NRL set to welcome 19th team as ground-breaking agreement reached

An agreement has been reached with the NRL that will eventually see the competition welcome a 19th team, according to reports.

The Daily Telegraph down under is claiming that a team from Papua New Guinea will take up a place in the sport’s premier competition, with an agreement in principle being reached between the federal government and the ARL.

The notion has the support of Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese, with a 10-year funding plan mentioned. The deal is expected to see a team from Papua New Guinea enter the competition from 2028 with the competition expanding to yet another country.

It comes during a period of expansion for the competition, with a team based in Perth also due to enter the NRL. The Western Bears are due to be welcomed into the league in 2027 in a move that will see Western Australia have a presence in the top flight for the first time since the Perth Reds left the top flight in 1997.

The agreement with Papua New Guinea will also see the existing 17 NRL clubs rewarded, with a pot of $60 million set to be shared out evenly as per of a license fee.

The expansion follows on from the Dolphins’ admission into the competition in 2023, with the Redcliffe side finishing 10th and just missing out on the play-offs in what is just their second season as an NRL outfit.

However, in July this year, reports emerged of the NRL’s desire to expand to 20 teams by 2030, with the potential for another offshore club to be confirmed. There has been interest from a number of entities about becoming the 20th team, with Brisbane Tigers, Ipswich Jets and outfit from Fiji and New Zealand’s South Island pushing to enter the league.