Harvey Norman, Westpac and KFC re-sign for NRLW 2026 after Foxtel's most-watched season

Foxtel Media has locked in its three lead NRLW sponsors for another season, with Harvey Norman, Westpac and KFC all renewing for 2026 across Foxtel and Kayo Sports. The renewals follow a 2025 season that became the most-watched in Foxtel Group history, with more than 362 million minutes viewed across 71 games.

Harvey Norman and KFC return as naming rights partners for NRLW on Fox, with their sponsorships running across game-day coverage, replays and player segments. Westpac continues through premium in-game graphics, and all three brands will appear via custom graphics and shared billboard placements across live matches. Foxtel and Kayo will broadcast every match of the 2026 season live, including the grand final, with no ad breaks during play, and 23 matches in 4K Ultra HD. The season includes a grand final rematch between the Brisbane Broncos and Sydney Roosters on 15 August.

Jackson Forbes, head of sport sales, Sydney at Foxtel Media, said the returning sponsors reflected the competition's audience growth. "The NRLW's growth is reflected in both record viewing figures and the continued commitment of our partners," he said. "By continuing their investment in watchability and premium coverage, Harvey Norman, Westpac, and KFC have created native integrations that deliver high-impact results for their brands while respecting the uninterrupted viewing experience fans expect on our platforms."

The renewals land in a stable rights environment. Foxtel and Kayo hold NRLW broadcast rights until at least 2034 under the record $5.3 billion NRL deal confirmed earlier this month, giving sponsors long-run certainty rare in Australian sport. Harvey Norman also backed the 20th Women in League Round in July, extending its association beyond the broadcast product.

Why it matters for Australian marketers: sponsor renewal is a harder signal than sponsor acquisition. Three major brands across retail, banking and QSR re-upping on the same women's sport property suggests the 2025 audience numbers converted into results those brands consider repeatable. The integration model is also worth studying. Because play runs uninterrupted, the value sits in native formats, naming rights, in-game graphics and billboards rather than spot ads, which is where measurement and creative craft will decide whether the premium holds. For brands still weighing women's sport, the NRLW now offers a longer track record, locked-in rights until 2034, and a proven integration playbook, but likely at renewal prices that reflect all three.

Worth noting for balance: the 362 million minutes figure is Foxtel Group's own, covers an expanded 71-game season (so per-game comparisons need care), and no financial terms for any of the sponsorships have been disclosed. Claims of "high-impact results" for brands are vendor statements without published campaign data.

Sources: mediaweek.com.au (24 July 2026), NRL $5.3bn broadcast deal context