Newcastle won’t be hosting rugby league in 2026
15:00, 25 Nov 2025
St James’ Park has been regarded as the spiritual home of Magic Weekend.
Newcastle United has missed out on hosting rugby league’s Magic Weekend next year in what could be a £10million blow for the city.
St James’ Park has been the venue for Super League’s showpiece event on a record eight occasions which has provided a massive lift for the club’s PSR status as well as Newcastle’s economy.
The event, which has proven popular with supporters over the years, appeared likely to be shelved as part of plans to expand Super League to 14 teams. However, talks over the 2025 edition were revived, with Newcastle interested in hosting.
However, Premier League rivals Everton have beaten them to the event, and will host the action at their new Hill Dickinson Stadium next July, with the 19th Super League Magic Weekend heading to the Mersey waterfront.
Chronicle Live understands that St James’ Park wasn’t available for the dates that were being looked at. Magic Weekend will take place on July 4-5 next year, which is later than the previous May events.
That is bang in the middle of summer and the Gallowgate ground could be earmarked for music gigs. Sam Fender played three nights back in June, while ‘leaked’ dates for an Oasis tour next year surfaced a few weeks ago, claiming the super-group would play at St James’ Park on Friday, July 3.
More than 64,000 people attended St James’ Park this year when Magic Weekend returned to Newcastle – bringing in more than £10m into the local economy. That included the biggest ever Sunday crowd in the event’s history and the first time the second day’s attendance was higher than the first day.
The Magpies confirmed that they were keen to remain as hosts next year but Everton have been chosen after the success of the Ashes Test between Australia and England earlier this month, when a sell-out attendance of 52,106 made history for the first non-football event at their stunning new Hill Dickinson Stadium.
A Newcastle City Council spokesperson said: “We’ve built a fantastic relationship with the Super League over many years and it’s been a pleasure to host Magic Weekend each time it’s been held in Newcastle.
“It’s an event we’d happily welcome back in the future but we hope Magic Weekend 2026 is a huge success at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.”
Newcastle first hosted Magic Weekend in 2015, and then again every year through to 2018. It returned to St James’ Park after Covid for three successive years (2021-2023) and then after Elland Road was the venue in 2024, it was back in Newcastle this year.
Rhodri Jones, commercial managing director for Rugby League, said: “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 Betfred Super League Magic Weekend.
“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 also superbly located for summer on the waterfront, and with the many and varied attractions of Liverpool within easy reach.”
Missing out on hosting Magic Weekend is not only a blow to the city’s economy, but also United’s own finances. As well as banking a stadium fee for holding the event at St James’, they will also miss out on finances from the Stack, which has been rammed on the last couple of Magic Weekends.
That revenue contributes to the club’s PSR benefits as the Magpies look to continue improving their commercial performance.
Newcastle’s Saudi owners, PIF, were believed to like having a rugby league event at St James’ Park as they continue their sporting expansion, with moves into boxing, football, golf and tennis among others.
PIF chiefs will see for themselves Everton’s shiny new home on Saturday when United travel to Hill Dickinson Stadium for the first time. It comes at a time when the Magpies are still weighing up their own options around a new ground on Leazes Park or expanding St James’.
Everton’s chief executive officer Angus Kinnear added: “We are incredibly proud to be welcoming Magic Weekend to Hill Dickinson Stadium so soon after the outstanding success of the Ashes Test earlier this month. Hosting a sell-out crowd for the first major non-football event in our new home was a landmark moment for the club, and a powerful demonstration of what this stadium and our city can deliver.
“We look forward to welcoming supporters from across the Rugby League community next July and showcasing, once again, the energy, ambition and hospitality that make Hill Dickinson Stadium and our city region such a special destination for major events.”
