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he NRL has confirmed the venues for the 2020 State of Origin series, with the series set to kick off in Adelaide for the first time in history.

Celebrating its 40th anniversary, State of Origin will begin on Wednesday, 4 November at Adelaide Oval, with Game II on Wednesday, 11 November at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium, and potential decider to be played on Wednesday, 18 November at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium.

NRL CEO, Andrew Abdo, said the league has worked tirelessly with the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) and its government partners to ensure Origin can be played across the three different states this year.

“State of Origin is the greatest rivalry in Australian sport and Australia’s most watched television event,” Abdo said.

“It transcends the two states and captivates the interests of the entire nation.

“We are excited to play this historic game in South Australia for the very first time.

“In recent years Origin has captivated Melbourne and Perth and we cannot wait to see how the people of Adelaide respond.

“The interest from states, outside NSW and Queensland, to host our showpiece event is extraordinary.

“This year will be special, it marks the 40th anniversary of Origin…

“This year, for the first time, it will be played as its own stand-alone series throughout November.

“Fans have long suggested the series should be played in a separate window to the Telstra Premiership and now we have the opportunity to trial the concept,” he said.

South Australian Premier, Steven Marshall, said the opening event in Adelaide is a great chance to showcase the NRL in South Australia.

“It’s been a substantial amount of work by the NRL, SATC, SA Health and Adelaide Oval to develop a plan to make this happen for the fans,” Marshall said.

“It is a terrific outcome and we can’t wait to welcome the first game of the State of Origin to Adelaide, and to help celebrate their 40th anniversary of Origin matches,” he said.

The NRL also announced the Harvey Norman Women’s State of Origin will take place on Friday, 13 November at Sunshine Coast Stadium, with Abdo saying the event will mark the first women’s Origin match in Queensland.

“To be able to play our third ever women’s Origin match on the Sunshine Coast as originally hoped is incredibly important to us,” Abdo said.

“The women’s game is such an important part of our game and despite the pandemic we will play both NRLW and Women’s Origin this season.

“In a year full of challenges, we will make history again with the first women’s Origin match in Queensland,” he said.

Sunshine Coast Council mayor, Mark Jamieson, said being able to host the Women’s State of Origin reinforces the region’s reputation for hosting sporting events.

“The Sunshine Coast is the perfect location for this event, and we have demonstrated that we can host events of this nature safely and in compliance with COVID-19 requirements,” Jamieson said.

“The Women’s State of Origin has seen rapid growth since its launch in 2018, and we are proud to host the Queensland Maroons and showcase elite women’s sport on our Sunshine Coast,” he said.