Magic Round returns as part of the 2023 NRL season, with 16 teams to face off at the same stadium in an action-packed weekend of footy.
The Sporting News takes a look at all the key details for next year’s event.
MORE:Â When will NRL stars face their former clubs next season?
When is NRL Magic Round 2023?
Next year’s Magic Round will take place between Friday, May 5 – Sunday, May 7.
This falls into Round 10 on the 2023 NRL draw and will take place before the State of Origin series.
The games will be lined up in a similar format to a regular round, except for the usual Thursday game, which will be moved to create a three-game Sunday.
Where is NRL Magic Round 2023 being held?
Suncorp Stadium – located in Brisbane, Queensland – will host Magic Round next year.
The 52,500-capacity stadium has hosted all three previous editions of the event.
NRL Magic Round 2023 draw and schedule
| Date | Match | Time (AEST) | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri May 5 | Canterbury Bulldogs vs. Canberra Raiders | 6.00pm | Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane |
| Fri May 5 | Manly Sea Eagles vs. Brisbane Broncos | 8.05pm | Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane |
| Sat May 6 | New Zealand Warriors vs. Penrith Panthers | 3.00pm | Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane |
| Sat May 6 | Cronulla Sharks vs. Dolphins | 5.30pm | Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane |
| Sat May 6 | Melbourne Storm vs. South Sydney Rabbitohs | 7.45pm | Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane |
| Sun May 7 | Wests Tigers vs. St George-Illawarra Dragons | 1.50pm | Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane |
| Sun May 7 | Sydney Roosters vs. North Queensland Cowboys | 4.00pm | Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane |
| Sun May 7 | Gold Coast Titans vs. Parramatta Eels | 6.25pm | Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane |
| BYE | Newcastle Knights | Â | Â |
NRL Magic Round 2023 tickets
Tickets for Magic Round have not been released yet but will eventually be made available via the official NRL website here.
How to watch NRL Magic Round 2023
Fans can watch all eight Magic Round matches via Fox League and Kayo Sports.
Channel 9, on the other hand, will broadcast three games on free-to-air over the weekend:
- Manly Sea Eagles vs. Brisbane Broncos (Friday, 8.05pm)
- Melbourne Storm vs. South Sydney Rabbitohs (Saturday, 7.45pm)
- Sydney Roosters vs. North Queensland Cowboys (Sunday, 4.00pm)
When was the first NRL Magic Round?
The Magic Round format made its NRL debut in 2019 when Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane hosted the inaugural event.
It was cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19, but returned for 2021 and 2022.
Notably, the NRL is not the first competition to use the Magic Round format, with the Super League debuting the unique concept in 2007 when 12 teams played at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
Credit: sportingnews.com