Expanded NRLW season on Nine

Nine has secured every game of the 2023 NRLW season to broadcast live from Saturday July 22nd.

The expanded 48-game season spans an 11-week season with four new teams joining from the Cronulla Sharks, Canberra Raiders, North Queensland Cowboys and Wests Tigers.

The schedule features four Saturday triple-headers, regular Sunday double-headers leading into NRL Sunday Footy, three prime-time games on Channel 9HD, and two stand-alone Thursday night games during the 2023 NRL finals series.

From the first week of August there will be nine weekly free-to-air games across the NRL and NRLW.

Wide World of Sports will broadcast a dedicated weekly women’s rugby league show on Channel 9 and 9Now, plus a weekly NRLW podcast.

Nine’s commentary team and Women’s State of Origin will feature former Jillaroos Ruan Sims and Allana Ferguson, hosts Emma Lawrence and Danika Mason, defending premiership captain Millie Boyle along with support from the entire Wide World of Sports rugby league team. There will also be new announcements in the coming weeks.

NRL CEO, Andrew Abdo, said: “In 2023, there will be new rivalries and new timeslots with every match being broadcast on the 9Network nationally and primetime coverage for the first time ever.”

Head of Partnerships and Strategy at Nine’s Wide World of Sports, Simon Fordham, said: “In partnership with the NRL we are dedicated to growing the women’s game, and what better way to do that than making every game of the NRLW available live and free to existing and new fans across the country.

“The new broadcast agreement for the expanding NRLW competition required all stakeholders to unite and make decisions based on the growth of the sport. We look forward to showcasing the talents of these incredibly gifted athletes on Nine in what has become the most entertaining women’s football code in the nation.”

Highlights:

• Every NRLW game available live and free on 9Now and 9Network
• Dedicated weekly women’s rugby league show NRLWrap on Channel 9 and 9Now
• Weekly podcast dedicated to NRLW
• Increase from 18 games (2022) to 48 in 2023
• 48 games across 11-week season
• Four Saturday triple-headers
• Regular Sunday NRLW double-headers leading into NRL Sunday Footy on Nine
• Three prime-time matches on Channel 9HD including a Saturday night Round 1 prime-time fixture
• Two Thursday night prime-time games during NRL finals
• From August, nine games available for free every week on the main channel across NRL and NRLW
• Over 100 hours of women’s rugby league live and free