The National Rugby League (NRL) has today announced the draw for the 2024 Pacific Championships to be played in four countries across four consecutive weekends in October and November.
In a major development, the 2024 edition will see the introduction of promotion and relegation with the winner of the Men’s and Women’s Pacific Bowls to play off against the third-placed Pacific Cup nations for a place in their respective 2025 Pacific Cup pools.
Fiji will host Pacific Championship matches for the first time as the event expands further into the Pacific in 2024, with Port Moresby’s Santos Stadium to once again host matches alongside Brisbane, Christchurch, Auckland and Sydney.
NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said the introduction of promotion and relegation adds extra significance to each contest following the success of the maiden Pacific Championships in 2023.
“The 2024 Pacific Championships will be the biggest sporting event in the region,” Mr Abdo said.
“This year we have raised the stakes by adding promotion and relegation across the men’s and women’s tournaments so there is a great deal at stake in the Pacific Championships.”
Abdo said the 2024 Pacific Championships will once again serve as a reminder of the cultural significance of Rugby League within Pasifika communities.
“As the Pacific’s largest sport, Rugby League is fast becoming the language that unifies the region.
“The Pacific Championships is a powerful showcase and celebration of culture, connecting passionate Rugby League fans in each host city and nation into one pulsating sporting community.
“Fans will have the opportunity to experience the unique colour and atmosphere that the Pacific Championships brings with each venue hosting double-header match days to create a carnival atmosphere with local and visiting supporters.”
Tournament details:
The 2024 Men’s tournament will once again feature two divisions with top ranked nations Australia, New Zealand and Tonga to contest the Cup while Fiji, Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Cook Islands will face-off for the Bowl.
An expanded 2024 Women’s tournament will include four weeks of Cup and Bowl matches, with the Bowl to serve as a Rugby League World Cup 2026 qualifying event. The Women’s Cup division includes top ranked Australia, New Zealand and PNG, with Fiji, Tonga, Cook Islands and Samoa to contest the Bowl. The Women’s Bowl winners will be rewarded with direct entry to RLWC 2026, while the runner-up will progress to the 2025 World Series.
The 2024 Pacific Championships is proudly supported by the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.
The Pacific Bowl is proudly supported by the Australian Government through PacificAus Sports. PacificAus Sports creates opportunities for Australian and Pacific athletes to learn, train, play, and grow together.
Tickets start at just $25 for adults and $50 for families via nrl.com/tickets.
NRL Club Members will have the first opportunity to purchase tickets from 11am AEST today (Friday 30 August), followed by NRL Account Holders from 2pm AEST.
Tickets will be available to the general public from 4pm AEST today.
2024 Pacific Championships Draw
| Pacific Cup – Men | ||
|---|---|---|
| Friday 18 October | Australia v Tonga | Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane |
| Sunday 27 October | New Zealand v Australia | Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch |
| Saturday 2 November | New Zealand v Tonga | Go Media Stadium, Auckland |
| Sunday 10 November | Final | CommBank Stadium, Sydney |
| Pacific Cup – Women | ||
|---|---|---|
| Friday 18 October | Australia v PNG | Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane |
| Sunday 27 October | New Zealand v Australia | Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch |
| Sunday 3 November | PNG v New Zealand | Go Media Stadium, Auckland |
| Sunday 10 November | Final | CommBank Stadium, Sydney |
| Pacific Bowl – Men | ||
|---|---|---|
| Saturday 19 October | Fiji v PNG | Fiji |
| Saturday 26 October | Fiji v Cook Islands | Fiji |
| Sunday 3 November | PNG v Cook Island | Santos Stadium, Port Moresby |
| Sunday 10 November | Promotion/Relegation Playoff | CommBank Stadium, Sydney |
| Pacific Bowl – Women | ||
|---|---|---|
| Saturday 19 October | Tonga v Samoa | Fiji |
| Saturday 26 October | Fiji v Cook Islands | Fiji |
| Saturday 2 November | Final | Go Media Stadium, Auckland |
| Sunday 10 November | Promotion/Relegation Playoff | CommBank Stadium, Sydney |
View the full draw online: https://www.nrl.com/pacific-championships
