Magic Weekend is back on the agenda for 2026 as preparations for the Super League season continue.
The expectation was that Magic would be removed from the rugby league calendar next year, with the 2025 edition of the event in Newcastle set to be the last. That belief stemmed from the results of the strategic review, which appeared to recommend the removal of the showpiece event and loop fixtures in general.
What followed was the decision to increase the amount of teams in Super League to 14, ensuring there would be no need for loop fixtures moving forward.
However, in what can be seen a major U-turn, Magic Weekend now looks likely to be included on the fixture list once more in 2026.
As reported by Love Rugby League earlier today, the return of Magic for at least one more season is being discussed and is expected to be given the green light early next week ahead of the Super League fixture release on November 27 (a week today).
Serious About RL understands that such a decision has the support of most clubs, who have made it clear that they would like to see Magic remain for 2026. The event provides clubs with marketing and merchandise opportunities and therefore it can be lucrative.
How the fixtures at Magic might look is still to be determined, but the 2026 Super League season is expected to be a 27-game season, which would eliminate the need for clubs to give up home fixtures and open up the possibility of a rivals round on neutral territory.
In the expectation that the return of Magic is signed off once more, it is understood that it will be held during the summer months at a football stadium.
Several venues have been mentioned as possible venues but it is Serious About RL’s understanding that Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium is favoured by most. Everton’s newly-built ground got rave reviews earlier this month when England took on Australia in the second Ashes Test, and many are keen to make a return to Merseyside.
Again, how the space is made for Magic Weekend in the calendar is yet to be decided, but it could be that it returns instead of a eight-team play-off bracket. Changes to the play-offs have been mooted and they could still happen, but an eight-team play-off bracket would take four weeks to complete.
Keeping the existing play-off structure of six, or even increasing it to seven, would ensure the play-offs could be completed in three weeks, which potentially leaves the space for Magic on the calendar.
As mentioned throughout, the return of Magic is yet to be fully signed off, but all signs point to it returning in 2026 and that comes as a major surprise.
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Pauly
November 20, 2025 at 6:31 pm
The previous top 6 playoff from circa 2002 was the best system as it rewarded teams 1 and 2 for consistency and a second chance whilst 3 to 6 was sudden death football.