Betfred Super League Magic WKND smashes records galore

The 2026 Betfred Super League Magic WKND has been hailed the most successful ever, with a record-breaking attendance of 82,925, thrilling on-field action and an unforgettable celebration of Rugby League in England and France showcasing the sport’s fiercest rivalries.

Over two high-octane days, supporters from across the country descended on Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium to witness Betfred Super League clubs compete in one venue, creating a festival atmosphere reinforced by headline performances by chart-toppers Example and Jax Jones.

The weekend also included the very first dedicated Magic fixture in France with Catalans Dragons facing Toulouse Olympique at the home of French Top 14 rugby union side Castres Olympique.

In total, 82,925 fans walked through the gates in Liverpool and France - smashing the previous record Magic attendance of 68,276 set at Newcastle United’s St James’ Park in 2016.

Sunday’s crowd of 42,903 at Everton was also Magic’s biggest-ever single day attendance, eclipsing the 40,871 that attended Newcastle in 2015. 

Following the outstanding success of the Ashes Test in October, Rugby League made a rapid return to the Hill Dickinson Stadium with several records broken during the run-up to the weekend.

The scale of demand during the priority window marked the biggest pre-sale in the event’s history, surpassing early 2025 sales by 400%.

Magic WKND also generated significant broadcast and digital engagement, with over 800,000 (+18% vs 2025) viewers watching live on Sky Sports with the final game of the weekend between the Warriors and Saints registering the second highest average audience of the season so far.

Official Betfred Super League social media channels delivered the highest performing Magic on record, beating the previous record holder (2025) alongside:

19.7m impressions (+85% v 2025)

371k engagements (+73%)

11.9m video views (+137%)

2.1k follower growth (+18%)

A new initiative to give supporters opportunity to put questions directly to the winning coaches following each Magic WKND fixture was also a resounding success with the Super League subreddit gaining more than 100,000 views this weekend.

Ahead of Magic WKND, it was confirmed Betfred would donate £180 to the MND Association for every try scored across the seven Magic fixtures. With 62 tries scored, the resulting £11,160 pot has been rounded up by Betfred so that the charity now receives £15,000.

Rhodri Jones, RL Commercial Managing Director, said: “Magic WKND has grown into one of rugby league’s great showcase events over the last 20 years and this weekend’s numbers solidify that.

“The atmosphere across the weekend was exceptional, the quality of the matches was outstanding, and seeing a record number of supporters come together at both Hill Dickinson Stadium and in Castres is something everyone involved should be incredibly proud of.

"This weekend was about much more than seven matches. It was a celebration of our clubs, and our fans, who continue to create one of the most unique events in sport. We'd like to thank every supporter, player, club, Everton and our partners who helped make this year's Magic WKND such a tremendous success."

Magic WKND will return to Everton FC’s Hill Dickinson Stadium in 2027 on the Bank Holiday weekend of May 1 and 2. Pre-registration for tickets opened yesterday (July 5^th) with over 20,000 fans already on the list for 2027, supporters are urged to pre-reg here: Magic Weekend 2027