2025 NRL Annual Report has been released. Heres some snippets and data
Season 2025 delivered the highest aggregate and average viewership and attendance in NRL history, with fans turning out in record numbers from Round 1 through to the Grand Final.
Culumative NRL TV Viewership rose 11% to 224m in 2025
Through school programs, club competitions and recreational formats, the NRL continued to be the largest and most connected sports participation community in Australia and the Pacific. A focus on accessibility, affordability, and the participant experience, helped broaden the game’s reach and bring more people into the Rugby League community.
Highest national participation on record, with 3.05% growth compared to 2024. Female participation increased by 10% and registered female participants reached a milestone of 50,000, which was celebrated at the inaugural NRLW Magic Round
NRL Revenue rose 13% to more than $845m in 2025. Licensing (which includes Media rev) rose 2%, while Operations & Events (which includes Sponsorship, gate reciepts & Gov income) rose 41%. Sundries, which includes the investment revenue from 5 hotels, rose 29%. Investment revenue moved from Ops&Events to Sundries in 2024.
NRL funding for clubs and players rose 22% to 466m, while funding for States and Affiliates rose 7% to 56m. Development funding rose 0.5% to 41m.
According to QRL & NSWRL reports, QRL funding from the ARLC rose 2.41% to 28.491m, while NRSWRL funding rose 0.5% to 24.574m in 2025
AFL v NRL revenue 2014-2025. The 358m gap is the largest ever between the two governing bodies – this is in part due to a new tv deal commencing. NRL revenue as a % of AFL revenue dropped from 72% to 70% as a result. Since 2014, the AFL has outearned the NRL by $3.156 billion – about 48% of the NRLs total 6.476b over the period.
Sundries for the NRL came in at 30m this year, including revenue from its 5 hotels. Last year, the AFL took in 43.6m in rent and revenue from Marvel Stadium. Different philsophies, same results.
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