2025 Betfred Super League Grand Final coverage to reach Ukraine

Rugby League Commercial has confirmed live coverage of the 2025 Betfred Super League Grand Final in Ukraine, as part of a deal with Sport Media Group covering five countries in eastern Europe and the Baltic States.

The news has already been welcomed by Artur Martyrosian, the President of the Ukraine Rugby League (URL) – and by Adam Hills MBE, the President of the Rugby Football League, who has been working with a number of British clubs led by Keighley Cougars to support the URL’s efforts to maintain Rugby League activity through the last three years of conflict.

The Ukraine national team are currently preparing for European Championship fixtures against Greece and Italy in Udine later this month, with a warm-up game against the Netherlands this weekend – and have been boosted by the inclusion of Jett Cleary, the younger brother of Penrith Panthers superstar Nathan. Jett is on the books of the New Zealand Warriors, and will be representing the Cleary family’s Ukrainian heritage - while Nathan is due to arrive in London with the Kangaroos next week ahead of the first Ashes Test at Wembley Stadium on October 25.

Saturday’s Betfred Super League title decider between Hull KR and Wigan Warriors will be shown live through Ukraine, Moldova, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia by Sport Media Group on Channel 1 under a deal brokered by Rugby League’s long-term strategic partner IMG.

That adds to the global footprint of the match which also includes live German-language coverage across Germany, Austria and Switzerland through Sportdigital.

Further afield, the match will be shown live through Australia and the USA on Fox Sports, in Canada on SportsNet, across the Caribbean on SportsMax, on Digicel through the Pacific, Premier Sports in South East Asia, and Dubai TV.

And in the UK, in addition to the live and exclusive coverage through Super League’s broadcast partner Sky Sports, there will be an extended highlights package on BBC Two on Sunday lunchtime at 1pm.

Sky’s coverage is available globally through SuperLeague+, RL Commercial’s direct to consumer streaming service, for a one-off match fee of £7.99.

This follows a record-breaking Semi Final weekend, with the joint live coverage of Saturday’s match between Hull KR and St Helens on Sky Sports and BBC Two producing the best-ever viewing figures for a Super League Play-Off in the 28 seasons since their introduction in 1998 – excluding Grand Finals.

Adam Treeby, RL Commercial’s Head of Broadcast, said:

“Grand Final night at Old Trafford is one of the big occasions of the British sporting year, so it’s important for us that it is seen as widely as possible.

“And we’re especially pleased that the match will be shown live in the Ukraine for the first time, reflecting the incredible efforts of Artur Martyrosian and the other people who have kept the sport going against the odds over the last three years.

“It’s the second year we’ve been able to offer live coverage around the world through Super League Plus, and we’ve already experienced huge demand after the success of our Play-Offs package.”