A tough opening stretch, a landmark game in Christchurch and a clash with the Dolphins in Wellington are highlights of the Warriors’ 2026 draw released on Friday.
Curiously, the Auckland club will also play the Broncos twice at Suncorp Stadium, with the Magic Round clash in Brisbane doubling as a Warriors home game. Michael Maguire’s team will then host the Warriors in round 24.
The schedule also features a home game against Penrith – after this year’s fixture broke a stretch of five seasons without a Panthers’ visit to Auckland.
The Warriors launch their season with back-to-back Friday night home games against top eight opponents at Go Media Stadium, the first against the Sydney Roosters on March 6 and the second against NRL minor premiers the Canberra Raiders on March 13.
After games against Newcastle (away) and Tigers (home), the Warriors then travel to Cronulla and Melbourne in consecutive weeks to round out a challenging first quarter.
The Warriors return to the South Island in 2026. After hosting Canberra and Newcastle in the first two years of their partnership with Christchurch, the club will create history with the first NRL match in the city’s new stadium, which opens next year.
For the third successive year, the Warriors will have an Anzac Day fixture on home soil, after the Gold Coast Titans (2024, Auckland) and Newcastle Knights (2025, Christchurch), with the occasion taking place in Wellington against the Dolphins.
• Anzac Day match against the Dolphins in Wellington.
• Home games against Roosters (Rd 1, March 6), Raiders (Rd 2, March 13), Sharks (Rd 15, June 13) and the Panthers for the second year running (Rd 23, August 7).
• Season begins with two home games and ends with two home matches (Knights and Sea Eagles).
• Warriors play 2025 top-eight sides Broncos, Panthers and Sharks twice.
• Only one meeting against each of the other top-eight sides; the Roosters (home), Raiders (home), Storm (away) and Bulldogs (away).
• No away games again in Townsville or Canberra.
• Byes are in round 10 (May 7-10), round 14 (June 4-17) and round 18 (July 2-5).
• The first bye precedes the “home” game against “away” team Brisbane in the Magic Round.
• Teams played once: Roosters, Raiders, Cowboys and Sea Eagles at home; Storm, Rabbitohs, Bulldogs and Eels away.
Teams played home and away: Broncos, Dolphins, Dragons, Knights, Panthers, Sharks, Tigers and Titans.
• Distance Warriors will travel: 60,682km (NRL average: 24,776km).
Round 1: Friday, March 6 v Roosters. Go Media Stadium, Auckland, 8pm.
Round 2: Friday, March 13 v Raiders. Go Media Stadium, 8pm.
Round 3: Saturday, March 21 v Knights. McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle, 5pm.
Round 4: Friday, March 27 v Wests Tigers. Go Media Stadium, 8pm.
Round 5: Sunday, April 5 v Sharks. PointsBet Stadium, Sydney, 4pm.
Round 6: Saturday, April 11 v Storm. AAMI Park, Melbourne, 9.30pm
Round 7: Saturday, April 18 v Titans. Go Media Stadium, 5pm.
Round 8: Saturday, April 25 v Dolphins (Anzac Round). Sky Stadium, Wellington, 8.05pm.
Round 9: Saturday, May 2 v Eels. CommBank Stadium, Sydney, 7.30pm.
Round 10: Bye.
Round 11: Sunday, May 17 v Broncos (Magic Round). Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, 6.05pm.
Round 12: Saturday, May 23 v Dragons. Jubilee Stadium, Sydney, 7.30pm.
Round 13: Sunday, May 31 v Panthers. CommBank Stadium, 8.15pm.
Round 14: Bye.
Round 15: Saturday, June 13 v Sharks. Go Media Stadium, 7.30pm.
Round 16: Sunday, June 21 v Cowboys. One NZ Stadium, Christchurch, 4pm.
Round 17: Saturday, June 27 v Dolphins. Suncorp Stadium, 5pm.
Round 18: Bye.
Round 19: Friday, July 10 v Tigers. Campbelltown Sports Stadium, Sydney, 10pm.
Round 20: Saturday, July 18 v Dragons. Go Media Stadium, 7.30pm.
Round 21: Saturday, July 25 v Bulldogs. Accor Stadium, Sydney, 7.30pm.
Round 22: Saturday, August 1 v Titans. Cbus Super Stadium, Robina, 5pm.
Round 23: Friday, August 7 v Panthers. Go Media Stadium, 8pm.
Round 24: Saturday, August 15 v Broncos. Suncorp Stadium, 9.30pm.
Round 25: Saturday, August 22 v Rabbitohs. Accor Stadium, 7.30pm.
Round 26: Sunday, August 30 v Knights. Go Media Stadium, 4pm.
Round 27: Saturday, September 5 v Sea Eagles. Go Media Stadium, 5pm.
Round 1: Sunday, July 5 v Bulldogs. FMG Stadium, Hamilton, 3.45pm.
Round 2: Sunday, July 12 v Raiders. GIO Stadium, Canberra, 2pm.
Round 3: Saturday, July 18 v Cowboys. Go Media Stadium, 5.15pm.
Round 4: Sunday, July 26 v Eels. Eric Tweedle Stadium, Sydney, 2pm.
Round 5: Sunday, August 2 v Titans (Magic Round). Geohex Stadium, Wagga Wagga, 3.45pm.
Round 6: Saturday, August 8 v Knights. FMG Stadium, 5.15pm.
Round 7: Sunday, August 16 v Tigers. CommBank Stadium, 3.45pm.
Round 8: Sunday, August 23 v Roosters. Allianz Stadium, Sydney, 3.45pm.
Round 9: Sunday, August 30 v Dragons. Go Media Stadium, 1.50pm.
Round 10: Saturday, September 5 v Sharks. Go Media Stadium, 2.45pm.
Round 11: Sunday, September 13 v Broncos. Totally Workwear Stadium, Brisbane, 2pm.