Rugby League Popularity Around the World
By
Will Brown
Contributor Updated: 21 January 2025
Will Brown Contributor
William Brown is a Content Writer with strong expertise in US and global gambling industry trends. Having covered the local sports betting market since the repeal of PASPA in 2018, William approaches his gambling guides with passion and diligence. He is a keen player of online slots, blackjack, and a regular sports bettor.
The Popularity of Rugby League
After this year’s showcase rugby league event in Las Vegas introduced the sport to a wider US audience, rugby league popularity is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years. However, the sport already has a large following in England, Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands, where in some instances it is considered the national sport. In this guide, we’ve tracked the sport’s global popularity and shared some interesting insights about its history and rules.
How Many Countries Play Rugby League?
To kick off this in-depth guide to the sport, we’ve answered the question of how many people play rugby league. We’ve then dived into the sport’s history and spread, as well as the rules that set it apart from rugby union.
We’ve then shared details about the countries and regions where rugby league is most popular, with Europe and the Pacific being the largest markets. From there, we’ve discussed emerging markets for the sport, including Africa, Asia, and North America.
- How Many People Play?
- History and Rules of Rugby League
- Australia
- England
- New Zealand
- Papua New Guinea
- France
- The Pacific Islands
- Emerging Markets
How Many People Play Rugby League?
There are an estimated 700,000 players of rugby league worldwide. In regards to the question of where is rugby league most popular, it is undoubtedly in Australia, with around 240,000 players in the country. This is due to its high level of infrastructure for the sport, with its National Rugby League (NRL) being a major driver of this.
It’s also extremely popular in New Zealand, which also participates in Australia’s NRL. There are around 160,000 registered players in NZ, a significant number considering its population is around 25% of Australia’s. Other countries with high levels of participation include England, with around 250,000 registered players.
Pacific Island nations are home to around 40,000 players collectively despite their small populations. In fact, in Papua New Guinea, the sport is considered their national sport, while Samoan players make up about 20% of the NRL’s total player pool. France too has around 40,000 players.
History and Rules of Rugby League
Rugby League was formed in Northern England in 1895 after 22 clubs left from Rugby Union. The split arose after players complained about lost wages for participation, and gave rugby union a more working-class following compared to what could be considered the elitist rugby union. The league was later named the Rugby Football League.
After breaking off, the sport evolved with altered rules. In rugby league, there are 13 players per team compared to rugby union’s 15. League fields are roughly two meters less wide, with lineups only including one set of forwards and back rather than two. There are also variations in scoring, with league tries worth four points rather than five.
Rugby league also includes no lineouts, has scrums reduced to six rather than eight players, and sees side switches after six tackles compared to union’s unlimited tackles. As the sport grew in popularity in England, it quickly spread to other Commonwealth nations such as Australia and New Zealand as British migration soared.
As it gradually spread to the Pacific Islands, Australia soon became the epicenter of the sport. In Europe, France adopted rugby league in the 1930s as an alternative to the elitist rugby union. In recent years, the sport has taken root in North America, Asia, and Africa, with the answer to how many countries play rugby league constantly changing. This growth has been fuelled by migration and investment from the NRL, Australia’s top rugby league organization.
Australia
No place showcases rugby league popularity quite like Australia. The sport, which has considerable participation in the East Coast states of Queensland and New South Wales, is only beaten by Australian rules football in terms of popularity. Games draw millions of attendees across seasons with a fan base of roughly eight million people.
There are 16 teams competing in Australia’s NRL team, with season winners determined annually in the NRL Grand Final. This league is undoubtedly the most popular at online sportsbooks with rugby markets. On the world stage, the national team the Kangaroos have secured 11 World Cup titles. The sport generates billions of dollars for the national economy each year, with legendary players including Darren Lockyer, Cameron Smith, and Johnathan Thurston revered for their talents.
England
Next on the list of the rugby league popular countries is England, which isn’t surprising considering it’s the birthplace of the sport. The sport is predominantly popular in the north of England, with the region’s Super League seeing 12 teams compete. Of these, St Helens and Wigan Warriors are among the most successful.
Live games attract more than 500,000 attendees per season and television audience, with broadcasts of popular games exceeding 1.2 million. Although the sport doesn’t have as large a following as rugby union, its national team fares well in international competitions against Australia and New Zealand.
New Zealand
When looking at how many people play rugby league in New Zealand, it’s no wonder why the small island nation contributes so greatly to the sport. The country’s team represents NZ’s culture beautifully by mixing Māori sporting traditions with British influences. However, the rugby union Super Rugby league is slightly more popular in the nation.
The sport has a following of around 300,000 people, and its national team, the Kiwis, has been a strong contender in international contests. Players such as Shaun Johnson and Benji Marshall have elevated the sport’s profile, with a large number of NRL players hailing from NZ.
Papua New Guinea
As the only nation in the world that has declared it their national sport, rugby league popularity in Papua New Guinea goes beyond simple fandom. Despite only being introduced in the 1960s, the sport was embraced by locals. Now, it is estimated that a staggering 80% of the population follows the sport.
The nation is expected to form the 19th NRL expansion team thanks to a $600 million investment in local infrastructure. Every school in the nation has a rugby league program, which has helped it to develop a talent pipeline to feed both its national team, the Kumuls, and the NRL’s teams.
France
While most of Europe has disregarded rugby league in favor of union, France is an outlier regarding rugby league popularity. The sport first arrived in France in the 1930s after France was suspended from the Five Nations Championship rugby union league. Despite initially flourishing, the sport was banned when World War II broke out.
At the end of the war, the game grew in popularity, and France was instrumental in launching the Rugby League World Cup in the 1950s. The sport is particularly popular in the South, with approximately 150,000 fans following the Catalans Dragons in the British Super League.
The Pacific Islands
Like Papua New Guinea, the nearby Pacific Islands of Samoa, Tonga, and Fiji are home to extremely passionate fanbases of rugby league. Each nation has produced a tremendous lineup of local talent, including Tonga’s Jason Taumalolo and Fiji’s Semi Radradra. Both Samoa and Fiji have made bids to enter the NRL with national teams.
Samoa has produced the highest number of NRL players per capita, a staggering feat considering its population of around 220,000 people. Tonga’s national team is also successful and is ranked fifth in the global rugby league leaderboards. The teams compete against Australia, NZ, and PNG in the Rugby League Pacific Championship.
Emerging Markets
In recent years, the number of how many countries play rugby league has grown to include the United States. This has been aided by an expensive marketing program by Australia’s NRL, which in 2024 launched a rugby league festival in Las Vegas to showcase the sport to potential US fans. The festival was a hit and is set to return in 2025.
The Rugby League World Cup has helped to expand the sport’s reach, with its 2024 series attracting over 50 million viewers globally. The sport has also slowly been adopted in Canada and South Africa, with the latter known for its rugby union prowess. With Qatar bidding for the 2025 World Cup, this could also see growing interest in the region.
The growth of the sport represents an economic promise for rugby league’s major sporting bodies. Already, the NRL generates $500 million annually, while the Super League contributes £100 million to the UK economy.
