Papua New Guinea Chiefs
future professional rugby league team
The Papua New Guinea Chiefs are a planned professional rugby league football team based in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. They are scheduled to compete in Australia's National Rugby League from the 2028 season.
The inclusion of a Papua New Guinea-based team in the NRL was announced on 12 December 2024, as part of the Pacific Rugby League Partnership involving the Australian Rugby League Commission and Australian Government, in which AU$600 million in government funding will support the new team as well as grassroots development and other community initiatives in Papua New Guinea and the Pacific islands. The Chiefs will be the 19th team in the NRL, with the ARLC finalising a $645m deal with the Western Australian Government on 8 May 2025, thereby securing the Perth Bears as the 18th team from 2027.
Background
Papua New Guinean rugby league in Australia
Rugby league is the most popular sport in Papua New Guinea and even regarded its national sport, and efforts to launch an NRL team in the country date back to 2008, when prime minister Sir Michael Somare announced a Papua New Guinean bid. In 2014, the Papua New Guinea Hunters entered the state level Queensland Cup competition, going on to win the premiership in 2017.
In February 2021, PNG Prime Minister James Marape declared his hopes of an NRL side in the country by 2025. Through 2023 and 2024, a Papua New Guinea bid was viewed as a frontrunner to enter the NRL, in light of an Australian Government plan to invest $600 million over a 10-year period in rugby league and socio-economic programs in the country. Discussions have included a proposal from ARLC chairman Peter V'landys to offer tax-free status to rugby league players who played for a Papua New Guinea NRL team.
On 12 December, 2024, a Papua New Guinea team in the NRL was formally announced, with the team planned to begin playing in the league in 2028.
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