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The NRL and NRLW grand finals are the championship matches of Australia's premier rugby league competitions. Stadium Australia has been the regular venue for NRL grand finals since 1999, except for 2021 due to the pandemic. The NRLW began in 2018 and has also held its grand finals at Stadium Australia, with the same 2021 exception.
The final day of the NRL and NRLW season is almost here. The grand finals for the men and women will be held on Sunday.
In the women's decider, the Sydney Roosters and Brisbane Broncos face off in a rematch of last year's grand final.
In the men's grand final, the Sydney Roosters are facing the Newcastle Knights.
Here's everything you need to know about the NRL and NRLW grand finals day.
What time are the NRL and NRLW grand finals?
The NRL and NRLW grand finals will be held on Sunday, October 4, the first day of daylight saving time in many states and territories across the country.
Here is when each grand final begins in each state and territory.
NRL grand final
7:30pm AEDT: NSW, ACT, Victoria, Tasmania
7pm ACDT: South Australia
6:30pm: Queensland
6pm: Northern Territory
4:30pm: Western Australia
NRLW grand final
4pm AEDT: NSW, ACT, Victoria, Tasmania
3:30pm ACDT: South Australia
3pm: Queensland
2:30pm: Northern Territory
1pm: Western Australia
How can you watch and listen to the grand final?
The game will be on Channel 9 and 9Now, but be very aware that it will not be shown on Kayo or Fox Sports. It is the only game of the entire NRL season that is exclusive to Channel 9.
To listen to the grand final, join your local ABC Sport radio team, and follow along with the ABC Sport live blog at abc.net.au.
Where are the NRL and NRLW grand finals being played?
The NRL and NRLW grand finals are being played at Stadium Australia in Sydney.
Stadium Australia has hosted every NRL grand final since 1999, with the exception of the 2021 decider which was played at Brisbane's Lang Park during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since the NRLW's inception in 2018, all grand finals have been played at Stadium Australia, again with 2021 being the exception. That decider was played at Dolphin Stadium in Redcliffe.
Who is playing in the NRL grand final?
The Sydney Roosters face the Newcastle Knights for the NRL premiership.
The Roosters finished the season fourth on the ladder, and lost their opening match of the finals before victories over Cronulla and the Dolphins.
The Newcastle Knights finished seventh on the ladder. After defeating Souths in the first week of the finals, the Knights went to Auckland and defeated the Warriors, then beat Penrith while being down to 12 players for all of the second half.
Who is playing in the NRLW grand final?
The Sydney Roosters are undefeated in 2026, winning all 11 matches in the home-and-away season, then defeating the Canberra Raiders in last week's preliminary final.
It mirrors Sydney's fantastic NRLW season in 2025, where they were undefeated until losing in last year's decider to the Brisbane Broncos.
The Broncos finished third on the table, with a record of 8–3 in the home-and-away season. The Broncos suffered a three-game losing run in the middle of the season, but have won their past five matches, including last weekend's preliminary final win against the Gold Coast Titans.
Former Australian rugby union player Nathan Charles, who overcame cystic fibrosis to play international rugby, has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease at age 37. He announced the diagnosis in a Stan Sport interview, describing the impact on his daily life and expressing concern for his family.
Australia secured a 45-run victory via DLS method in the rain-interrupted third ODI against South Africa in Potchefstroom, avoiding a series whitewash. Half-centuries from Adam Zampa, Alex Carey, Mitch Marsh, and Ollie Peake powered Australia to 9-322, while Pat Cummins' return as bowler boosted team morale ahead of the Test series.
Former NRL player Jai Arrow, who retired following an MND diagnosis, is set to be honored at the NRL grand final. While details remain unconfirmed, the tribute aims to raise awareness for MND, with the NRL also pledging $100,000 to Arrow's family.
Three-time premiership player and two-time Brownlow medallist Lachie Neale will leave the Brisbane Lions as an unrestricted free agent to join Collingwood in 2027, following confirmation from both clubs after his emotional grand final farewell.
A consortium of BESIX Watpac and John Holland has been named the sole bidder to advance to final contract negotiations for Brisbane's 63,000-seat Olympic stadium, part of the $7.1 billion 2032 Games infrastructure plan, with construction set to begin in 2027 and the venue to host AFL and cricket teams post-Games.
Australian Paralympic swimmer Rowan Crothers broke the men's S10 200m freestyle world record with a time of 1:49.93 at the Australian Short Course Championships in Sydney, surpassing Philippe Gagnon's 2002 mark. Teammate Alex Tuckfield also swam under the record, while Maddie McTernan, Ed Sommerville, Ben Armbruster, and Lani Pallister set national or all-comers records.