Hull KR explain World Club Challenge venue swap

Hull KR chief executive Paul Lakin says holding the World Club Challenge at the home of rivals Hull FC was a "no-brainer"

Hull KR will host Brisbane Broncos in rugby league's World Club Challenge in 2026 but the match will be played at the MKM Stadium - the home of local rivals Hull FC.

The clash between the Super League and Australian NRL champions, on 19 February, will not be held at Craven Park because of "capacity reasons".

"This will be a sell-out. It's not just a game for Hull KR fans, it's for rugby league fans. We want as many people as possible to watch it and our stadium isn't big enough," said Hull KR chief executive Paul Lakin.

Tickets for the match will be sold in phases, starting with Hull KR season members at 12:00 GMT on 14 November.

The MKM Stadium will host the World Club Challenge match on 19 February 2026

The capacity of the MKM Stadium, home to football club Hull City as well as Hull FC, officially stands at 25,586 - more than double the 11,000 capacity of Craven Park.

Mr Lakin added: "I'm sure there'll be some fans who will be disappointed but Craven Park isn't big enough to host a game of this magnitude. The most important thing is that we're not travelling away and we're staying in the city of Hull.

"The stadium will be branded for Hull KR. It's our game and it'll allow all of our fans, other Super League supporters and Broncos fans to come.

"It's a no-brainer, an absolute no-brainer."

Hull KR beat Wigan Warriors to win the Super League Grand Final in October

As part of the deal to host the 2026 competition, Hull KR will finance the flights and hotel accommodation for the Broncos.

Mr Lakin told BBC Radio Humberside that staging the match in Hull had "always been a priority" but revealed talks had been held with Elland Road, Leeds, and a "seven-figure offer" from Qatar had also been rejected.

He said: "It would have suited Brisbane to fly there [to Qatar] but they recognised it was our game.

"This is the first opportunity this city has had to host the World Club Challenge and we didn't want it to lose out."

Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.

Download the BBC News app from the App Store for iPhone and iPad or Google Play for Android devices