Tourism Minister Belden Namah strongly supports Prime Minister James Marape’s plan to include a Papua New Guinea (PNG) team in the Australian NRL by 2028. Following the Prime Minister’s XIII game against Australia on Sunday, PNG Rugby Football League Chairman Sandis Tsaka also expressed excitement about the proposal. This initiative to bring the NRL to PNG symbolizes a new chapter for sports and tourism, showcasing the spirit and unity of Papua New Guinea. “Sports is something that unifies the country. The prime minister is absolutely right when he says that sports is ‘unity in diversity’ in PNG,” Minister Namah stated. Namah highlighted the link between tourism and sports, explaining, “When you look at it from a tourism perspective, sports are about tourism as well. Tourism is about promoting sports. When you look at a holistic view of what our government is doing, this is a decision in the right direction.” “The NRL coming into PNG is big time. Families and supporters will come here from all over the world to see their favorite players." "This is big-time tourism for the country. It will change how people see PNG." "The onus is now on our people to embrace this and start changing our mentality because the world is coming to PNG. We have to be prepared for that. I believe we are going in the right direction," Namah said. Chairman Tsaka reflected on the significance of Sunday’s game, stating that the game was broadcast live throughout the Pacific through Channel 9 and Foxtel, as well as Sky TV in New Zealand, and the attention of the rugby league world was on PNG. “These herald the beginning of what we will be doing in the NRL," Tsaka said, adding, "What a great atmosphere! Digicel, through TVWan, also carried the game live throughout the country. Our ground staff were tested to the maximum as we had to work to broadcast times because the game was watched live across the world. “I’m proud of the ground staff for delivering the event, as well as the players for coming together to showcase what the sport means to us." "Rugby league is more than just a sport; it brings together a nation of diverse tribes and languages and builds on the Australia-PNG relationship.” “We’re thankful to the Australian government and the NRL for partnering with our government. We’re thankful to both prime ministers and the cabinets of both countries for allowing us to nurture this important industry that brings our countries and people together.”