Australian Rugby League Commission boss Peter V’landys has revealed plans for an
expanded NRL competition by 2026 with Papua New Guinea at the “top of the list” to win the code’s coveted 18th licence.
News Corp can reveal rugby league’s multifaceted strategic blueprint for the NRL to tap into a second overseas market in PNG under the code’s Operation ‘Turbo Charge’ expansion drive.
V’landys confirmed the ARLC has begun negotiations with the Australian government for PNG to enter the NRL.
The NRL already has a presence in New Zealand via the Warriors and the rousing success of new 17th franchise the Dolphins this season has given the ARLC confidence to take the Telstra Premiership to the Pacific.
ARLC commissioner Kate Jones was invited by the federal government a fortnight ago to join a trade mission to Papua New Guinea, where the former Queensland state government minister held talks with local league officials.
Now V’landys is ready to step up the NRL’s expansion project, with rugby league-besotted PNG regarded as the jewel in the crown of a mooted 18th Pasifika franchise that would be partly bankrolled by the federal government.
Industry experts suggest an 18th team is worth an extra $375 million in the NRL’s next TV rights deal – and V’landys says another wave of NRL expansion is closer than many believe.
“If time permits, we want to look at another NRL team for 2026,” V’landys told News Corp.
“I think expansion can be earlier than 2027.
“We will look at this issue quickly _ we aren’t going to drag it (expansion) out.
“We have been doing some preliminary work behind the scenes on expansion, but we are ready to go into ‘Turbo Charge’ mode.
“The ARL Commission has this new saying when we are investigating something … the project will be turbo-charged.
“That means the issue will be a priority for the Commission.
“Expansion is about to be turbo charged, things will happen very quickly and we will be turning our attention to expanding the NRL competition very, very soon.
“We want rugby league be in the heart, souls and minds of people and that extends to PNG.”
Due diligence on expansion could begin within a fortnight, pending the ARLC rubberstamping plans for the NRL to kick off their 2024 premiership season with a double header in Las Vegas next year.
The Brisbane Tigers last month formally announced their $25 million bid to enter the NRL as Queensland’s fifth club and other expansion target markets include Perth, Adelaide and a second team in New Zealand.
But Papua New Guinea, who first expressed interest in joining the NRL 15 years ago, have rocketed into favouritism.
The addition of an NRL team in PNG would be a political coup for Australia, which is ready to deploy “rugby league diplomacy” to combat China’s potential incursion into the Pacific region.
“PNG is on the top of the list at the moment for expansion,” V’landys said.
“We are in commercially-sensitive discussions with the federal government.
“Naturally we want to assist the government in Australia’s national security and we see unlimited potential in a PNG team.
“The federal government is right behind this. We have a very good relationship with the prime minister (Anthony Albanese), the sports minister (Anika Wells) and Pat Conroy (defence minister), so we will start some pretty deep negotiations with them in the next few weeks.
“Papua New Guinea is certainly high on the cards for NRL expansion.”
There has been speculation surrounding the North Sydney Bears joining forces with a Pasifika franchise, but V’landys made it clear any Pacific NRL licence must be spearheaded by PNG.
The ARLC chairman stressed other regions such as Perth and Queensland have not been dismissed, with the NRL open to expanding to a 20-team competition by the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
“It will all be one bid – we won’t have a team in Papua New Guinea and then a separate Pasifika franchise,” V’landys said.
“We’d love to see it as an overall Pacific strategy where there will be other nations involved in Samoa, Tonga and Fiji, but PNG will be the key part of the bid.
“The harder part is apportioning a possible NRL licence between those nations, but that’s to be done in the due diligence.”
It is understood the federal government is prepared to provide $20-25 million annually to a PNG-led Pasifika franchise.
No specific money was allocated in the May budget for a PNG team bid, but $89.5m was set aside over four years to “deepen Pacific connections by strengthening cultural and people-to-people ties with the region and promote shared values”.
