NRL Pre-season Challenge

National Rugby League
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2026 NRL Pre-season Challenge
SportRugby league
Founded2023 (2023)
First season2023
No. of teams16 or 18
Country Australia
(16 teams)
 New Zealand
(1 team)
Current premiers Parramatta Eels
(1st premiership)
Most premierships Brisbane Broncos
(2 premierships)
Related
competitions		National Rugby League

The National Rugby League (NRL) Pre-season Challenge is a two-week Australian rugby league pre-season competition held annually before the beinging of each year's National Rugby League (NRL) season.

Background

The competition was introduced in 2023 in attempt to formalise pre-season fixtures. The competition also aims to encourage a more attacking style of rugby league with bonus points being awarded for teams for scoring tries, making line breaks, and making offloads. The winner of the competition receives AU$100,000 as prize money.[1]

Participation

The Pre-season Challenge is either a 16-team or an 18-team competition. In odd number years where Australia hosts the World Club Challenge, the traveling Super League team has participated in the Pre-season Challenge with the World Club Challenge being held as part of the competition.[2] In even number years where the UK hosts the World Club Challenge, the traveling NRL team does not participate in the Pre-season Challenge.[3][4] As a result of the cancellation of the 2025 World Club Challenge, the 2025 Pre-season Challenge saw 17 teams compete.

Results

Season Winner Ref.
2023 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles [5]
2024 Brisbane Broncos [6]
2025 Brisbane Broncos [7]
2026 Parramatta Eels [8]

References

  1. ↑ "2023 Pre-Season Challenge: Everything you need to know". NRL.com. 9 February 2023. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
  2. ↑ "World Club Challenge: How to watch St Helens' clash with Penrith Panthers and NRL Pre-Season Challenge games on Sky". Sky Sports.
  3. ↑ "Panthers to face Wigan in World Club Challenge". NRL.com. 1 December 2023.
  4. ↑ "Wigan to host Penrith in Betfred World Club Challenge". 30 November 2023.
  5. ↑ "Ladder".
  6. ↑ "Ladder".
  7. ↑ "Ladder".
  8. ↑ "Ladder".
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