LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick

Hong Kong's Initial Steps Towards Rugby League Expansion

For many fans watching from home, it might seem that rugby league's competitive year ended with the Pacific Championships final round in early November 2025. However, there's a burgeoning new competition emerging in a different region. This year marks the revival of the third Asian Championships in rugby league, a tournament not held for over a decade.

To provide some background, the first two seasons of the Asian Championships took place in 2012 and 2013, featuring a mere 80-minute match between two teams-Philippines and Thailand-with the Philippines securing narrow wins on both occasions.

Fast forward to 2025, and the competition expanded to include four representative nations: the Philippines, Singapore, Japan, and Hong Kong SAR.

In 2025, the Philippines hosted the tournament, with Singapore ultimately taking the title. This article will focus on an underdog team from the league: Hong Kong, which finished fourth out of four in its inaugural season.

The Hong Kong national team is dedicated to promoting the sport despite their standings. They have been working diligently both as an organization and within their region to boost the popularity of rugby league.

As a (kind of) expatriate living in Hong Kong, I've noticed that among my peers, while the NRL enjoys considerable popularity, rugby league as a whole remains relatively unknown.

Many passionate NRL fans, who fervently support their teams during the Origin series and possess a strong understanding of the game, are often unaware of the existence of an organization called "Hong Kong Rugby League" just around the corner.