–14 in golden point.
- ARL chair Peter V’landys outlined a three‑year expansion targeting at least four host cities, with London flagged as a likely next stop and options including Miami, Tokyo, Hong Kong and the Middle East under consideration.
- Club responses were mixed, with some open to future travel and others cautioning against added long‑haul trips; Cowboys coach Todd Payten cited the club’s roughly 60,000km annual travel load and urged closer destinations.
- A Vegas 9s semi‑final stoppage dispute led the LA Roosters to request a review of tournament rules after an opponent stayed down late in the match, and the NRL indicated it was open to examining changes.