Brisbane pulls off trick to keep NRL Magic Round until 2027

• Brisbane will continue to host the NRL’s showpiece event, Magic Round, from 2025 – 2027.
• The event was won through a competitive bid process against other Australian states.
• Magic Round sees one full Telstra NRL Premiership round – eight games - contested at Suncorp Stadium over one weekend, with the opening Women’s State of Origin game making it a four-day festival of footy.

Brisbane will continue as the home of the NRL’s showpiece event, Magic Round, for a further three years under a deal announced between the NRL, Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council.

The NRL opened up the event for competitive bidding across all Australian states last year, with Brisbane presenting an unmatched opportunity to deliver a bigger, bolder event in what has quickly become one of the most high-profile spectacles on the NRL’s calendar.

The Miles Government through Tourism and Events Queensland and the Brisbane City Council through Brisbane Economic Development Agency first secured the event in 2019 and will continue the partnership to host the event through until 2027.

Brisbane’s pitch to retain the event in its spiritual home, centred around the city’s unparallelled connections – with Suncorp Stadium located right in the city centre and the festival atmosphere that spreads across the city for a weekend of rugby league magic.

The event sees all NRL teams travel to Brisbane to contest a full premiership round – eight games over three days.

In 2024 the opening Women’s State of Origin game was added to the weekend, extending the event to a four-day festival of footy for fans.

The 2023 event saw tickets sell out for the first time in the event’s history and new data released today by Tourism and Queensland reveals the event injected a staggering $41.1 million into the visitor economy over three days, with visitors staying a collective 123,000 bed nights.

The 2024 event is a sell-out, with more than 140,000 tickets snapped up by keen footy fans.

Quotes Attributable to Queensland Premier Steven Miles:

“Brisbane brings the magic of Magic Round. It can’t be held anywhere else.

“When we brought this concept to reality in partnership with the NRL in 2019 we knew it would be a winner for players, fans and Queensland.

“The way Queenslanders and tourists have embraced Magic Round in Brisbane has made it clear this event just can’t happen anywhere else. 

“I’ve loved coming along to Magic Round with my kids and dad every year, seeing the streets, restaurants and Suncorp packed with fans and I’m really looking forward to doing it again until 2027 and beyond.”

Quotes Attributable to Deputy Premier and Treasurer Cameron Dick:

“Magic Round has become a uniquely Queensland event that brings footy fans from across the country and across the Tasman to the world’s greatest rugby league venue.

“That means millions of extra dollars being pumped into Queensland hotels, restaurants and shops, which is good for our economy and good for rugby league.”

Quotes Attributable to Tourism and Sport Minister Michael Healy:

“For a rugby league enthusiast like me this is the most magical time of the year, when fans get the chance to experience Brisbane’s great lifestyle and watch every game of round eleven from the best rectangular stadium on the planet.

“Magic Round is Queensland to the boot laces, made for Queenslanders. The city will be buzzing, and I can’t wait to see supporters from all the different teams parading a sea of club colours down Caxton Street and enjoying this incredible festival of footy.

“We know nearly half of all ticket holders for Magic Round come from interstate or New Zealand and that’s terrific news for accommodation, transport, hospitality, and tourism operators and for good Queensland jobs.

“Our partnerships make Magic Round possible, and this announcement is proof of that. Bring on the next three years.”

Quotes Attributable to Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner:

“We are thrilled to be named future host of the NRL Magic Round, offering visitors and residents a captivating spectator experience within Suncorp Stadium and beyond into rugby league’s homeland.

“Attracting sporting fans from across the country, this homegrown throwdown gets bigger and better each year as more fans flock to our vibrant city for an unmissable festival of footy like no other.

“Adding to an already impressive major events calendar, we look forward to championing the legacy of rugby league while welcoming sell-out crowds that will fill our hotels, dine in our restaurants and enjoy our tourism experiences, delivering millions in economic benefit to Brisbane." 

Quotes Attributable to Australian Rugby League Commission Chairman Peter V’landys:

“Queensland without rugby league is like a beach without sand and sun. There is no greater sight than seeing the fans in their jerseys going down Caxton Street. No other street in Australia has the same atmosphere and excitement as Caxton Street. It’s an experience that everyone should add to their bucket list.

“So there is no surprise that engagement is such that all three days of Magic Round sold out in record time. Thousands of people will converge on Brisbane this week and millions more will watch at home, generating an enormous economic impact for Queensland.

“Brisbane is the home of Magic Round, and I’m very pleased that we will be back here until 2027. It’s just reward for the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council who had the foresight to partner with us on this initiative.”

Tourism and Events Queensland Chief Executive Officer Patricia O’Callaghan:

“Winning this bid is momentous for Brisbane and more broadly, Queensland.

“The NRL Magic Round is one of Queensland’s biggest events, filling local accommodation and seeing tens of thousands of fans planning an extended Queensland getaway months in advance.

“We have a solid partnership approach here in Queensland to securing and delivering events and winning this bid to retain Magic Round in Brisbane is a great demonstration of the success of that approach, having engaged state and local government agencies, Suncorp Stadium and industry partners like The Star Brisbane. I thank each of our partners who have worked hard to create this magic event and ensure it stays where it belongs.

“As we take this event to the next level you can expect to see the city come even more alive and of course we’ll ramp up our international marketing efforts to shine even more of a spotlight on this exceptional event.”

Extra information:

Taking the event to the next level, it is also proposed that an NRL and Advance Queensland partnership will see Brisbane host the Magic Round Startup Program to help pilot cutting-edge sporting technologies.

Unlocking new platforms for the NRL and partners to create buzz, excite fans and elevate the event experience, along with bolstering airport activations, a city concierge program and Brisbane experience program will add to the already electric atmosphere fans have enjoyed since the Magic Round concept became reality in Brisbane.

With the mega Queen’s Wharf development due to open in late 2024, the city will light up even more with rugby league fever in years to come.

ENDS