In 2025, Women’s State of Origin isn’t just a game – it’s a national event, requiring the athletes to take time off at their day jobs to prepare for the series. Viewership is booming. And all of it marks a dramatic shift from the days when women’s footy barely made the schedule.
What we have now
Game 1 of 2025 on May 1, gathered 26,022 fans at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium, setting a new record for the series.
Via TV and other streaming services, the event reached an audience of 2.09 million
After the Blues’ 32-12 win in the opening game, Game 2 is promising some performance and tension. While official attendance figures will be confirmed post-match, there is strong anticipation that the event will set a new record for Women's State of Origin attendance.
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History of Women's Origin
The annual rugby league fixture between New South Wales and Queensland women’s teams began in 1999 and was called “Women's Interstate Challenge”. While it followed a similar concept to the men's State of Origin, it did not have the official "State of Origin" branding or the same level of support or publicity.
The NRL officially rebranded the event to "Women's State of Origin" in 2018, marking a turning point in the visibility and professionalism of the women’s game.
The Women's Interstate Challenge matches’ attendance and viewership were not consistently documented, reflecting limited media coverage and record-keeping for women's rugby league during that period.
All we have is numbers starting from 2018, and they show how interest in the Series has progressed:
| Year | Stadium Attendance | TV & Streaming |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 25,492 (Game I) | 2.009m |
| 2024 (avg) | 24,697 | 941,000 |
| 2023 (avg) | 15,623 | n/d |
| 2022 | 11,321 | n/d |
| 2021 | 7,183 | n/d |
| 2020 (covid) | 4,833 | n/d |
| 2019 | 10,515 | n/d |
| 2018 | 6,824 | n/d |
From 2021 to 2024, NRLW State of Origin attendance increased by 307 per cent.
Why the increase?
Since its rebranding in 2018, the NRL has gradually elevated the series – scheduling matches in prime-time slots, broadcasting them nationally on major networks, and promoting star players as elite athletes in their own right.
The expansion of the NRLW, media coverage highlighting the physicality and skill of the women’s game, and broader societal support for gender equity in sport have also played key roles.
As more girls take up rugby league and the matches grow in competitiveness and drama, fans are increasingly tuning in – not out of novelty, but because the footy is simply that good.
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