Rugby league fans, the wait is over. After one of the most tightly contested seasons in years, Round 27 has been played, the ladder is locked in, and the draw for the opening weekend of the finals has been confirmed.
The 2026 NRL Finals Series kicks off on Friday, 11 September, with four weeks of sudden-death football leading to the NRL Grand Final on Sunday, 4 October 2026 at Accor Stadium in Sydney.
Week 1 is set. Two Qualifying Finals, two Elimination Finals, and four teams whose seasons will be over by Saturday night or Sunday afternoon.
With big screens, cold drinks and a proper footy atmosphere, the Prince of Wales Hotel Ipswich is the place to catch the biggest moments of the NRL Finals.
2026 NRL Finals Schedule
All times below are AEST — Queensland time.
Finals Week 1 — Confirmed
The opening weekend features two Qualifying Finals between the Top 4 and two Elimination Finals for the teams finishing fifth through eighth.
| Game | Date/Time (AEST) | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elimination Final 2 | Fri. 11 September, 7:50pm | Rabbitohs (6th) vs Knights (7th) | Allianz Stadium, Sydney |
| Qualifying Final 2 | Sat. 12 September, 4:05pm | Warriors (2nd) vs Dolphins (3rd) | Go Media Stadium Mt Smart, Auckland |
| Elimination Final 1 | Sat. 12 September, 7:50pm | Sharks (5th) vs Cowboys (8th) | Allianz Stadium, Sydney |
| Qualifying Final 1 | Sun. 13 September, 4:05pm | Panthers (1st) vs Roosters (4th) | CommBank Stadium, Parramatta |
Two things worth noting for Queenslanders. The Warriors–Dolphins qualifying final kicks off at 4:05pm our time on Saturday afternoon — 6:05pm over in Auckland. And the Cowboys are on straight after in the Saturday night slot. Two Queensland clubs, one afternoon and evening of footy.
The minor premiers close out the weekend rather than opening it. Penrith were drawn to play the final match of the regular season, and the turnaround meant they were pushed to the Sunday afternoon timeslot.
Cronulla, meanwhile, won’t get a home final in the Shire. The NRL has moved their elimination final against North Queensland to Allianz Stadium.
Finals Week 2 — Semi-Finals
The teams that lose their Qualifying Finals get a second chance. The Elimination Final winners keep their sudden-death campaigns alive.
| Game | Date/Time (AEST) | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semi-Final 2 | Fri. 18 or Sat. 19 September, TBC | Loser Warriors/Dolphins vs Winner Rabbitohs/Knights | TBC |
| Semi-Final 1 | Sat. 19 or Sun. 20 September, TBC | Loser Panthers/Roosters vs Winner Sharks/Cowboys | TBC |
The NRL will confirm the exact days, times and venues once Week 1 is complete.
Preliminary Finals
Only four teams remain.
| Game | Date/Time (AEST) | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preliminary Final 1 | Fri. 25 or Sat. 26 September, TBC | Winner QF1 vs Winner SF2 | TBC |
| Preliminary Final 2 | Sat. 26 or Sun. 27 September, TBC | Winner QF2 vs Winner SF1 | TBC |
The winners book their places in the biggest game of the Australian rugby league calendar.
NRL Grand Final 2026
| Date/Time | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Sun. 4 October, 6:30pm AEST (7:30pm AEDT in Sydney) | Winner PF1 vs Winner PF2 | Accor Stadium, Sydney |
A note on the time: daylight saving starts in New South Wales on Grand Final day, so Sydney will be an hour ahead of us. Kick-off is 7:30pm down there, which is 6:30pm here in Queensland. Every final before that is AEST in both states.
The Final 2026 NRL Ladder: Who Made the Top 8?
Here’s how the eight finalists finished after Round 27:
- Penrith Panthers
- New Zealand Warriors
- Dolphins
- Sydney Roosters
- Cronulla Sharks
- South Sydney Rabbitohs
- Newcastle Knights
- North Queensland Cowboys
The Panthers, Warriors, Dolphins and Roosters take the Top 4 and the valuable double chance. For the Sharks, Rabbitohs, Knights and Cowboys, it’s win or go home.
Panthers Snatch the Minor Premiership on Points Differential
The JJ Giltinan Shield went right down to the final match of the season — and it was decided on points differential.
Penrith and the Warriors both finished on 42 competition points. The Warriors had held top spot by a single point of differential going into the last round, and they held up their end of the bargain with a 31-30 escape against Manly in Auckland.
But one point wasn’t enough. Playing the very last game of the regular season, and knowing exactly what they needed, Penrith put 38-10 on the Wests Tigers at CommBank Stadium. That swing handed them the shield by 26 points of differential.
It’s the Panthers’ first minor premiership since 2023. For the Warriors, it’s a cruel way to miss out on what would have been only their second in club history, after 2002.
They’ll settle it themselves soon enough. The two sides could meet again in a preliminary final.
A Historic Finals Campaign for the Dolphins
Whatever happens from here, 2026 has already gone down as a landmark season for the Dolphins.
The Queensland club has secured its first-ever NRL Finals appearance, and it has done so inside the Top 4 — after finishing 13th, 10th and 9th in its first three seasons.
They’ve also arrived in form. A brutal 66-0 loss to Cronulla mid-season looked like it might derail them. Instead they finished the year strongly, with a statement 26-12 win over the Roosters in Round 26 and a 24-20 result against the Titans on the Gold Coast to hold onto third.
Now they head to Auckland on Saturday afternoon with a double chance and a real opportunity to turn a historic first finals appearance into something much bigger.
Can the Roosters Turn It On When It Counts?
The Roosters are another side entering September with plenty to prove.
An eight-game winning streak carried the Tricolours to the top of the ladder before an upset loss to the Wests Tigers and a defeat to the Dolphins ended their minor premiership hopes.
Their Round 27 loss to South Sydney is harder to read. Trent Robinson rested nine players ahead of the finals, including his entire first-choice spine, so the scoreline says more about the team sheet than the form guide.
The bigger question is the halves. Sam Walker suffered a syndesmosis injury against the Dolphins and went straight to surgery. He’s out for the opening weeks of the finals at minimum, with the club not ruling out a return should the Roosters go all the way. Veteran Daly Cherry-Evans takes the No.7 jersey, with Hugo Savala alongside him.
There’s experience there. Whether a new combination can find its feet in a qualifying final at CommBank Stadium is the question.
From Wooden Spoon to Finals: The Knights
One of the stories of the season sits at seventh.
Newcastle finished last in 2025. In 2026 they’ve qualified for the finals, with a Round 27 bye guaranteeing the two points that locked their spot in.
They open the whole series on Friday night against South Sydney. Both clubs finished level on 34 competition points, but the Rabbitohs’ Round 27 win over the Roosters gave them sixth and the home final, leaving Newcastle to travel.
It’s the kind of turnaround that reminds you why nobody writes anyone off in this competition.
Sharks vs Cowboys: Sudden Death on Saturday Night
Cronulla finished fifth, North Queensland squeezed into eighth, and one of them will be finished by Saturday night.
The Sharks lost their last-round hit-out to Melbourne and then lost home advantage as well, with the NRL shifting their elimination final to Allianz Stadium rather than the Shire.
The Cowboys arrive on the back of a heavy Round 27 defeat to Canberra, but they’re in — and in a one-off knockout game, that’s all that matters.
Why Week 1 Is So Important
The beauty of the NRL finals system is the safety net it gives the Top 4.
The two Qualifying Final winners move straight through to the Preliminary Finals with a week off. The losers aren’t finished — they drop into a Semi-Final in Week 2.
For the teams finishing fifth through eighth, there’s no such luxury. Their first finals match is sudden death: fifth plays eighth, sixth plays seventh, and the losers go home.
That makes the opening weekend one of the most important rounds of the entire season.
The Road to the 2026 Grand Final
Eight teams become six. The Semi-Finals cut the field to four. The Preliminary Finals decide the two sides that walk out at Accor Stadium on Sunday, 4 October.
Only one finishes the season as the 2026 NRL Premiers.
Watch the NRL Finals at Prince of Wales Hotel Ipswich
From the first tackle of Week 1 to the final siren of the Grand Final, the NRL Finals are made for watching with mates.
At the Prince of Wales Hotel Ipswich, settle in with a cold drink and soak up the finals atmosphere as the competition builds towards its biggest games.
- Live and loud — every big moment on the screens
- Cold drinks and game-day specials — settle in with your mates
- All the finals drama — from the opening weekend through to Grand Final glory
Whether you’re backing the Dolphins, the Cowboys, or one of the other six contenders, September is going to deliver.
Lock It In
Finals Week 1
- Fri. 11 September, 7:50pm — Rabbitohs vs Knights
- Sat. 12 September, 4:05pm — Warriors vs Dolphins
- Sat. 12 September, 7:50pm — Sharks vs Cowboys
- Sun. 13 September, 4:05pm — Panthers vs Roosters
Semi-Finals: weekend of 18–20 September 2026
Preliminary Finals: weekend of 25–27 September 2026
NRL Grand Final: Sunday, 4 October 2026, 6:30pm AEST, Accor Stadium, Sydney
Week 2 and Week 3 dates, times and venues are confirmed by the NRL as each round is completed.
Grab your mates, settle in at the Prince of Wales Hotel Ipswich, and get ready for four weeks of finals football.
The finals are here — and every game counts.
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