Rugby league heads to Las Vegas! Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves to contest first-ever Super League match in United States next year at 65,000-seater stadium

Wigan Warriors will take on Warrington Wolves at a 65,000-seater Las Vegas stadium next year in a first for the Betfred Super League. 

The champions will face their local rivals on March 1 at the Allegiant Stadium, the 2024 Super Bowl venue and home of NFL team the Las Vegas Raiders. 

It sees a repeat of last month's Challenge Cup final, which Wigan won 18-8 in front of almost 65,00 fans at Wembley, with the Cherry and Whites switching out a home fixture for the chance to play across the pond on March 1. 

England's women's side will also play a Test match against Australia in the Nevada city on the same day.

There will also be two fixtures from the Australasia-based NRL competition, with the New Zealand Warriors facing Canberra Raiders while Penrith Panthers meet their Sydney rivals Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.

All four matches will be shown live on Sky Sports, with Wigan and Warrington battling it out under the lights from 9.30pm. 

And so a stadium which in February hosted Patrock Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Brock Purdy and Taylor Swift will be briefly home to the teams of Matt Peet and Sam Burgess. 

Wigan Warriors chief executive Kris Radlinski said: 'I think many of us in the UK watched the games in Las Vegas earlier in the year and wished they could be a part of it, either playing or supporting.

'I spoke to my board about the possibility and there was a unanimous desire to be part of the occasion.'

Karl Fitzpatrick, the Warrington Wolves chief executive, said: 'Playing in one of the world's best entertainment destinations at a stunning venue is going to be an exciting and memorable experience for our supporters, players and partners. It will also put Super League on the map in a sports market full of opportunity.

'The Vegas games earlier this year really captured the imagination and showed the Rugby League world what can be achieved by thinking and aiming big - next year it is going to be even bigger and to be part of this concept is going to be really special.'

'To have Betfred Super League featuring when Rugby League returns to Las Vegas in 2025, as well as an historic international fixture for England Women, is a mouth-watering prospect and a huge opportunity for the sport,' said Rugby League commercial managing director Rhodri Jones. 

'We are looking forward to working closely with Wigan Warriors, Warrington Wolves, our commercial and broadcast partners and the NRL to ensure the weekend is another massive success.'

Meanwhile, England captain Jodie Cunningham said: 'I think it's fantastic that the NRL have recognised the importance of the women's game in this way. We all watched the NRL games in Vegas at the start of this season and it was so exciting to see the impact they made.

'Now we're going to be out there in 2025, taking on the Jillaroos. That's a massive challenge for us - but when our coach Stu Barrow mentioned this to the girls at our training camp before we went to France last week, we were all blown away.'