NRL Mulls Historic Revamp: Shorter Season, Standalone Origin Series

As of November 16th, 2025, the NRL is reportedly exploring a historic revamp of its scheduling when a 20th team enters the competition. According to the latest reports, the league is considering slashing the number of regular season rounds from 27 to just 19.

The primary motivation behind this proposed change is to even out the draw by having each team face off against one another just once, rather than the current unbalanced system. With the addition of a 20th club, expected to join the competition by 2030 at the earliest, the NRL believes this streamlined schedule will create a fairer and more equitable regular season.

Furthermore, the shorter 19-round season could also lead to the State of Origin series becoming a standalone event, uninterrupted by the regular NRL fixtures. This would provide a more focused and uninterrupted showcase for the annual interstate clash.

While the 20th team's entry is still several years away, the NRL is already laying the groundwork for this potential overhaul. However, the upcoming broadcast rights deal, set to be the largest in the game's history, remains a major hurdle. Broadcasters may be hesitant to agree to a reduced regular season, even if it results in only 14 fewer games overall.