Major decision made on Las Vegas 2026 schedule as announcement looms

The schedule for next year’s rugby league extravaganza in Las Vegas is looming: and it looks certain to be reduced to three games – with England and Australia’s women’s teams cut.

In the aftermath of this year’s event, organisers conceded four games was likely too long for supporters to be inside Allegiant Stadium, hinting at the prospect of a reduced schedule for 2026.

And after the Jillaroos hammered England 90-4 in a one-sided women’s international, it has now been reported that will be the game that unfortunately makes way to lighten the load on the scheduling for 2026.

The immediate aftermath of that game led to questions about whether or not the gap between Australia and the rest of women’s rugby league had widened yet again, with several England stars calling for more support for the Women’s Super League.

And now, via the Off The Record podcast, journalist Andrew Webster has let slip that the women’s game will be cut.

“There will be an announcement in the next week or two according to the NRL about who is heading to Las Vegas next year,” he said.

“There’s been quite a number of clubs that have made a submission but they’ve got no clue about whether they are in the frame or not.

“Bulldogs vs Dragons seems like a lock. But the other matches are undecided. It’s either down to the Cowboys and Dolphins or Eels, Knights and Storm. I can say the Roosters cheekily said they’d be willing to go again.

“The other part of this is the NRL will scrap the women’s game after what happened with the Jillaroos and England, that blowout.”

Leeds, Hull KR and St Helens are believed to be the three Super League clubs at the front of the queue to make the Vegas trip from an English perspective next year.

An announcement is expected in the coming weeks.