Rugby League registrations have opened for 2026 and the NSWRL will be looking for another bumper season after breaking participation records for the third consecutive year in 2025.
There were 122,430 participants who signed up to play Rugby League this season, a 4.1 per cent increase on the 117,557 participants who signed up to play in 2024.
Female participation finished at 33,306, an 11 per cent increase from 29,965 in 2024, while male participants reached 89,124, a 1.7 per cent increase from 87,592 last year. Female participation now accounts for 27 per cent of total participants.
“The NSWRL enjoyed another record-breaking season for participation in 2025 which is testament to the hard work carried out by our volunteers every year to make the Game for All a positive experience for all participants,” NSWRL Chief Executive David Trodden said.
“The NSWRL recently gave back to grassroots football after announcing that almost $1.4 million would be provided to 12 clubs across the state through the NSWRL Infrastructure Investment Fund to improve grounds and facilities. This will hopefully lead to even more participants playing our great game.
“I encourage everyone to get involved with Rugby League and sign up for the 2026 season as it is an opportunity to learn about teamwork, pick up some new skills and make lifelong friends.”
Rugby League participation in NSW has continued to improve for the past three seasons. In 2023, there were 112,767 participants, an overall increase of almost seven per cent, which consisted of 86,580 male participants and 26,187 female participants.
The 2024 figure of 117,557 participants was a 4.6 per cent increase on the previous season, with male participation up 1.7 per cent and female participation up 14 per cent.
Click here to register for the 2026 NSWRL season.
