Wests Tigers, Parramatta, Gold Coast and Melbourne will be the four teams that play in the NRL\u2019s season-opening matches in Las Vegas next year.<\/p>\n
The Tigers will meet the Storm, with the Eels to face the Titans on Sunday, February 28 (AEDT) at Allegiant Stadium for the penultimate year of the league\u2019s Vegas contract.<\/p>\n
Heading into Round 12 of this NRL season, none of the four participating teams are in the top eight, with the Tigers highest at 10th.<\/p>\n
Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Arrow<\/a><\/p>\n Melbourne are next best in 13th with Parramatta 15th and Gold Coast 16th.<\/p>\n The quartet\u2019s selection leaves the Dolphins as the only team participating in this year\u2019s premiership that have not yet taken part in the Vegas showpiece event.<\/p>\n Expansion teams Perth and PNG would also have entered the competition in time for the final year of the NRL\u2019s deal in 2028.<\/p>\n The Tigers\u2019 inclusion comes despite previous chief executive Shane Richardson famously claiming the club had no interest in playing in Vegas.<\/p>\n Melbourne and Parramatta both had membership bases of more than 30,000 fans last season so are poised to welcome a large contingent of supporters to the US.<\/p>\n The club\u2019s current brass celebrated the announcement.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re really excited to be heading to Vegas in 2027 and taking our members and fans around the world. They have been in lockstep with us throughout our rise over the past two years and it\u2019s a wonderful reward for them,\u201d interim CEO Shaun Mielekamp said.<\/p>\n \u201cApplying to head to Vegas next season was a considered decision that closely aligns with the direction we\u2019ve been taking the club. We\u2019ve made significant progress both on and off the field and it proved the perfect time for us to take part in 2027.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve done our due diligence – from both a high performance and fan experience perspective – and are excited about the opportunity to start our 2027 campaign on a global stage.\u201d<\/p>\n It remains to be seen whether master coach Craig Bellamy remains with Melbourne for the Vegas match and beyond given his recent health diagnosis.<\/p>\n Storm CEO Justin Rodski also said the club is \u201cdelighted\u201d to be involved.<\/p>\n The Eels\u2019 Vegas game will come amid celebrations for the club\u2019s 80th anniversary.
<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no better time for the Parramatta Eels to head to Las Vegas, and we\u2019re ready to showcase our club to the world,\u201d said chief executive Jim Sarantinos.
<\/p>\n \u201cWith more than 37,000 members and thousands of passionate fans already expressing interest, we\u2019re expecting a huge blue and gold contingent in Vegas.\u201d<\/p>\n The likes of Jaydn Su\u2019A (Eels), Jamayne Isaako (Storm) and Mawene Hiroti (Titans) are all in line to play their first matches for their new clubs in the US.<\/p>\n English Super League sides Bradford and Leigh will also clash in Vegas, the latter coached by ex-Sydney Roosters and Maroons halfback Adrian Lam.<\/p>\n with AAP<\/p>\n