The 2026 NRL Finals culminate with the NRL 2026 Grand Final in Sydney on Sunday October 4! Will the Brisbane Broncos go back-to-back?
NRL odds correct as of 28/06/2026 and subject to change.
The 2026 NRL Finals are some of the most exciting weeks of Australian Rugby League and lead into the highly anticipated NRL Grand Final run in Sydney at ANZ Stadium on the first Sunday in October each spring.
Each year the annual Telstra Premiership provides fans with endless NRL betting odds and options with the season starting with 27 regular rounds of play as the 17 NRL teams (following the expansion in 2023 of the Redcliffe Dolphins) race for competition points and ladder positions.
At the end of the standard season the Top 8 teams on the NRL Ladder play off in the finals series over four weeks starting in mid-September. The final two teams left after the finals are run and won then face off in the annual Grand Final to determine that year’s NRL Premiers.
NRL Premiership betting is open all season offering all-in prices on each club to take it out.
2026 NRL Top 8 Betting
Bet on which clubs in the 2026 NRL season you think will make the finals with our Top 8 betting markets!
2026 NRL Finals
The 2026 NRL Finals dates begin on Friday the 11th of September 2026.
The NRL 2026 finals conclude with the NRL Grand Final on Sunday October 4, 2026, at ACCOR Stadium in Sydney.
- 2026 NRL Minor Premiers: TBD
- 2026 NRL Premiers: TBD
- 2026 NRL Runners-Up: TBD
- Clive Churchill Medallist: TBD
2026 NRL FINALS SCHEDULE
The 2026 NRL Finals are set to be an exciting culmination of the season! The finals series will kick off in September, with the top eight teams battling it out for a spot in the Grand Final. The Grand Final is scheduled for Sunday, October 4, at Accor Stadium in Sydney.
The finals format includes:
- Qualifying and Elimination Finals: The top four teams play in the qualifying finals, while the bottom four of the top eight compete in elimination finals.
- Semi-Finals: Winners of the elimination finals face the losers of the qualifying finals.
- Preliminary Finals: Winners of the semi-finals take on the winners of the qualifying finals.
- Grand Final: The two remaining teams compete for the premiership.
With teams like the Penrith Panthers, Melbourne Storm, and Sydney Roosters expected to be strong contenders, the finals promise another slate of top-class Rugby League action!
NRL FINALS SYSTEM
Previously the NRL Finals were decided according to the McIntyre System, but the new system now gives the teams in the Top 4 a fairer chance of making it all the way to Grand Final day.
Below is a quick run-down of how the Telstra Premiership Finals Series structure works.
NRL Finals Week 1: Qualifying & Elimination
Four games are played in the opening week. Two are Qualifying Finals with the winner getting a rest the following week, while the losing team play in a semi-final elimination. The other two games played between the bottom four teams in the Top 8 are Elimination Finals and are must win matches for the teams to progress to Week 2 of the finals.
- Qualifying Final 1: 1st (Home) vs. 4th (Away)
- Elimination Final 1: 5th (Home) vs. 8th (Away)
- Elimination Final 2: 6th (Home) vs. 7th (Away)
- Qualifying Final 2: 2nd (Home) vs. 3rd (Away)
NRL Finals Week 2: Semi-Finals
In the second week two games are played between four teams with home ground advantage going to the two losing teams of the Week 1 qualifiers. Both games are do-or-die with the winners progressing into the Week 3 Preliminary Finals against the winning teams from Finals Week 1, while the losers say goodbye to the Grand Final dream for the season.
- Semi Final 1: Week 1 First Qualifiers Loser (Home) vs. Week 1 First Elimination Winner (Away).
- Semi Final 2: Week 1 Second Qualifiers Loser (Home) vs. Week 1 Second Elimination Winner (Away).
NRL Finals Week 3: Preliminary Finals
The final two games before the NRL Grand Final are contested in the Preliminary Finals round with the two Finals Week 1 Qualifying winners having home ground advantage over the two winning Semi Final NRL Teams from Week 2. The results of these games decide the NRL Grand Final teams for the season.
- Preliminary Final 1: Week 1 First Qualifiers Winner (Home) vs Semi Final 2 Winner (Away)
- Preliminary Final 2: Week 1 Second Qualifiers Winner (Home) vs Semi Final 1 Winner (Away)
NRL Finals Week 4: Grand Final
The two Preliminary final winners from week three of the NRL Finals face off in the NRL Grand Final, now held on the last Sunday in September. If you’d like to see information on one of the biggest sporting events in Australia, you can check out our dedicated Grand Final page.