Australian government will invest £300m in a new rugby league team based in Papua New Guinea. But there’s a catch – and it has nothing to do with the sport

SYDNEY: Australia will spend US$385 million to establish a team from Papua New Guinea in its rugby league competition, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Thursday (Dec 12), a move designed to help ward off China.

A team from rugby league hotspot Papua New Guinea will enter the National Rugby League from 2028 after officially being granted a license. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his Papua New Guinean counterpart James Marape met in Sydney on Thursday to shake hands over the deal,

Papua New Guinea will gain its own team in Australia’s rugby league in a soft diplomacy deal linked to limiting Chinese influence in the South Pacific

The Pacific nation has produced many stars of Australia's National Rugby League (NRL) and has long been lobbying to join the franchise. Australia will provide A$600m (£301m, $384