The NRL have confirmed the Sydney Roosters and Brisbane Broncos - two of the teams who travelled to Las Vegas last year - will open the 2025 season on Australian soil.
While it had already been confirmed that the Canberra Raiders would clash with the New Zealand Warriors, and the Penrith Panthers would play the Cronulla Sharks in this year's Las Vegas games, the competition have taken the step of confirming the remaining teams' first-round opponents.
Those Las Vegas games (on Sunday, March 2 Australian time) will again take place a weekend earlier than the rest of the competition gets underway between Thursday, March 6, and Sunday, March 9.
The Roosters and Broncos will play the Thursday night game, while the Roosters' traditional rivals the South Sydney Rabbitohs will hit the road in the Friday night prime time clash to play the Dolphins as Wayne Bennett returns immediately to face his former team.
In Sunday's free to air game, Jason Ryles will also begin his head coaching journey with a trip back to Melbourne where he will clash with mentor Craig Bellamy's Melbourne Storm outfit.
In the non free to air games, the Wests Tigers will host the Newcastle Knights in the 6pm Friday game, long-time rivals the St George Illawarra Dragons - complete with their experienced trio of new signings in Valentine Holmes, Damien Cook and Clint Gutherson - will clash with the Canterbury Bulldogs in the early Saturday game, and the Manly Sea Eagles will host the North Queensland Cowboys in the later Saturday game as Todd Payten's side start 2025 in Sydney.
Stadiums for the six Round 1 games to be played in Australia have not been confirmed.
The Gold Coast Titans have been handed the first bye of 2025.
The full NRL draw for 2025 is expected to be unveiled in the second half of the coming week.
Round 1 2025 NRL fixtures
Canberra Raiders vs New Zealand Warriors at Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, Sunday, March 2, 11am
Penrith Panthers vs Cronulla Sharks at Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, Sunday, March 2, 3:30pm
Sydney Roosters vs Brisbane Broncos at TBC, Thursday, March 6, 8pm
Wests Tigers vs Newcastle Knights at TBC, Friday, March 7, 6pm
The Dolphins vs South Sydney Rabbitohs at TBC, Friday, March 7, 8:05pm
St George Illawarra Dragons vs Canterbury Bulldogs at TBC, Saturday, March 8, 5:30pm
Manly Sea Eagles vs North Queensland Cowboys at TBC, Saturday, March 8, 7:35pm
Melbourne Storm vs Parramatta Eels at TBC, Sunday, March 9, 4:05pm
Bye: Gold Coast Titans
