The Hull derby will take place at Magic Weekend once again.
15:00, 25 Nov 2025
Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium will host the 2026 Magic Weekend.
Hull FC will meet Hull KR at the Magic Weekend in 2026, with the Hull derby returning to the popular Super League event.
As widely reported last week, the Magic Weekend will take place once again next season despite fears it would be scrapped from the rugby league calendar. It will be held at a new venue, with Everton’s impressive Hill Dickinson Stadium getting the nod on July 4th and 5th.
Rugby league officials were impressed with Everton’s staging of the Ashes Test between England and Australia earlier this month, with a sold-out 52k crowd packing out the Merseyside venue.
Meanwhile, the Magic Weekend will be the only loop fixture used in Super League next season, with the full regular rounds standing at 27. Of course, the competition has been expanded to 14 teams with the promotion of Bradford Bulls, Toulouse Olympique, and York Knights.
That means Hull will play Rovers three times next season, with their usual games at the MKM Stadium and Craven Park taking place. One will be played at Easter and another later in the year.
As for Hill Dickinson Stadium, it will be the seventh different venue to host the Magic Weekend, following on from Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium, Edinburgh’s Murrayfield, Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium, Liverpool’s Anfield, Newcastle’s St James’ Park, and Leeds United’s Elland Road.
It will see derbies return to the Magic Weekend over the recent league position-based fixtures. As well as Hull and Rovers, St Helens meet Wigan Warriors, Bradford Bulls take on Leeds Rhinos, and Castleford Tigers face Wakefield Trinity. Elsewhere, Warrington Wolves play Leigh Leopards and Huddersfield Giants face York Knights.
There is also a Magic Weekend twist, with Catalans Dragons taking on Toulouse Olympique in France, meaning that six games will be played at Everton – three on Saturday 4 July and three on Sunday 5 July.
Details around the French fixture, to be staged on the Magic Weekend dates but over the channel, are still to be determined. RL Commercial have also stated that kick-off times will be confirmed once the French fixture is finalised.
“With memories still fresh of an unforgettable occasion for the Ashes Test, we’re delighted to be able to confirm a return to Hill Dickinson Stadium for the 2026 Super League Magic Weekend,” RL Commercial CEO Rhodri Jones said. “This will be the seventh venue to stage Magic since it was introduced as a new concept for sport in 2007, and our clubs, players and supporters are in for a treat.
“It’s a stunning stadium with outstanding facilities at all levels, and it’s also superbly located for summer on the waterfront, and with the many and varied attractions of Liverpool within easy reach. We’re looking forward to elevating our fan experience with a range of hospitality offers which proved so popular for the international, and the plaza outside the stadium is perfect for Magic.
“We continue to work with the Dragons and Toulouse on the feasibility of delivering a very special event in France too, and we hope to be able to announce something in the near future on this.”
The full Super League fixture calendar will be released on Thursday morning.
Full Magic Weekend Line-up
Saturday 4 July
Huddersfield Giants vs York Knights
Hull KR vs Hull FC
Leigh Leopards vs Warrington Wolves
Sunday 5 July
Wakefield Trinity vs Castleford Tigers
Leeds Rhinos vs Bradford Bulls
Wigan Warriors vs St Helens
French Magic (date and venue to be confirmed)
Catalans Dragons vs Toulouse Olympique
