NRL chief Andrew Abdo open to less games in 20-team competition with Perth and PNG to join competition

Andrew Abdo has revealed the NRL could consider shortening the men’s season by multiple rounds as part of an expanded 20-team competition in the next decade.

The NRL remain in the bid process for the league’s largest expansion since the Super League war, with Perth the favourites to enter as an 18th team in 2027.

Bid entries will close early next month, but it’s expected a Papua New Guinea side will join the competition in 2028, before a 20th franchise early next decade.

The composition of the NRL competition also remains up for debate.

Penrith coach Ivan Cleary has long championed the cause for a shorter regular season, and on Tuesday morning pushed for a 19-game competition for each side.

Abdo confirmed later on Tuesday a shorter season was possible, as one of several potential considerations for the NRL.

“Expansion gives us more options,” Abdo said.

“As you add and think about expanding with more teams, you can think quite strategically around what the structure of the competition looks like.

“And it’s possible there may be less rounds going forward.

“For us it’s about the quality of the competition and the quality of the whole season structure.

“The pre-season, the premiership, the finals series, State of Origin and the international game, which is incredibly important to the commission as well.”

Any decision around season structure will likely have significant influence from broadcasters, with the next TV rights deal due in 2028.

NRL clubs have played at least 24 games in a season since 1998, while playing 26 in 2000 and 2001 when there were only 14 clubs.

But a 19-game season for each club in a 20-team competition would still allow for 190 regular-season matches, just shy of the 192 played as recently as 2022.

Other options such as wildcard finals rounds could also be considered by the NRL, adding extra knockout games while keeping more clubs in finals contention.

Cleary has previously pushed for a shorter season that allows the NRLW to take centre stage, concerned by the workload on the game’s elite players.

As things stand, men’s players could feature in up to 34 matches a year when including the World Club Challenge, NRL season, State of Origin and Test matches.

“If we expand to, let’s say 20 teams, I think 19 rounds should be it because you should play every team once,” Cleary said on SEN on Tuesday.

“I feel like that’s something we’ve lost in the game. It’s a little unfair at times, the draw. Maybe not unfair, but there has just been an imbalance.

“We can use the women’s game as it grows for the broadcasters as well. That will grow the girls’ profiles and get a different fan base, perhaps.”

Speaking at the NRLW launch, Abdo said the season structure of both the men’s and women’s competition remained front of mind.

“The beauty of expansion is we will have options,” Abdo said.

“We’re planning now for something happening in 2027 and 2028, which means we can get very organised and think about both the men’s and women’s competitions.

“(We can consider) what’s the right time of year, what is the right number of games and what’s the right configuration.”