How the NRL draw works, the key 2026 dates from Las Vegas to the 4 October grand final, byes and Origin weeks, and what we know about the 18-club 2027 draw.
NRL Draw 2026 and 2027: Key Dates, Byes, Finals and What Changes With 18 Clubs
The NRL draw is the season’s master fixture list: who plays whom, where, and when. The 2026 draw was released on 14 November 2025 and ran from a round-one game in Las Vegas on 28 February to the grand final on 4 October. With the regular season finished, attention has shifted to the finals and to the 2027 draw, which will be the first built for 18 clubs.
This page explains how the draw is structured, where the key dates fall, what the byes and the Origin period do to form, and what we already know about 2027.
27 rounds24 games and three byes per club in 2026
28 FebSeason opener in Las Vegas
11 Sep – 4 OctFinals series, grand final at Accor Stadium
18 clubsThe 2027 season, with the Perth Bears added
What this article answers: The key dates in the 2026 NRL draw, how the draw works, and what is known about the 2027 draw with 18 clubs.
Main points
- The 2026 draw was released on 14 November 2025 and ran for 27 rounds, with 24 games and three byes per club.
- The season opened in Las Vegas on 28 February, and the finals run from 11 September to the grand final at Accor Stadium on 4 October.
- The competition grows to 18 clubs in 2027 with the addition of the Perth Bears.
- The page explains where to find the official draw.
How the NRL draw works
With 17 clubs in 2026, one team had to sit out every round, so each club played 24 games and had three byes worth two competition points each. The league builds the draw around a few fixed points: a marquee opening round, Magic Round in Brisbane, the three State of Origin weeks in June and July, and a fixed finals window in September.
Within those constraints the NRL balances home and away games, travel, broadcast slots and venue availability. That is why New Zealand games move around: in 2026 the Warriors played home fixtures in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, and the club’s Anzac Day match against the Dolphins in Wellington drew 34,812.
Byes, Origin and why the draw affects form
The bye rounds are clustered around State of Origin, when clubs lose their Queensland and New South Wales representatives for several weeks. A club whose bye lands in an Origin week effectively gets a free rest; a club without one can be badly stretched. Fantasy players plan their trades around exactly these weeks — the Wikipedia entry on NRL SuperCoach explains how that fantasy game works.
For anyone following the betting side, the draw is the first thing to check before a market. Short turnarounds, long travel and Origin absences all show up in team lists before they show up in results.
2026 key dates at a glance
| Stage | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | 28 February onwards | Season opened in Las Vegas (Knights v Cowboys, 45,719 at Allegiant Stadium) |
| Regular season | Rounds 1–27 | Ended 6 September with Penrith as minor premiers |
| Finals week 1 | 11–13 September | Warriors v Dolphins in Auckland, Saturday 6:05pm NZST |
| Semi-finals | 18–20 September | Qualifying-final losers v elimination-final winners |
| Preliminary finals | 25–27 September | New Zealand switches to daylight time on 27 September |
| Grand final | Sunday 4 October | Accor Stadium, Sydney — 7:30pm local, 9:30pm NZDT |
Our NRL finals 2026 guide has every finals fixture with New Zealand times, and the NRL games tonight page lists the current week’s games.
Where to find the official draw
The NRL publishes the full draw on the NRL website, including kick-off times, venues and broadcasters, and updates it when games move. The same fixtures appear on nrl.com and in the official app, which is the safest place to check a time close to kick-off.
Kick-off times are listed in Australian eastern time. New Zealand is usually two hours ahead of Sydney. The gap grows to three hours for games in Queensland while New Zealand is on daylight time — roughly until early April and again from late September — and for Sydney games in the week between New Zealand’s daylight-saving change on the last Sunday of September and New South Wales’ change a week later. The converter below handles the difference for any date.
Convert an NRL kick-off to NZ time
Enter the kick-off time shown on the NRL draw and the date of the game.
Convert
Time zone
Date
Kick-off time
Time in New Zealand—
NZ difference—
Educational tool from Sports-Betting.nz. Results are estimates — the bet slip or official dividend always decides. 18+ only. Free, confidential help: Gambling Helpline 0800 654 655 or text 8006.
The 2027 NRL draw: what we know
The biggest change for 2027 is the arrival of the Perth Bears as the 18th club, coached by Mal Meninga. An even number of teams means every club can play in a round, so the bye structure of the 17-team era will change. The NRL has not yet released the 2027 fixtures; the 2026 draw came out in mid-November, so a similar release window is likely.
New Zealand also gets its first State of Origin match in 2027, with Game II scheduled for Eden Park in Auckland on Wednesday 16 June 2027. That will shape the middle of the 2027 draw, and we will add the full fixture list here when it is published.
Please read: This page is general sports information for readers aged 18 and over. It is not betting, financial or legal advice, and it does not encourage anyone to gamble. Since 28 June 2025, TAB NZ has been the only operator allowed to offer online racing and sports betting to people in New Zealand.
If gambling is causing problems for you or someone close to you, free and confidential help is available 24/7 from the Gambling Helpline on 0800 654 655 or free text 8006. The Problem Gambling Foundation also offers free counselling.
Reference sources
FAQs
When was the 2026 NRL draw released?
The NRL released the 2026 fixtures on 14 November 2025.
How many rounds are in the NRL season?
The 2026 regular season had 27 rounds. Each of the 17 clubs played 24 games and had three byes.
When will the 2027 NRL draw be released?
The NRL has not announced a date. The 2026 draw was released in mid-November 2025, so a similar timing for 2027 would not be surprising.
Is there a State of Origin game in New Zealand?
Yes. Game II of the 2027 State of Origin series is scheduled for Eden Park, Auckland, on Wednesday 16 June 2027 — the first Origin match played in New Zealand.
Are NRL kick-off times listed in NZ time?
No. The official draw lists Australian eastern time. For Sydney games add two hours for most of the season; Queensland games can be three hours behind New Zealand during our daylight-saving months. The converter on this page does the maths.
