The second and final Test between England and Samoa could be the highest-attended Rugby League match in England outside of the World Cup since 2018.
The first game saw Shaun Wane’s side win 34-18, in a comfortable victory that saw the likes of George Williams and Herbie Farnworth star.
That was at the Brick Community Stadium in Wigan, where just over 15,000 fans attended meaning around 40% of the seats remained empty.
It was a far cry from attendances from years gone by, but it came just before reports that Australia may travel to the UK for an Ashes Tour in 2025, rather than it being held Down Under as previously planned.
As such, there may be some momentum ahead of the second and final Test at Headingley which could help fill Leeds Rhinos’ stadium out. Initial ticket sales certainly seem to be trending in the right direction.
Big crowd expected for England rugby league Test match
In a tweet on Monday, England Rugby League confirmed that all seated tickets have sold out for the game, five days ahead of the fixture.
👏 All seated areas are now sold out with tickets only available in terraced areas of the stadium!
💥 Don’t miss out, secure your place at the @ABKbeer International Double-header now! pic.twitter.com/Vqrfb7xFMh
— England Rugby League (@England_RL) October 28, 2024
This comes after Serious About RL’s sister site, Yorkshire Evening Post, reported that only a handful of seats were available.
Of course, the game is also a double-header with England Women taking on Wales prior to Shaun Wane’s side facing off against Samoa, something else that could help further the attendance.
The last Test match at Headingley was in 2023 against Tonga with a crowd of 15,477 there to witness an England victory. That marked the largest crowd at a none-World Cup game since 2018 against New Zealand.
Headingley, which has a capacity of almost 20,000, will surely have an attendance that eclipses that of the 2023 Test versus Tonga in a game against Samoa that could confirm a series victory for the home side.
The home crowd could also see Keenan Palasia make his first appearance at Headingley after the prop forward signed for Leeds Rhinos from Gold Coast Titans ahead of the 2025 season.
