By DALCY LULUA
Prime Minister James Marape has confirmed that Papua New Guinea’s National Rugby League (NRL) team name could be announced as early as this Sunday, coinciding with the highly anticipated Prime Minister’s XIII match between PNG and Australia in Port Moresby.
Speaking to the media yesterday upon his arrival from Australia-where he signed the historic Pukpuk Treaty with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese—Mr Marape said discussions around the country’s NRL bid are progressing well, with the final approval expected later this week.
“If everything goes to plan, and the board clears through a meeting we’re holding here in Port Moresby later this week, then we should be able to announce our team name by Sunday,” Mr Marape said.
He explained that public engagement in the process has been overwhelmingly positive, describing it as “the highest ever public engagement in respect to a survey” conducted in the country.
“I’ll receive the full details during the course of this week and indicate what is emerging as the preferred name for our team,” he added.
The Prime Minister said a shortlist of potential team names has already been developed in consultation with the NRL, which must ensure that selected names, logos, and color designs are unique and not subject to existing trademarks.
“There’s a process we must follow. For instance, one team recently found out their name was already copyrighted to another trading organization in Australia, so we want to avoid that situation,” Mr Marape said.
He reiterated that while the government supports the initiative, the process remains independent and will be determined by the board.
“The board is completely independent from myself. I can’t preempt the process, but I’m hopeful that by Saturday we’ll have agreed on a name, and by Sunday, we can make an official announcement,” he said.
Mr Marape also outlined that once the team name is confirmed, work will begin on developing junior pathways, player selection, membership drives, and the establishment of the franchise’s full operational structure.
“I want to have over one million Papua New Guineans sign up as members to be part of this team,” he said. “By the end of the year, we aim to finalize the franchise setup and begin regular participation from 2026 and 2027 as we prepare for full NRL entry in 2028.”
The Prime Minister reaffirmed that PNG’s NRL ambitions continue to receive full support from the NRL leadership, including Chairman Peter V’landys and CEO Andrew Abdo, describing their involvement as crucial to ensuring PNG’s successful entry into the competition.
The announcement of the team name this weekend is expected to mark a major milestone in PNG’s journey toward joining the NRL-the first Pacific nation to do so-cementing rugby league’s status as the country’s national sport and a unifying symbol of pride.