Channel Seven splashes $12 million for Rugby League World Cup

Channel Seven will fork out close to $12 million to secure the exclusive rights to the Rugby League World Cup in Australia in 2026.

With the NRL set to begin negotiations for the sport’s next broadcast cycle in the coming months, Channel Seven has signalled its intention to be at the table by committing itself to the largest broadcast deal in international rugby league history.

The NRL has been in negotiations with broadcasters for months and Seven West Media has picked up the rights to the tournament despite interest from DAZN and Nine Entertainment Co, the publisher of this masthead.

Sources with knowledge of the situation talking on the condition of anonymity due to confidentiality said Nine were not willing to pay such a high fee for the rights in the off-season and preferred to save its money for when it heads to the negotiating table for the NRL and State of Origin rights from 2028.

The tournament won’t be shown on DAZN either, with Seven securing the exclusive rights to the tournament which will be the most hotly contested World Cup in history given the emergence of the Pacific nations.

It’s not the first time Seven have acquired the rights to rugby league. Seven was the home of the 2017 Rugby League World Cup in Australia.

The network used Jim Wilson, Laurie Daley, Benji Marshall, Brett Kimmorley, Dan Ginnane, Andrew Moore and Renee Gartner as part of their broadcast and commentary team eight years ago.

Payne Haas’ decision to pledge his allegiance to Samoa will create plenty of interest, with Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow also considering joining the 2022 World Cup runners-up. Prop Tino Fa’asuamaleaui may yet be an option at next year’s tournament for Samoa despite confirming he will represent Australia in October’s historic Ashes tour.

Seven has also been trying to start up a mid-week NRL magazine program but decided against following through.

The news of their purchase of the World Cup comes just months after the Seven West Media-owned The West Australian newspaper gave rugby league short shrift on the day of State of Origin II in Perth.

The AFL-aligned newspaper – owned by Kerry Stokes’ Seven West Media, which broadcasts Aussie rules – all but ignored the biggest show in town.

The West Australian relegated its State of Origin coverage to the last page of its sports section and chose to mock the Origin concept on the front page on game day, despite the match – at the 60,000-seat Optus Stadium – being a sellout.

The only article about the Origin game was alongside the escort service advertisements.

A pointer on the front page of the newspaper with the headline “State of Origin’s back” appeared to be a promotion of the NRL’s big game. However, it actually referenced “WA’s Dockers v Victoria’s Bombers – Thursday night Optus Stadium” – a promotion of the AFL game in town the day after the Origin encounter at the same venue.

There was not a single mention of the State of Origin game on the night before the game in The West Australian. There was also no mention of the match on the Channel Seven news on the eve of the contest.

The network currently has former Kangaroos forward Willie Mason in its stable as part of the Seven News team.

Nine and DAZN have agreed to simulcast this year’s three-Test Ashes Series which will be played in England in October and November.

The Kangaroos will begin their Ashes campaign against England at Wembley on October 25, with games in Liverpool and Leeds to follow.

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