NRL Grand Final 2020: The date, time, stadium and how to watch the game
The 2020 NRL Grand Final between the Panthers & Storm will be held in Sydney tonight and here’s everything you need to know about the big game.
Originally scheduled to be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground, the Grand Final will now take place at ANZ Stadium, where it has been played since 1999.
The 2020 season-decider will be played on Sunday, October 25 – about one month later than usual due to the break earlier in the season caused by the Coronavirus. It’ll be played the day after the AFL Grand Final, which will be played in Brisbane this year.
The Melbourne Storm booked their spot for the Grand Final first, after defeating the Canberra Raiders in front of more than 37,000 fans at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night. They will take on the Penrith Panthers, who beat the Rabbitohs at ANZ on Saturday. View the full 2020 NRL Fixture & Results.
The stadium and crowd attendance
The NRL Grand Final will be played at ANZ Stadium in Sydney. The Olympic Stadium has hosted the Grand Final since it opened in 1999. Originally, the game was scheduled for the SCG due to the planned major redevelopment of the Homebush venue, however the revamp was scrapped by the NSW Government, meaning it could once again host the season-ending game.
A crowd of 40,000 will be able to attend the NRL Grand Final, with the NSW Government allowing stadiums to be filled to 50% of their capacity, with a cap of 40,000. (ANZ Stadium has a capacity of 83,500.)
What time does the NRL Grand Final start?
The NRL Grand Final is traditionally played at night, and this year will be no different, with the game kicking-off at 7:30pm (AEDT) – that means a 6:30pm kick-off for fans watching the game in Queensland. Find out more about Australian time zones here.
How to watch the Grand Final
Channel 9 has exclusive rights to televise the NRL Grand Final in Australia and will broadcast the game nationally on 9 and 9HD. If you’re used to watching NRL ad-free on Foxtel, unfortunately you’re unable to watch the Grand Final on the Pay-TV network, due to broadcast restrictions, so you’ll need to tune into channel 100 (or 209 for HD) to watch the game. Fox League will show a full replay of the game from 10:00pm.
If you usually stream NRL games live on Kayo Sports, unfortunately they are also unable to broadcast the Grand Final live due to the same restrictions - they'll have it available from 10pm. However, you can stream the game live on 9Now – the streaming service of the Nine Network. If you are outside Australia, 9Now may not work because the service is not eligible for international streaming. We advise you to use VPN app Windows, Mac or any other device. VPN will change your geolocation, so you can watch the stream online without hindrance. As a bonus your device will be safe from malware.
How to get Grand Final Tickets
Tickets have now sold-out for the NRL Grand Final. With a reduced capacity of 40,000 due to Covid-19, tickets will were at a premium. The official ticket agent for ANZ Stadium is Ticketek and all tickets are sold through them. Do no buy tickets through an unofficial reseller as you’ll likely pay too much and the tickets may not be valid.
ANZ STADIUM NRL GRAND FINAL SEATING MAP
Where to stay in Sydney
If you’re lucky enough to be heading to the game, you’ll want some nearby accommodation to ANZ Stadium. Austadiums, together with our official travel partners, have put together a map of the Sydney Olympic Park precinct and nearby area with available hotels thanks to booking.com, Airbnbs and other accommodation, available to book right now at the best prices.
View Accommodation near ANZ Stadium here >
What’s the Grand Final Entertainment?
The NRL Grand Final entertainment this year will be headlined by Australian indie pop star and five-time ARIA award-winner Amy Shark. She will be joined alongside instrumentalist and founding member of INXS, Andrew Farriss. The entertainment will get underway at 6:30pm.
Grand Final Day will also feature the NRL Telstra Women's Premiership decider between the Broncos & Roosters starting at 4:05pm, plus a tribute to the retiring players of 2020, a special tribute to Arthur Summons, and the presentations of the Ken Stephen and Veronica White Medals for the players who have made the biggest off-field contribution to local communities this year.
Grand Final Running Sheet
| TIME | ACTIVITY |
| 3:15PM | Gates Open |
| 4:05PM | Kick Off: NRL Women’s Telstra Premiership Grand Final |
| 6:30PM | Pre-Game Entertainment Commences |
| 7:30PM | Kick Off: NRL Telstra Premiership Grand Final |
Past Grand Final winners
Over the past five years, the Grand Final has been won by four different clubs, with the Sydney Roosters winning the past two. Prior to that, it was won by the Melbourne Storm, Cronulla Sharks, and North Queensland Cowboys in 2015. Over the same period, the average attendance at the Grand Final has been 82,343. View every NRL result and attendance since 2003, including every Grand Final, on Austadiums.
| YEAR | EVENT | VENUE | CROWD |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | NRL Grand Final: Roosters d Raiders | ANZ Stadium | 82,922 |
| 2018 | NRL Grand Final: Roosters d Storm | ANZ Stadium | 82,688 |
| 2017 | NRL Grand Final: Storm d Cowboys | ANZ Stadium | 79,722 |
| 2016 | NRL Grand Final: Sharks d Storm | ANZ Stadium | 83,625 |
| 2015 | NRL Grand Final: Cowboys d Broncos | ANZ Stadium | 82,758 |
NRL Premiership Odds
A look at the odds is often a good indicator of who'll go on to win the premiership. As of Sunday, October 25 at 5:30pm, PointsBet has the following market for the 2020 Grand Final winner:
Penrith Panthers - $2.20
Melbourne Storm - $1.73
