Magic Weekend 2015: Newcastle's St James' Park to host

St James' Park has a capacity of 52,404

Newcastle United FC's St James' Park will host the 2015 Magic Weekend next May, when a full round of Super League fixtures will be played over two days.

A new venue was required as Manchester City's Etihad Stadium is not available because of building work.

The 52,404-capacity stadium will host three matches on Saturday, 30 May and three the next day.

Magic Weekend was first staged in Cardiff in 2007 and has also been held in Edinburgh as well as Manchester.

Coventry, which will host semi-professional rugby league from 2015, was thought to be under consideration, while City's Etihad is favourite to regain the event from 2016 when it will have a new capacity of 54,000.

Super League general manager Blake Solly said: "St James' Park is one of Britain's iconic sporting stadiums and Newcastle is a fantastic destination city that will provide the perfect backdrop to the Super League Magic Weekend."

Super League was played in the north-east in 1999 when Gateshead Thunder entered the competition after the International Stadium had previously hosted an "on-the-road" match between Leeds and Salford.