NRL 2026 Kicks Off in Las Vegas: Bulldogs vs Dragons Headline Triple-Header

The NRL is back in Las Vegas. Third year running.

Allegiant Stadium hosts a triple-header on Saturday, February 28 (local time). The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs versus the St George Illawarra Dragons headlines the card. Kick-off 8:30 pm local time (3:30 pm AEDT Sunday, March 1).

The undercard: Newcastle Knights versus North Queensland Cowboys, plus a Super League fixture between Hull KR and Leeds Rhinos.

Bulldogs Primed for a Big Season

Canterbury enter 2026 with enormous expectations. They led the competition through 16 rounds in 2025 before a frustrating straight-sets finals exit. Coach Cameron Ciraldo has retained his core squad. The continued development of 20-year-old playmaker Lachlan Galvin shapes as the key to unlocking a 22-year title drought.

“We have unfinished business,” Ciraldo said during preseason. “The boys know how close we were last year, and that drives everything we do in the off-season.”

Dragons Going All In

St George Illawarra coach Shane Flanagan is not treating this as a glorified trial. Sources confirm he will field a near full-strength squad — setting the tone from game one.

“We want to set the tone from game one,” Flanagan said. “Las Vegas is round one. It counts. We are preparing accordingly.”

Global Ambitions

The NRL’s decision to take round one overseas for a third consecutive year underlines the game’s push for international exposure. The 2024 Las Vegas experiment drew over 40,000 fans for the Rabbitohs-Roosters opener. In 2025, that number grew. The NRL’s broadcasting deal with Fox Sports includes international distribution through ESPN in the United States.

All matches live on Fox Sports. Channel 9 simulcasts the Bulldogs versus Dragons clash. The 65,000-seat Allegiant Stadium is expected to draw a capacity crowd, with strong demand from Australian expatriates — many of whom will be checking out new online casinos in Australia between sessions at the Vegas tables — and American sports fans alike.

Key Match Details

Detail	Info
Main Event	Bulldogs vs Dragons
Kick-Off	8:30pm PT (3:30pm AEDT Sunday March 1)
Venue	Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas (65,000 capacity)
Broadcast	Fox Sports, Channel 9 (simulcast)
Undercard	Knights vs Cowboys, Hull KR vs Leeds

For pre-game analysis, team lists, and live updates, follow the Australia Football NRL section.

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LF — Breaking news correspondent, australiafootball.com