State of Origin 2026 I: How to watch, team lists and kick-off time

Aaron Bower 27 May 2026 5:00 AM

State of Origin 2026 — State of Origin gets underway for 2026 on Wednesday.

The 2026 State of Origin series gets underway on Wednesday when New South Wales and Queensland renew rivalries in rugby league’s biggest trilogy of fixtures.

This year will be the 45th annual meeting between the sport’s two biggest states, with Queensland looking to go back-to-back having won last year’s series 2-1.

With the first game taking place in Sydney on Wednesday, here’s everything you need to know going into the mouthwatering first Origin in 2026.

What time is kick-off and where?

Game I of the series takes place at Sydney’s Accor Stadium, with the second match to be staged at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground for only the seventh time in Origin history.

The opening match of the series kicks off at 8:05pm AEST – for those of you in the United Kingdom, that is 11:05am, so you’ll have to fit it in around work!

Where can I watch?

For those in the UK, the opening match of the Origin series will be screened on Sky Sports.

It will come on air just ahead of kick-off, with the action being shown on Sky Sports’ Main Event channel, as well as the Action channel too, underlining the importance of Origin for the sport.

For those elsewhere in the world, the game will be available to purchase on Watch NRL.

What are the teams?

Queensland: Kalyn Ponga, Selwyn Cobbo, Robert Toia, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Jojo Fifita, Cameron Munster, Sam Walker, Tom Flegler, Harry Grant, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, Reuben Cotter, Kurt Capewell, Max Plath. Interchange: Briton Nikora, Lindsay Collins, Patrick Carrigan, Trent Loeiro. Reserves: Ezra Mam, Gehamat Shibasaki, Kulikefu Finefeuiaki

New South Wales: James Tedesco, Brian To’o, Stephen Crichton, Kotoni Staggs, Tolutau Koula, Ethan Strange, Nathan Cleary, Addin Fonua-Blake, Reece Robson, Mitch Barnett, Hudson Young, Haumole Olakau’atu, Isaah Yeo. Interchange: Cameron Murray, Victor Radley, Jacob Saifiti, Blayke Brailey. Reserves: Casey McLean, Dylan Lucas.

What are the big team stories?

With eligibility rules for Origin widened this year to include players that can represent other nations, it means there are some new and notable names.

Chief among them is England enforcer Victor Radley, who will make his Blues debut from the interchange bench on Wednesday and is likely to provide plenty of spark in a game of such intensity and pressure.

Another player with links to England is Queensland seven Sam Walker. Born in Leeds, he moved to Ipswich as a youngster and qualifies for the Maroons through that pathway.

Perhaps the biggest story of them all though is that New South Wales star Mitchell Moses has been ruled out due to injury. He was due to start at half-back alongside Nathan Cleary but injury has meant he is unavailable.

That will mean an Origin debut for Ethan Strange, who goes straight into Laurie Daley’s starting 13 alongside Cleary.

It is just another layer of intrigue to what promises to be one of the most exciting and eagerly anticipated State of Origin series in the history of the competition.