NRL look to New York for test match

The NRL is looking to tap into the United States market for a historic one-off Test between Australia and Tonga at the end of the season.

New York’s Red Bull Arena is a 25,000-seat home ground of Major League Soccer team New York Red Bulls and is tipped to host the match.

NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg last week hinted at a possible match on foreign soil when he said the governing body was “talking to a number of different promoters” in relation to an end-of-season Test between the Kangaroos and a star-studded Tongan side likely to be held on October 20.

The game looks to expand its global footprint in the world’s largest sporting market and the governing body has been working closely with a number of promoters to turn the idea into a reality.

After a successful world cup campaign Tonga Coach, Kristian Woolf, is keen to play against Australia.

“We don’t care where the match is played, we just want to play it,” Tonga coach Kristian Woolf said.

“It’s important, from our point of view, that we build on the momentum of what has been built the past 12 months.”

As it stands, the Kangaroos will play against New Zealand in a one-off Test in Auckland on October 13.

The NRL is keen to expand its tiny footprint in the United States in the lead-up to the 2025 World Cup in North America.

It’s expected the NRL will open the season with a game between South Sydney and the Melbourne Storm in Los Angeles or San Francisco next year.