The 2023 Betfred Super League season will begin on Thursday, February 16; Details for Magic Weekend will be announced later this month and the full fixture list released in November; watch the 2023 Super League season live on Sky Sports
Thursday 6 October 2022 10:55, UK
The Betfred Super League has confirmed the key dates for the 2023 season, which will kick off mid-February and conclude with the Grand Final on October 14.
The 27-round regular season will get under way on Thursday, February 16, with the last round of matches scheduled for Thursday, September 21 to Sunday, September 24.
The play-offs begin the following week with the Eliminators on Friday, September 29 and Saturday, September 30, followed by the semi-finals on Friday, October 6 and Saturday, October 7.
This will be followed by the Grand Final at Old Trafford, which reverts to its usual October slot after being brought forward to September this year due to the Rugby League World Cup in England.
Easter Weekend will once again be 'Rivals Round' too, featuring some of Super League's traditional derby clashes and will be played from Thursday, April 6 to Monday, April 10.
The venue, date and fixtures for Magic Weekend 2023 will be announced on Sunday, October 16, while the full Super League regular-season fixture list for next year will be released on Thursday, November 3.
Sky Sports will again be broadcasting extensive live coverage of the Super League campaign in 2023, including Magic Weekend and the Grand Final.
At present, no date has been confirmed for the return of the World Club Challenge to the calendar in 2023, which would see St Helens taking on back-to-back NRL champions Penrith Panthers.
The Super League champions have appeared in seven World Club Challenges and are keen to make it eight in February. However, they accept there are difficulties to overcome.
Saints, winners of the last four Super League Grand Finals, played in the last World Club Challenge in 2020, when they lost to Sydney Roosters, but the coronavirus pandemic put paid to their chances of tackling Melbourne Storm in 2021 and the Panthers earlier this year.
Chief executive Mike Rush confirmed Super League officials have already been in contact with their NRL counterparts but admits several challenges need to be overcome for the game to take place.
"As always, we would be more than happy to play in the WCC," Rush said. "The ball is always in the court of the NRL and the Australian club sides.
"We can accommodate the game for sure and Super League has been in contact with the NRL. It would, of course, have to fit in with the start of both seasons and an issue could be the costs of staging the game given the price of flights at present."
It is widely accepted the UK in February is the best place and time for the event, given Super League's early season start compared to the NRL, although Rush believes a shorter pre-season caused by the World Cup could add to the difficulties.
Both clubs have players involved in the tournament in England, which starts on October 15 and runs to November 19.
