Footy commentator Andrew Voss has voiced his opinion on what needs to change for the 2026 Las Vegas round and has offered one alteration he would make to the women’s fixture after the Jillaroos thumped England 90-4.
This weekend’s rugby league extravaganza in Sin City was a roaring success with 45,209 fans attending the Allegiant Stadium.
But Australia’s dominant performance left some questioning who the Jillaroos should play in 2026, with some fans and commentators claiming that they should face off against New Zealand next year.
Footy bosses Peter V’landys and Andrew Abdo are now assessing opportunities on how best to showcase the women’s game.
Australian Rugby League Commission chairman V’landys has also raised concerns that playing four matches in one day was perhaps too much.
The Allegiant Stadium did not allow fans to exit and re-enter the stadium at their leisure, meaning that proceedings went on for a total of nine hours.
Footy commentator Andrew Voss has offered his opinion on what changes need to be made to the NRL’s Las Vegas festival for 2026
Voss claimed that a change needed to be made to the women’s fixture after the Jillaroos beat England 90-4 at the Allegiant Stadium
This weekend’s rugby league extravaganza in Sin City was a roaring success with 45,209 fans attending the Allegiant Stadium
V’landys believes that the schedule should be reduced to three matches but that has left some questioning what games should be played.
Voss, meanwhile, offered his take on the 2026 schedule, claiming that a World Club Challenge match or a women’s State of Origin clash should be played instead of the Jillaroos.
‘Whatever we consider for 2026 and beyond, it must be a minimum of three games or a maximum of four matches at Allegiant Stadium,’ Voss told SEN1170 Breakfast.
‘I would have two NRL games, a Super League game and either the World Club Challenge or a women’s game.
‘If the NRL are hellbent on including the women’s game, then it can only be one contest and that must be NSW v Queensland Women’s Origin.’
Speaking on claims that the Jillaroos could play New Zealand, Voss said: ‘At the last Rugby League World Cup, I saw Australia beat New Zealand by 50 in the final at Old Trafford so don’t think you are going to get a close game there.
‘The Super League is now here to stay. The English involvement has been a huge plus this year to last. I would have Wigan play St Helens next year. Two very strong clubs.
‘Two NRL games is obviously a must so therefore, four NRL clubs must be here.’
Voss believes that a women’s State of Origin match should be played instead of an international fixture
V’landys also appeared to rubbish claims that the women’s fixture should be removed from the schedule, stating: ‘I’m the biggest supporter of the women’s game, so I don’t want to discount them.
‘Australia were just too strong. It just shows that when you have a professionally run semi-professional rugby league competition, you’re gonna be that far ahead of anyone else in the world, and we have the best NRLW competition.
‘It’s professionally run, the women have reached a level at this stage of their evolution that I’ve never seen.
‘They are so far advanced, they’re so good, so skilful, they’re so brilliant that the poor old English never had a chance.
‘In saying that, I was proud to show them off, to show how good our women are, the entertainers they are. They didn’t let me down.
‘Unfortunately, the English competition isn’t NRLW and it will take some time to catch up to us.’
NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said: ‘International football for the women’s game is important and we need to think about how we help other countries with their development and growth.
‘We will have a review and think about what the right opportunities are to showcase the women’s game to an international audience.
League boss Peter V’landys and AFL powerbrokers are assessing how to improve the festival for 2026 with the ARLC chairman of the view that only three games should be played in 2026
‘We’ll review it and get feedback from our customers and partners. It was a long day but a great festival.’
With league bosses hopeful the festival will only grow the game’s exposure further afield, Voss added that hosting a ‘World Title’-type game akin to the World Club Challenge could peak greater viewership.
‘I’d still have the World Club Challenge in the mix because to an American audience, a world title being up for grabs would garner more attention. We are giving Vegas a world decider,’ Voss continued.
‘A trophy is being won and that’s lacking in the current games that we’ve got.
‘We don’t know the Premiers until October so an announcement would have to come after the Super League Grand Final.
‘You would certainly put teams on alert.’
