PNG to join NRL in 2028
12th December 2024
In a landmark, world first sports diplomacy deal, the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) has confirmed an agreement with the Australian Government to fund a 10-year Pacific Rugby League Partnership. The Pacific Pacific Rugby League Partnership will support investment into grassroots, pathways and elite rugby league across Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Samoa and Fiji. It will also support the introduction of a PNG-based NRL side as part of a future expanded NRL Telstra Premiership.
ARLC Chairman Peter V’landys AM said the deal was a watershed moment for rugby league and the Pacific region. "This is an historic step for Rugby League, Australia, PNG and the entire Pacific," Mr V’landys said. "Rugby league is the number one sport in the Pacific. This new Club will solidify Rugby league’s role as the unifying language of our region."
V’landys said the funding would be directed into programs that would transform lives and communities across the Pacific. "Roughly half the funding in this historic agreement with the Federal Government will go to grassroots football and community programs in PNG. It will also flow across the Pacific, including to Fiji, Tonga and Samoa. The Pacific Rugby League Partnership will help improve school retention, foster national cohesion, and provide opportunities for young people to be their best selves. We know when rugby league is on the curriculum, kids go to school – and that changes lives. Rugby league isn’t just sport, it’s a social force for good – a way to improve lives and build stronger communities.
"The new PNG team provides the NRL with a new 10 million+ audience many who will go from being causal fans into engaged fans. Just as importantly the pathways investments will provide many new and exciting players to the game. I thank Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, PNG Prime Minister James Marape, Pat Conroy and their respective governments for having the vision to understand rugby league’s unique capacity to bind and build communities."
The incredible story of the journey of rugby league in Papua New Guinea has received its ultimate end-result with the announcement that the country will join the National Rugby League in 2028. The decision is an amazing boost not only for the people of PNG, but also the Pacific Nations as a whole. Months of speculation were today confirmed with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape standing together in Sydney to announce the news that will thrill a nation of people where rugby league is the national sport and unites the country.
A tremendous amount of work has taken place behind the scenes to make this decision possible. With an incredible talent pool of male and female players throughout the country a structure needed to be put in place to support the development of these players. NRL Bid CEO Andrew Hill and Chairman Wapu Sonk, were tasked with the job of putting the pieces in place that would create a structure that would be the envy of any club in the NRL. This started with the appointment of the highly credentialled Joe Grima to head up the pathways program.
An Academy program was created to nurture the best 15, 17 and 19 year-old players and to expand the geographical reach to create training centres throughout the country. An annual tournament was then created to allow the best players in the country to showcase their skills on a national platform that was televised for the first time. The success of the new structure was then highlighted when the Junior Kumuls were able to draw 22-all with the Australian Schoolboys side in Port Moresby in October, showcasing the major steps forward that had taken place in the skills levels and fitness of the players. With the structures and programs now in place, and can move to creating a franchise that can thrive in the NRL.
NRL Bid CEO Andrew Hill was delighted that an enormous amount of hard work by many people had led to this point. "Rugby League in PNG is extremely thankful to both the Papua New Guinea and Australian Governments. There is no doubt that their support was a game changer," he said. "We are also indebted to Peter V’Landys, Andrew Abdo and the ARLC for their vision and commitment to PNG and the Pacific. PNG is in the incredible position of being the only country in the world where rugby league is the national game. It brings together people from all backgrounds and locations under one banner. When you have a population that can unite behind one cause, it is incredibly powerful, and we have the potential to create the largest fan base of any other current NRL team."
NRL Bid Chairman Wapu Sonk was equally as effusive about what the news would mean to the people of PNG. "We can’t wait for the world to see the beauty of this great country and everything that it has to offer. It is a chance for our country to showcase itself to the world through a sport that unites the nation. This is now the starting point for a lot of hard work. There is much to do to make sure that we are ready to go in 2028, but I am confident that when we run out for our first match, we will be ready and the whole country will be behind us."
Ref - NRL [Viewed 13 Dec 2024] / NRL [Viewed 3 Dec 2024] / FN-2
Development of PNG Pathways Players - 2 PNG Players outside of Salaray Cap
17th April 2025
The Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) has announced a new policy aimed at developing rugby league talent in Papua New Guinea, in preparation for a Port Moresby-based NRL team expected to join the competition in 2028. As part of the initiative, NRL clubs will be allowed to sign up to two PNG Pathway Players outside the salary cap. These players — defined as those who have participated in junior rugby league in PNG — will have their full salaries exempt from both the Top 30 and Supplementary Salary Caps. The ARLC says this move is designed to encourage clubs to invest in emerging talent from PNG, while providing clearer pathways for players looking to break into the NRL. However, success will depend not just on policy changes, but also on effective investment in grassroots development. This policy is part of a broader strategy that includes increased funding for participation pathways across PNG and the Pacific region.
Ref - NRL [Viewed 18 Apr 2025] / FN-2
PNG Franchaise NRL Board Announced
24th June 2025
The Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) has announced the inaugural board members of the PNG franchise, to be chaired by Ray Dib. The initial seven members of the include business and industry leaders in both PNG and Australia. An eighth independent director will still be appointed by the Board itself, after considering which additional skills the board requires. The first ever board of the PNG franchise will comprise:
ARLC Chairman Peter V’landys AM and NRL CEO Andrew Abdo made the announcement in Port Moresby today alongside PNG Prime Minister, the Hon James Marape MP, and Australian Minister for Pacific Island Affairs, the Hon Pat Conroy MP. "The importance of this franchise goes well beyond winning games of football, it is about nation building and bringing our two countries closer together," Mr V’landys said. "The new NRL Club will provide a pathway for young people in PNG to follow their dreams and it will help transform societal and economic outcomes. This is an important moment for the NRL as PNG is set up to become a nursery of talent in the region for the entire competition, not to mention the millions of fans that will now follow a new team entering the competition. Today’s announcement is a major milestone and sets the franchise on a path to great success both on and off the field. This Club will act as beacon of hope and opportunity across PNG and offer opportunity to young people hoping for a better future. Rugby League is the number one sport in the Pacific, and this new Club will solidify Rugby League’s role as the unifying language of the region.
Minister for Pacific Island Affairs, the Hon Pat Conroy MP, said: "The Albanese Government is proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with PNG in supporting this once-in-a-generation opportunity. The PNG NRL team will be a catalyst for economic growth, creating jobs and boosting tourism. Together with PNG, we are building more than a team — we are building a legacy and underscoring our shared interest in stable and prosperous region." PNG Prime Minister, the Hon James Marape MP, has also announced a competition giving fans the opportunity to vote for the name of the PNG franchise.
Ref - NRL [Viewed 31 Aug 2025] / FN-2
PNG Chiefs Moniker Announced
12th October 2025
Prime Minister Hon. James Marape today announced that Papua New Guinea’s National Rugby League (NRL) team will be officially known as the PNG Chiefs, describing the name as a powerful reflection of the country’s deep cultural roots, ancient governance systems, and enduring unity. "We are a nation of a thousand tribes," Prime Minister Marape said. "Before there was a modern state called Papua New Guinea in 1975, our people lived for thousands of years under tribal structures led by chiefs — both men and women — who governed, protected, and held our communities together." The Prime Minister noted that in regions such as Milne Bay, Bougainville, New Ireland, and East New Britain, women were traditionally chiefs or clan heads under matrilineal systems, while in other areas, male chiefs led patrilineal clans. In many communities, authority was balanced — men acted as public chiefs, while women were the custodians of land, lineage, and clan identity, exercising decisive influence over leadership and resource inheritance.
"The name Chiefs depicts our authentic cultural history," he said. "It tells the story of how our ancient tribal systems — diverse and sovereign in their own right — fused into one sovereignty in 1975. That fusion was an amazing miracle, forming one democracy, one people, one nation — and now, one team."
Papua New Guinea is the only country in the world where rugby league is the national sport — a game that unites the nation across more than 800 languages and 1,000 tribes. The establishment of a PNG-based NRL franchise marks a historic milestone in the country’s sporting and national journey. For years, the PNG Government, through the PNG NRL Bid Board, has worked closely with the Australian Government, the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC), and the NRL to secure the nation’s inclusion in the world’s premier rugby league competition. The PNG NRL team, expected to enter the competition in 2028, will be based in Port Moresby but carry a truly national identity, drawing players from all provinces. The team will build on the success of the PNG Hunters, who have competed in Australia’s Queensland Cup (Hostplus Cup) since 2014 and won the championship in 2017 — a landmark victory that proved Papua New Guinea’s capability to compete at a professional level.
Prime Minister Marape said the PNG Chiefs’ inclusion in the NRL was not only a sporting achievement but also a nation-building milestone, symbolising Papua New Guinea’s growing partnership with Australia and the Pacific region. "Our Chiefs will represent the unity and pride of our nation on the world stage," he said. "Every game they play will showcase the strength, resilience, and talent of our people. This is more than sport — it is nationhood expressed through rugby league." He added that each time the PNG Chiefs — men’s or women’s — take the field, they will embody the collective strength of all Papua New Guineans. "Every time the 17 players step onto the field, they carry the spirit of our thousand tribes, our chiefs, our languages, and our cultures," he said. "This one team should work to hold our one people, one country, and one nation together — just as our chiefs did for generations." Prime Minister Marape said the PNG Chiefs name is a fitting emblem as the country celebrates 50 years of Independence in 2025, representing both the past and future of leadership in Papua New Guinea. “Our forefathers and mothers were chiefs who kept order, peace, and balance among our tribes. As we play on the world stage, the PNG Chiefs will carry that same spirit — the strength of unity in diversity.” The Prime Minister also acknowledged the Australian Government and NRL leadership for their steadfast partnership in making Papua New Guinea’s NRL dream a reality. He thanked Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for his commitment to strengthening people-to-people ties through sports diplomacy and supporting Papua New Guinea’s bid as part of the broader Australia–Pacific sports partnership. He also recognised ARLC Chairman Peter V’landys and NRL Chief Executive Officer Andrew Abdo for their confidence in PNG’s rugby league culture, talent, and national passion for the sport. "Prime Minister Albanese’s support has been instrumental," Marape said. "Our inclusion in the NRL reflects not just a sporting partnership, but a deep bond between our two nations. I thank him, Mr V’landys and Mr Abdo for believing in Papua New Guinea and our potential to contribute meaningfully to the NRL family. The PNG Chiefs will be a unifying symbol of Pacific strength, friendship, and shared values - a reflection of how sport continues to build bridges between peoples and nations."
Ref - NRL [Viewed 19 Oct 2025] / FN-2