Australian Rugby League Commission Chairman Peter V'Landys has revealed a team in Papua New Guinea is "no done deal".
The NRL have been widely expected to announce an 18th team will be joining the competition before the end of this season, although the timeline for said team to begin playing is unclear.
A Papua New Guinea bid has been the widely backed leading candidate, with speculation the NRL will then quickly move to add a 19th and potentially 20th team.
V'Landys though, speaking at an announcement regarding the future of Magic Round which has now been locked in to be held in Brisbane until at least the end of 2027, said Papua New Guinea is no done deal, and that there is interest from both Western Australia and Christchurch, as well as potentially for yet another team in Brisbane following the addition of the Dolphins in 2023.
"We are at very early negotiations with the [Federal] government. There is still a long way to go and it's no done deal," V'Landys told the media.
"There are some very good bidders in Perth, in Christchurch and even here in Brisbane.
"All the bids are fantastic and it just shows you how good the game is going at the moment that everyone wants to be part of it.
"The premier of Perth rings up every day to put the Perth team in. There is no more passionate supporter than the premier of Western Australia."
It has been widely tipped that any Port Moresby team could be based in Australia, flying in and out of Port Moresby for home games.
V'Landys said for a team in Papua New Guinea to work, it must be based there, rather than training and living in Australia.
He also hinted at the fact a team in Port Moresby would be used for more than just rugby league in what is a country of 18 million people where rugby league is the national sport.
"For the people of Papua New Guinea to get engaged, you have to have the team in Papua New Guinea. For me, having it in Australia, it's not really a Papua New Guinea team.
"We have to take the game there. There are 18 million people in Papua New Guinea. The whole purpose of this is to provide support for all the areas of Papua New Guinea. Kids don't go to school, if you don't go to school, you don't get educated and that causes a poverty cycle. What we are going to do is provide players to go to the schools and what that does is compels kids to go to school, because they want to go to school, to play rugby league, and see their heroes.
"If we can do that through our game and help an emerging nation, we will do it, but we just have to get the negotiation right. It's more than just an NRL team."
It's well known the NRL want to move the competition to 18 teams as quickly as possible to add a ninth game to the schedule each weekend, but it's also unlikely this will be able to happen until the expiration of the current TV deal at the end of 2026.
