The biggest ever combined attendance to watch a single weekend of international rugby league has assembled over the last few days \u2013 by some distance, too.<\/p>\n
The international game appears to be in rude health once again after a fallow period, headlined by this autumn\u2019s Ashes between England and Australia.<\/p>\n
That game attracted a crowd of over 60,000, the biggest ever present for an Ashes game between the two in the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n
But that figure of 60,814 was only half of the total number of people that watched international games this weekend, a staggering increase on the previous all-time record of 86,655 set in 1957. That stat comes from Rugby League Project, via David Hayward on X:<\/p>\n
In detail, Top 5 Attended weekends of RL Test Matches \u2013 a \ud83e\uddf5:<\/p>\n
1. 2025 (25-26 Oct) \u2013 126,494* (TBC)<\/p>\n
60,812 \u2013 \ud83c\udff4\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc62\udb40\udc65\udb40\udc6e\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc7f@England_RL<\/a> v \ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa@Kangaroos<\/a> \u2014 David Hayward (@davidhayward55) October 26, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n It is a staggering record to beat \u2013 and by some distance. The other bumper crowd of the weekend came in the match between Samoa and Tonga in Brisbane, which was interrupted by lightning but was watched by almost 45,000 people according to the unofficial crowd figure.<\/p>\n Furthermore, nearly 15,000 people were at the national stadium in Port Moresby to watch Papua New Guinea defeat the Cook Islands.<\/p>\n Throw in a healthy crowd of 6,200 in Albi to watch France qualify for the Rugby League World Cup courtesy of victory over Jamaica, and it is clear to see that the international game is in rude health.<\/p>\n There are further blockbuster crowds to come over the next few weekends too. There will once again be a big number at Port Moresby to watch PNG and Fiji do battle for the Pacific Bowl, while New Zealand come back into the mix for the Pacific Championships.<\/p>\n And England will host Australia in a sell-out crowd of over 50,000 at Everton\u2019s Hill-Dickinson Stadium too next weekend. All in all, it is clear the international game is thriving \u2013 which begs the question, why aren\u2019t we playing games like this more often?<\/p>\n SUNDAY\u2019S READS ON LRL<\/p>\n \ud83d\udc49\ud83c\udffb Exclusive: Hull KR prop set for exit as Super League duo launch move for forward<\/a><\/p>\n \ud83d\udc49\ud83c\udffb England\u2019s big team dilemmas including big Jack Welsby question ahead of must-win second Ashes Test<\/a><\/p>\n \ud83d\udc49\ud83c\udffb Sam Tomkins\u2019 scathing 4-word verdict on England\u2019s defeat in Ashes opener<\/a><\/p>\n \ud83d\udc49\ud83c\udffb England 6-26 Australia conclusions as \u2018true rockstar\u2019 emerges as world\u2019s best player<\/a><\/p>\n
6,200 \u2013 \ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7@FFRXIII<\/a> v \ud83c\uddef\ud83c\uddf2@JAMRugbyLeague<\/a>
14,800* \u2013 \ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddec@PNGRFL_Official<\/a> v \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\uddf0@CookIslands_RL<\/a>
44,682* \u2013 \ud83c\uddfc\ud83c\uddf8@RLSamoa<\/a> v \ud83c\uddf9\ud83c\uddf4@LeagueTonga<\/a><\/p>\n