NRL Grand Final Sets Record 4.46 Million Viewers Surpassing AFL

The 2025 NRL Grand Final between the Brisbane Broncos and Melbourne Storm set a new television viewership record for rugby league in Australia, attracting an average audience of 4.46 million viewers and a total reach of 6.4 million across the country. This marked the highest-ever TV audience for an NRL Grand Final, surpassing the previous record from 2014 and beating the AFL Grand Final's 4.18 million viewers. The match also drew significant local viewership, including over 1 million in Sydney, 941,000 in Brisbane, and 734,000 in Melbourne, with streaming on 9Now reaching 1.3 million viewers, the largest digital audience for an Australian event. Women's rugby league also achieved record ratings, with the NRLW Grand Final attracting over one million viewers, a 36% increase from the previous year, surpassing rugby union's Bledisloe Cup match. The strong ratings growth across the season and finals, up more than 11.5% overall and 33% for the finals series, reflects the sport's rising popularity and the success of broadcaster Nine's strategy of combining free-to-air and digital coverage. These results come at a critical time for the NRL as it negotiates broadcast rights for 2028 and beyond, with ARL Commission chairman Peter V'landys optimistic about securing a significantly improved deal.