Updated:
Readtime: 11 min
Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more. For more information on how we test products, click here.
- The Sydney Roosters will face the Newcastle Knights in the 2026 NRL Grand Final at Accor Stadium on Sunday, 4 October, with kick-off at 7:30pm in Sydney.
- Newcastle has gone from the 2025 wooden spoon to its first Grand Final since 2001, becoming only the second team in the NRL era to reach the decider the season after finishing last.
- Phoenix Crossland has been referred directly to the NRL judiciary after his preliminary final send-off for the tackle that injured Nathan Cleary, with his case set to be heard on Tuesday night and his Grand Final availability still unresolved.
The 2026 NRL Grand Final is set for Sydney, but getting there came with brutal consequences. Twelve months after finishing up with the wooden spoon, the Newcastle Knights have won three straight sudden-death finals to reach their first decider in 25 years. They’ll be going up against a surging Sydney Roosters side returning to the biggest game of the season for the first time since 2019.
On Sunday 4 October, Sydney Roosters and Newcastle Knights will meet at Accor Stadium with the NRL Grand Final kicking off at 7:30pm Sydney time. Channel 9 and 9Now will carry the match live and free across Australia, with the NRLW Grand Final between the Roosters and Brisbane Broncos going head-to-head earlier in the afternoon. There’s even a mystery guest performer for the pre-game entertainment.
If you haven’t spent every weekend following the finals, there’s quite a bit to catch up on. Newcastle knocked out minor premiers Penrith with 12 men on the field after Phoenix Crossland was sent off for a hip-drop tackle that left Nathan Cleary with a compound fracture to his left ankle. For the Roosters, Sam Walker made a remarkably quick return, but before we get to Sunday’s Grand Final, all eyes will be on Crossland’s judiciary fate.
When and Where Is the 2026 NRL Grand Final?
The NRL Grand Final will once again be played at Accor Stadium in Sydney Olympic Park on Sunday, 4 October. Just remember that the clocks will be changing on Sunday for the start of daylight saving time, so double-check local start times so you don’t miss a thing.
| Location | NRL Grand Final Kick-Off |
|---|---|
| NSW / VIC / ACT / TAS | 7:30pm |
| SA | 7:00pm |
| QLD | 6:30pm |
| NT | 6:00pm |
| WA | 4:30pm |
Aussies can watch all the Grand Final action on Channel 9 and 9Now. For anyone away from the telly or on the go, radio coverage will also be available through ABC, Triple M, 2GB, 4BC and NRL Nation. But for those heading to the stadium, Grand Final Day kicks off much earlier at Accor, with gates opening at 1:00pm. The day will start with the State Championship at 1:20pm, followed by the NRLW Grand Final between the Roosters and Broncos starting at 4:00pm.
The Roosters are also chasing a rare double. If both teams win, they’ll be only the second club, after Brisbane, to claim the NRL and NRLW premierships on the same day.
How Did the Roosters and Knights Reach the Grand Final?
Newcastle and the Roosters will arrive at Accor Stadium on Sunday from two very different starting points.
| Team | Qualifying / Elimination Final | Semi Final | Preliminary Final |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newcastle Knights | Beat South Sydney 20-10 | Beat Warriors 12-10 | Beat Penrith 22-14 |
| Sydney Roosters | Lost to Penrith 19-12 | Beat Cronulla 46-10 | Beat Dolphins 36-20 |
Newcastle Knights
Newcastle finished seventh on the ladder with 14 wins from 24 games in a dramatic turnaround from holding the wooden spoon at the end of the 2025 season. And with it being Justin Holbrook’s first season as coach, you couldn’t ask for a better start than carrying your team into its first Grand Final since 2001, giving them the opportunity to win a third premiership.
But it didn’t come easy for the Knights. They beat South Sydney 20–10 in an elimination final, then edged out the Warriors 12–10 at Eden Park, before producing the defining result of their finals run against Penrith.
Their place in the Grand Final also came at a cost. Crossland was sent off in the 36th minute of the preliminary final for a hip-drop tackle that left Nathan Cleary with a compound ankle fracture in a scene that was difficult to watch. It also left Newcastle with just 12 men on the field for the rest of the match and a seemingly impossible path to victory.
Penrith led 14-6 at half-time, but the Knights held the minor premiers scoreless after the break and ran in three unanswered tries to win 22-14. Sandon Smith, the former Roosters playmaker who followed Holbrook to Newcastle, was central to two of the decisive attacking moments.
Their win now positions Newcastle as only the second team in the NRL era to reach the Grand Final after ending the previous season at the bottom of the table. The other team, funnily enough, were the Roosters, who did the same in 2010, reaching the decider after finishing last in 2009 before losing to St George Illawarra.
Sydney Roosters
The Roosters’ route to the Grand Final is a little less dramatic on the surface, but hardly straightforward. Finishing fourth on the ladder with 16 wins, they went down 19-12 to Penrith in their qualifying final, forcing them into sudden-death football.
Their response? Scoring 46 points against Cronulla in what is the highest-scoring finals performance in club history. After that, it was on to Brisbane, where they beat the Dolphins 36-20 to reach their first Grand Final in seven years.
That preliminary final also saw Sam Walker step back into the No.7 jersey just 27 days after suffering a syndesmosis injury that required surgery. Walker scored in his return, with Mark Nawaqanitawase scoring two tries. But as the team welcomes Walker back, the NRL will bid farewell to Daly Cherry-Evans, who will play the final NRL game of his career before joining Hull FC next season.
With Sunday’s Grand Final firmly in their sights, the Roosters now have a shot at premiership No.16.
Biggest Stories Heading Into Sunday
Crossland’s judiciary fate, Newcastle’s wooden-spoon turnaround, Sam Walker’s remarkable return and Daly Cherry-Evans’ final NRL game are the biggest stories still hanging over Sunday’s decider.
Will Phoenix Crossland Play?
We all saw it. We winced. And we all hope Cleary makes a full recovery. But now the question for Newcastle is: will Phoenix Crossland play in Sunday’s Grand Final?
The Newcastle hooker was sent off for the hip-drop tackle that left Nathan Cleary with a compound fracture to his left ankle. Cleary was taken to hospital and has since undergone surgery on the broken left ankle. Ivan Cleary has also confirmed his son will require surgery on the broken right foot he carried into the preliminary final.
Crossland has been an important part of Newcastle’s run, and any suspension would force Holbrook into a Grand Final reshuffle. The Match Review Committee has referred him directly to the NRL judiciary, with Crossland set to argue his case on Tuesday night for the chance to play in Sunday’s Grand Final.
Can Newcastle Win With a Wooden Spoon?
It’s been a while since Newcastle played in a Grand Final. Their last visit was in 2001, when they defeated Parramatta 30–24 to win their second premiership. It’s taken them 25 years to do it, but the Knights are back with a side that finished seventh and had to win three straight knockout matches just to get here.
But can the Knights do what the Roosters could not? Funnily enough, the only previous NRL-era team to go from wooden spoon to Grand Final in one season was the 2010 Roosters. Newcastle now has to beat that same club to go one better for the silverware.
How Will Sam Walker’s Remarkable Return Impact the Grand Final?
It seemed unlikely that Sam Walker would return to the field again after undergoing surgery on a syndesmosis injury late in the regular season. But his remarkable recovery saw him return to the Roosters just 27 days later against the Dolphins. That gives Sydney its first-choice halfback back for the biggest game of the season after it looked like his year may have been over.
Will Daly Cherry-Evans Get His Storybook Ending?
DCE’s first season at the Roosters will also be his last in the NRL. After leaving the Manly Sea Eagles, the 37-year-old took a chance on a contract at the Roosters, and now has the opportunity for a storybook ending before he joins Hull FC at the end of the season.
Sunday’s Grand Final will bring his 16-year NRL career to a close. He already has one premiership, won with Manly in his debut season in 2011, and now gets one final shot at another.
Who Is Performing Before the NRL Grand Final?
Well, someone is. We just don’t know who yet.
It seemed like the 2026 NRL Grand Final was going ahead without its usual headline pre-game entertainment, until Rugby League boss Peter V’landys confirmed the league had locked in a mystery act for an 11-minute performance before kick-off. The catch? The NRL isn’t planning to reveal who it is until Grand Final night.
The announcement follows a rather messy week for the league’s entertainment plans. Australian singer Tones And I had been approached for the slot, but talks broke down before anything was formally signed. Her management later said a prior commitment with Macklemore in the United States prevented her from accepting the offer.
Then there’s the bananas situation around singing Dance Monkey. The Sydney Morning Herald reported that negotiations became stuck over the NRL wanting Tones And I to perform her 2019 megahit, something she reportedly wasn’t too keen on.
V’landys said the league was prepared to ditch the headline act altogether and redirect the money towards grassroots rugby league. But even with the mystery performer, that part is still happening. He says the NRL will keep the $1 million commitment to junior footy, while spending a smaller amount on whoever is fronting the stage before the Grand Final.
As for who that act is, V’landys isn’t budging. “There will be something, but I am not saying what it is. Stay tuned.” He says viewers will find out on the night and reckons it will be “the highest-rating 11 minutes” of the broadcast. Performance politics aside, someone better still have Barnsey’s number handy, just in case.
What Else Do You Need to Know for Grand Final Day?
Tickets, public transport and events. We’ll help you navigate around the NRL Grand Final, whether you’re watching from the couch, the stadium or the pub.
Tickets for the 2026 NRL Grand Final
Ticketmaster is where you’ll find tickets for both the NRL and NRLW Grand Finals. Club members were given first access from 10:00am on Monday, 28 September, with any remaining tickets going on sale to the general public from 10:00am on Tuesday, 29 September.
Getting to Accor Stadium
If you’ve got a ticket to the Grand Final, you’ve got a ticket for public transport, too. But with 80,000 fans expected to descend upon Accor Stadium for the game, Transport for NSW has added trains and buses to get everyone into Sydney Olympic Park.
And there’s some good news for Knights fans making the trip down from Newcastle. After thousands of supporters were caught in major delays on the way to the preliminary final, planned track work on the Newcastle line for Grand Final Day has now been postponed.
Grand Final Events for the Fans
Grand Final Week kicked off on Monday with a supporter march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, with more events running around Sydney before Sunday. The free, ticketed NRL Fan Fest will then take over Martin Place from 11:00am to 3:00pm on Thursday and Friday, with both men’s Grand Final teams appearing on stage at midday Thursday before the coaches and captains front a media conference at 12:45pm.
There’s also the Bondi Beach Footy Fest from 8:00am to 2:00pm on Saturday, with touch footy, NRL legends, fan experiences and junior League Stars clinics giving supporters one last event before Grand Final Day.
Enjoy the 2026 NRL Grand Final
Whether you’re heading to Accor Stadium, settling into the pub or watching from the couch, there’s plenty riding on Sunday’s Grand Final before either side even kicks a ball. The Roosters are back in the decider after seven years away, while Newcastle has waited 25 years to return and is now one win from completing one of the most unlikely turnarounds of the NRL era.
The Roosters tried the same thing with their wooden spoon in 2010, going from last place to the decider, falling one match short of a premiership. Sixteen years later, the Knights have followed the same path to the final game, only to find the Roosters standing between them and the turnaround those 2010 Roosters couldn’t quite finish.
Comments
We love hearing from you. or to leave a comment.