The inclusion of a Papua New Guinea-based team in the NRL was announced on 12 December, 2024, as part of the Pacific Rugby League Partnership involving the Australian Rugby League Commission and Australian Government, in which AU$600 million in government funding will support the new team as well as grassroots development and other community initiatives in Papua New Guinea and the Pacific islands.
[9] Through 2023 and 2024, a Papua New Guinea bid was viewed as a frontrunner to enter the NRL, in light of an Australian Government plan to invest $600 million over a 10-year period in rugby league and socio-economic programs in the country.
[10] Discussions have included a proposal from ARLC chairman Peter V'landys to offer tax-free status to rugby league players who played for a Papua New Guinea NRL team.
The Papua New Guinean NRL team will be funded by a $600 million package from the Australian government over a ten-year period,[4] as part of the NRL's Pacific Rugby League Partnership which supports and provides investment into grassroots, pathways, and elite rugby league across Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Samoa and Fiji.
If Australia deem Papua New Guinea to be in breach of the security pact, they reserve the right to withdraw funding for the team.