Its official! The longstanding relationship between Papua New Guinea and Australia has been taken to a new level with the announcement that PNG will enter the National Rugby League in 2028. The announcement will not only unite the country in terms of sport but will also be of tremendous benefit to the country in terms of economic development in the coming years. There is already a fantastic relationship between PNG and Australia, and this will only continue to go from strength to strength. The announcement will now allow PNG to capitalize on opportunities that will include supporting underutilized sectors, building a sustainable tourism ecosystem, attracting talent to the country and growing overall national engagement through the game of rugby league. Interest in rugby league within PNG is at an all-time high. The recent Kumuls versus the Prime Ministers X111 match attracted over 1 million views via the Digicel network. These are incredible viewing figures when compared to weekly NRL figures on Fox or Nine. With PNG entering the National Rugby League in 2028, the potential is now limitless, both through eyeballs on the game and digital growth. This will be a vital factor in growing the game throughout the country in the future. PNG Rugby Football League Chief Executive, Stanley Hondina, paid tribute to the incredible amount of work that had gone on behind the scenes to lead to this point: “I would like to firstly thank Prime Minister’s Anthony Albanese and James Marape for working so hard to bring this dream to reality. This NRL team to PNG is more just a football team, it is a powerful tool to not only strengthen the PNG Aus partnership and history but also provides other immense opportunities to building our country and its people holistically.” “This is a tremendous day for our people, and this will now allow us to showcase this amazing country to the world. PNG is an amazing place to visit, and we now look forward to people getting a chance to learn more about this beautiful island through the lens of rugby league. "I would also like to take this opportunity to thank NRL Bid Chief Executive Andrew Hill and Chairman Wapu Sonk, for their brilliant work in bringing this bid together. An enormous amount of hard work has gone into getting to where we are today, and I know everyone is now excited about what lies ahead for the game in this country,” said Mr. Hondina. PNG Rugby Football League Chairman Sandis Tsaka echoed the thoughts of all rugby league supporters stating, “This is incredible news for the game in this country. It is a sport that is loved throughout the nation, and it is part of our fabric and what unites our people. “It is played in the streets and on the fields. In schools and at clubs. You see it everywhere you go and the whole country will be behind our team leading into that first match in 2028.” “This opportunity is a testament to the growth of the game and the tireless work and passion of our volunteers, partners, players and staff alike, who have been committed to developing the sport, but more importantly, positively impacting the lives of the many who are involved in rugby league in PNG.” “We will welcome all visitors and fans from other teams with open arms and we believe that people who visit will leave having had an amazing experience and seeing first-hand what the game means to people in this country.”