Leeds Rhinos CEO gives Las Vegas verdict with future prospects of playing there addressed

Leeds Rhinos chief executive officer Gary Hetherington has offered praise to both Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves for taking Super League stateside and commented on the prospects of his club playing in Las Vegas in 2026.

Wigan and Warrington will go head-to-head at Allegiant Stadium on Saturday in the first of a four-game showpiece which also includes Canberra Raiders versus New Zealand Warriors and Penrith Panthers against Cronulla Sharks in the NRL, either side of England meeting Australia in a women’s international.

The NRL first visited Las Vegas in 2024 and are committed to staging games there for three more seasons after this one.

Details for 2026  and whether Super League will be invited back have yet to be confirmed, but Leeds Rhinos are one of several European clubs interested in taking part.

Wigan are the home side this weekend, meaning they will play 12 Super League games at Brick Community Stadium this year, instead of the usual 13.

That is a potential stumbling block for Rhinos and Hetherington stressed it is important that the Leeds fans are consulted.

Leeds Rhinos CEO gives Las Vegas verdict with future prospects of playing there addressed

Vegas Week 😎 pic.twitter.com/ZQ0gnx5fiM

— Warrington Wolves (@WarringtonRLFC) February 24, 2025

He will be at Saturday’s extravaganza and stressed he is “full of admiration for the NRL and what they are doing, not only for their own game in Australasia, but also the expansion program and looking at the United States and showcasing the game over there”.

He said: “All that is very helpful and beneficial for rugby league and we need to be part of that strategy, so I am delighted Wigan and Warrington are going to feature and England women are as well.

“It is great we are part of it and we need, over the next four years, to really make it work. Most Super League clubs, I think, would be keen to be part of that festival of rugby league, but for a club like Leeds to give up a home fixture is financially quite significant and may not be popular with fans.

“As a club we don’t have a definitive position – it has not been discussed by the board as such. I think we would be keen to go there, but probably as the visiting team.”

Warrington, the ‘away’ side, are understood to be retaining the proceeds from their ticket sales, with both clubs meeting travel and accommodation costs themselves.

“There’s significant financial implications,” Hetherington added. “I think in many ways it is a leap of faith for clubs that go and participate, because they are doing it to enhance their own brand and reputation and make their own contribution to developing the profile of the game in the USA.

“That has to be admired, but it impacts on a lot of things, including loss of revenue on the day itself.

“Obviously, for some clubs that financial cost is more significant than for others. I think for a club like ourselves, that is a significant factor to be weighed in and also the opinion of the fans.

“On the one hand, I think a lot of our fans would like to see us play out in Las Vegas, on the other hand the fans who can’t afford to go could watch it on television, but might be against it. I don’t know the answer to those questions, we need to consult more widely on that.”