With Multicultural round in the NRL this weekend, The growing global reach of rugby league has been highlighted in a massive way.
At NRL WA we have a whopping 35 counties, where peoples place of birth and nationality represent so many in our game.
The figure represents the diversity of the sport’s playing group and the wide range of backgrounds that come together to play in rugby league.
Overall, the multicultural nature of rugby league is reflected right throughout the game especially at the elite level:
- There are 66 total national heritages represented across the current NRL & NRLW playing squads.
- 27% of current NRL players were born overseas.
- More than half of current NRL players have a father born overseas (57%), while 47% have a mother born overseas.
- Almost a quarter (23%) of current NRL players have a father born in the Pacific Islands, while 18% have a mother born in the Pacific Islands.
- More than two-thirds (68%) of current NRL players have at least one grandparent born overseas.
- 12% of NRL players identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and 10% are of Māori descent.
2 Maps showing the spread of countries represented across the NRL WA – AI Created
The list below shows the amount of countries and heritage involved locally here in WA, with more probably to be added –
- Australia
- Barbados
- Bulgaria
- Canada
- Cook Islands
Anneka Stephens, playing for the Cook Islands after representing Joondalup Giants in the NRL WA competition.
- England
- Fiji
- France
- Germany
- Hong Kong
- Indonesia
- Ireland
- Italy
- Jersey
- Lebanon
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
Photo Libby McMillan – Maori and NZ teams Pikiao and Taranaki in Masters
- Papua New Guinea
- Phillipines
- Qatar
- Samoa
Photo Libby McMillan – Samoan U16 Girls with their pre-game cultural exchange
- Serbia
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- South Africa
- Sri Lanka
- Syrian Arab Republic
- Taiwan
- Thailand
- Tonga
Tonga Sipi Tau
- Uganda
- United Arab Emirates
- United States Of America
- Wales
- Zimbabwe
Rugby League continues to be a game for everyone, and figures from the 2025 season showcase rugby league’s unique ability to unite different cultures.
And across the whole country show the below –
- 17,000 club rugby league players were born overseas, across 153 countries.
- 13,000 club rugby league players were born in the Pacific (NZ, Samoa, Fiji, PNG, Tonga, Cook Islands).
- More than 40,000, or 19%, club rugby league players identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and more than 11,000, or 5%, club rugby league players identify as Māori.
Even in the NRL WA office, we have people born in different parts of Australia, New Zealand and England, along with heritage from Wales, Singapore and more, to recognise what an international game we really are.
