The head of RL Commercial Rhodri Jones has provided a wide-ranging update on the future of Super League Magic Weekend, including when and where it could be held.
In the event’s 18th year, it attracted it’s largest crowd since 2018 with the Sunday recording a larger attendance than the Saturday for the first time ever as a small piece of Super League Magic Weekend history was made.
The official figures confirmed that 64,156 fans turned out across the two days on Magic Weekend’s return to St James Park, a ground that many consider it’s spiritual home.
With that in mind there is good news for 2026 with Rhodri Jones explaining that Super League could return there next year, something he revealed whilst at Magic Weekend on Sunday.
Jones revealed that “positive conversations” had been held and when asked if other venues had been considered, he responded: “Not for next year”.
Super League Magic Weekend 2026 venue and dates hinted at
In response to the large attendance and the fact that Sunday boasted a greater attendance than Saturday for the first time in Super League Magic Weekend history, Jones admitted that utilising a Bank Holiday makes sense.
He explained: “If you look back at our attendances, our highest have been on a Bank Holiday, whether that be the first or second May Bank Holiday.”
Jones wouldn’t go on to confirm dates but with Bank Holidays deemed successful, that could see the event repeated on a similar weekend or in the later May Bank Holiday but with St James Park looking the likely venue, he admitted that they will have to await the Premier League fixtures being announced.
On a return to Newcastle, Jones said: “I think it’s fair to say that positive conversations have been had for next year. It’s a little bit dependent on Premier League fixtures but we have identified space in the calendar to come but it will depend on finalising Premier League fixtures which come in mid-June.”
As a result, he confirmed that the event could be confirmed well before the end of the Super League season, though fixtures would not be confirmed given the format which is based on the 2025 finishig positions.
Discourse in previous years has been about the merit of Magic Weekend but with the attendance being the best since 2018, it’s clear that there is still a passion for it from Super League fans and Jones was asked about ‘imagining’ a world without the event.
“It’s difficult to imagine (a season) without (Magic) without knowing what else we could do,” he responded.
“You look at next year and we will have Las Vegas, we will have Magic, potentially a game in Paris and we might have another on the road game. So actually, if you take Magic out then you still have three experiences away from the heartlands.”
Despite that, he added: “I have done all 18 Magic Weekends and I love it. I think it’s everything that is great about the sport. We would need something significant to usurp this event.”
An amazing return to Newcastle 🙌
Thank you for attending #MagicWKND 👏#SuperLeague pic.twitter.com/I4TIVvVXXr
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) May 4, 2025
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