SUPER LEAGUE will return to Newcastle for Magic Weekend next season – but won’t take an international break.
St James’ Park has won the race to host the event in 2025, after it was held at Leeds’ Elland Road this year.
Newcastle has been a popular home for Magic in the past, hosting seven previous editions, all of which have attracted weekend attendances of over 60,000.
Venues including Cardiff, Dublin and Nottingham were also under consideration but a return to the north-east was the RFL’s preferred choice.
The date is yet to be confirmed and, while the August Bank Holiday weekend was initially lined up, Rugby League Live have reported that it may take place on the weekend of May 3-4 instead.
Meanwhile, Super League clubs have dented England coach Shaun Wane’s preparations for next year’s Ashes series by removing the mid-season international window from the calendar.
In each of the past four years England have played in mid-season, with two games against a Combined Nations All Stars side followed by matches with France in 2023 and 2024.
However, after criticism over the lack of competitiveness and commercial value of England-France matches, that has now been ditched, while suggestions of a War of the Roses return next year have also been rejected.
Instead, one Super League round will be spread over two weeks, meaning no full England training camps will be held during the season prior to taking on Australia.
The Super League season will begin on the weekend of February 15-16, although top-flight clubs will enter a restructured Challenge Cup the week before that, in round three.
Super League fixtures will be released on Thursday, November 21, with Championship and League One fixtures following on Tuesday, November 26 and the Women’s Super League on Wednesday, December 4.
Click here to get the digital edition of League Express
Click here to subscribe to the print edition of League Express
League Express is also widely available from local newsagents across the north of England.
