Rugby League Heads to the Las Vegas Spotlight
2025 will mark a historic moment for the Super League as the Warrington Wolves and Wigan Warriors are set to face off in a groundbreaking match at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Warrington halfback George Williams believes this move is a “step in the right direction” and can only benefit the British game.
The match, scheduled for March 1, 2025, will be part of a four-game rugby league extravaganza. It will be followed by an NRL clash between the Canberra Raiders and New Zealand Warriors, an international women’s Test match between Australia and England, and an NRL championship game between the Penrith Panthers and Cronulla Sharks.
“It’s really exciting,” he said. “For us players, it’s probably an opportunity you never imagined you’d get.”
The England captain believes this venture can help showcase the sport to a wider American audience, as the NRL has already found success in the US.
“I know the NRL had massive success with it, so hopefully we can follow suit,” Williams commented.
He praised the work of Wigan’s Kris Radlinski and Warrington’s Karl Fitzpatrick in making this historic event a reality.
Williams’ personal connection to the city of Las Vegas extends beyond the rugby pitch, as he has already booked his stag do in the “Sin City” this November, shortly after the rugby season concludes.
“I’m actually going for my stag do in November,” the player revealed with a laugh. “So that’ll be different to the business one in March, so I’ll see both sides of it.”
The Warrington star has previous experience of rugby league’s expansion to the United States, having been part of the England squad that faced New Zealand in Denver back in 2018. He believes American sports fans would embrace the sport, given their love for contact sports like the NFL.
“I think Americans love contact sport, don’t they? The NFL etc,” Williams said. “I know our product works, if you watch it you enjoy it, so we just need to get more people watching it and we’ve got some great athletes, so hopefully we can showcase it.”
The upcoming Super League match in Las Vegas represents a significant milestone for the sport, as it aims to strengthen ties between the RFL, NRL, and the NFL. With the support of players like George Williams, rugby league is poised to captivate a new audience and potentially forge new avenues for growth on the global stage.
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