‘No way we’ll take any risks’: Iran conflict could put NRL’s Global Round plans on hold

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The NRL’s ambitious push to host Global Round matches in Abu Dhabi and even England is likely to be put on hold due to the conflict in the Middle East.

ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys is keen to stage an NRL game in Abu Dhabi or London at the start of next season, and if games go ahead, an announcement would need to be made in April to ensure enough time for planning.

Abu Dhabi is a potential venue for NRL global round.

Japan and Hong Kong also loom as potential – and logistically easier – venues to host NRL games.

The Middle East conflict began on February 28 when the US and Israel launched a series of aerial attacks on Iran.

There is no certainty about when military action will end, with US President Donald Trump posting on Truth Social: “Today Iran will be hit very hard! Under serious consideration for complete destruction and certain death, because of Iran’s bad behavior, are areas and groups of people that were not considered for targeting up until this moment in time.”

V’landys said the governing body had serious concerns about the scenes being beamed out of Iran and the region, and there was no chance any rugby league player, fan or official would be put in harm’s way.

Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium has hosted the NRL’s season openers for three years.

The NRL has been in talks with a consortium about taking a game to Abu Dhabi, which would include huge financial incentives. The city is one of many to have been bombed by Iran during the past week.

There have also been discussions about playing an NRL game in London, with Wembley Stadium and the home ground of Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur potential venues.

While London is safe, the issue for the NRL will be how much travelling fans are asked to pay for flights. Due to the conflict, airlines are avoiding Middle East airspace and flying via Asia, which will increase costs if the limited routes continue.

“What is happening in Iran has certainly made us wary as to what we do next year,” V’landys said on Sunday.

“We’re still very keen to play a game in Abu Dhabi or London, but there’s no way we’ll take any risks. We’d have to announce something in the next month or six weeks. We’ll have a clearer picture in the next month.

“London would be the priority, then Abu Dhabi. There are 700,000 Australians living in London at any one time, there’s the natural interest in Super League, and we want to promote our Watch NRL overseas app, and we believe we can get millions of dollars in new revenues.

“Abu Dhabi also has great appeal, and we’ve been offered a lot of money to take a game there.

“Japan and Hong Kong have also been on our list. Depending on what happens, we might have to focus on playing a game closer to home.”

V’landys would love a global round, as first revealed by this masthead last October, to complement the matches in Las Vegas.

A decision on which teams take part in next year’s double-header in Vegas – the fourth instalment of rugby league in the tourist mecca – will be made at about the same time a final call is reached on Global Round.

V’landys said of the five remaining clubs to play in the US, Parramatta, Melbourne, the Dolphins, Gold Coast and Wests Tigers: “They’re all keen. It will come down to who wants to be a home team, and management are negotiating all that at the moment.”