NRLW’s Landmark 2025 Season: Expansion, Innovation, and Record-Breaking Growth

A New Chapter in Women’s Rugby League

The 2025 NRL Women’s season marks the eighth professional season of the competition, featuring an expanded 12-team format with the return of the New Zealand Warriors and the introduction of the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.

Unprecedented Growth and Development

Rugby league is experiencing remarkable growth, with female participation set to exceed 50,000 players for the first time. NRL CEO Andrew Abdo has highlighted that the expansion to 12 teams will serve as a catalyst for the continued rise of women’s rugby league in Australia and the Pacific.

The 2025 season introduces several innovations, including the implementation of Magic Round and features 33 NRL-NRLW double headers. The competition format has been restructured to include a six-team finals series over three weeks, where teams ranked 3rd through 6th compete in elimination finals before meeting the top two teams in the semifinals, culminating in a grand final.

Commercial Success and Viewership Records

The ARLC’s Annual Report revealed impressive viewership figures, with eight million people watching last year’s NRLW competition and an additional three million tuning in for the Women’s State of Origin matches. The previous season’s NRLW Grand Final attracted over a million viewers, and investments in participation and pathways are ensuring new teams remain competitive upon entering the competition.

Future Prospects

While focusing on consolidating the latest expansion, the NRL remains committed to future growth. According to Andrew Abdo, discussions are ongoing with all clubs that don’t currently have a license, with the ultimate goal of every NRL club, including future franchises in Perth and PNG, having both men’s and women’s teams.

Every match of the 2025 season will be broadcast live on the Nine Network, Fox Sports, and Kayo Sports, making this anticipated to be “the best yet” in the competition’s history.