Interest in the 2026 NRL season continues to surge to unprecedented levels with a Round 7 setting new viewership records after another weekend of unpredictable results.
Last week’s round of football was the most watched Round 7 in the game’s history, highlighting the fan engagement in an exciting and thrilling start to the year.
The weekend featured a host of thrilling contests and upsets, with two matches decided by a single point and four games won by the team sitting lower on the ladder.
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Round Up – Round 7, 2026
Round 7 started with a bang, Manly stunning the Cowboys in front of a record-breaking television audience on Thursday night.
The Sea Eagles victory was the most watched regular season match between the two sides of all time.
The resurgent Wests Tigers are riding a wave of support both in the stands and at home, with more than 17,000 fans cramming into a sold-out Campbelltown Sports Stadium for a clash with the Broncos that went down to the wire.
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The winning moment: Reynolds ices it
The Saturday night fixture was the second-highest rated Fox Sports exclusive match of all time.
The unpredictable nature of this season means every game is a must-watch, with viewership reaching new heights across multiple time slots in Round 7.
Four time slots boasted their highest ratings of the year, including:
Canberra’s thrilling win over Melbourne in the Friday 6pm match
Latrell Mitchell’s four-try performance the Saturday 5.30pm clash between South Sydney and St George Illawarra
Brisbane’s one-point victory over the Tigers in the Saturday 7.30pm game
The Rooster’s come-from-behind win over the Knights in the Sunday 2pm contest
From a record-breaking Round 7, the momentum is set to continue building this week into a bumper Anzac weekend of football.
The full-house sign could go up at all eight games in Round 8, with the ticket sales suggesting the weekend will shatter the NRL’s single-round attendance record.
Just a handful of tickets remain for the Tigers Thursday-night showdown with the Raiders at Leichhardt Oval, while a record-crowd will descend on Wellington’s Hnry Stadium for the Warriors clash with the Dolphins on Saturday.