Crisafulli seals six-year deal to keep Nrl Magic Round in Brisbane until 2032
nrl magic round will stay in Brisbane until 2032 after the Queensland Government negotiated a six-year deal with the Australian Rugby League Commission on Friday afternoon. The current hosting deal was due to expire at the end of next year, but the event now has a longer runway and a bigger format from 2027.
David Crisafulli said the event would be “at level no one has ever seen before” and added, “And it makes us proud to be Queenslanders.” That is the immediate shift for the showpiece: Brisbane keeps the event, and the schedule gets larger before the decade is out.
Brisbane keeps the prize
The deal ends months of competition for the event. Several states and countries had expressed interest in moving Magic Round away from Queensland, including New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia and New Zealand governments.
Peter V’landys said, “There were a lot of interested parties... but we always wanted it in Queensland,” and then added, “It’s worth a lot.” He also said, “When I first saw the Premier this afternoon, I offered him my wallet, because he bled us dry,” before adding, “He’s done a very good deal with Brisbane.”
That gives Queensland the outcome it wanted most: the NRL’s showpiece stays in the city where it was born, and the political fight over hosting rights is over for now. Adrian Schrinner said, “Magic Round was born in Brisbane and it’s here to stay.”
Townsville joins in 2027
The format changes from 2027. Magic Round will feature nine NRL games and begin with two matches on the Thursday, adding another day to the event’s footprint.
Townsville will also host a Women’s State of Origin game on the Wednesday from 2027. That means the Queensland deal does more than keep the main event in Brisbane; it spreads the event calendar across two cities and adds another origin fixture to the state’s rugby league offering.
Schrinner said, “This event delivers a huge boost for local businesses, supports local jobs and showcases Brisbane to a massive national audience.” He also said, “Brisbane knows how to host major events better than anywhere else in Australia and Magic Round has become one of the biggest weekends on our city’s calendar.”
For fans, the immediate takeaway is simple: Brisbane remains the home of Magic Round through 2032, and the event gets bigger from 2027 with an extra game, an extra day and a Townsville Origin match added to the week.
