NRL reveals boom Las Vegas, Round 2 viewership results

Off the back of a blockbuster season opener in Las Vegas that drew 2.1 million viewers - up 7 per cent on last year’s event - the NRL continued its strong start in Round 2, with viewership up 15 per cent compared to the same stage in 2025.

Fans turned out in huge numbers for marquee clashes, with the Brisbane Broncos taking on the Parramatta Eels in front of 39,015 fans, and the Sydney Roosters hosting the South Sydney Rabbitohs to a crowd of 41,424. Leichhardt Oval was packed with 17,367 fans for the Jarome Luai show, underlining the appetite for live NRL action both in stadiums and on television.

Numbers across the first two rounds of the 2026 season highlight the growth of the game beyond the traditional hubs. Attendance outside of Las Vegas has surged, with 72,000 more fans attending NRL matches in Rounds 1 and 2 compared to the same period in 2025. Average attendance for non-Las Vegas games jumped from 17,325 to 22,489, a 30 per cent increase, lifting total crowds by 25 per cent year-on-year.

Television audiences mirrored the in-stadium excitement. Total viewers for Round 2 were up 15.4 per cent, with average minutes watched per viewer rising from 64.6 to 66.8. The gains were driven by a combination of 5.6 per cent more viewers tuning in and 3.4 per cent longer viewing times, demonstrating growing engagement with the competition.