Where to Watch NRL Magic Round 2026 & State of Origin in Adelaide

And in Adelaide, the timing works beautifully: Friday Magic Round starts right as the week clocks off, Saturday rolls into a full afternoon and night of footy, and Origin kicks off early enough to book dinner, grab a pint and still be there for every tackle.

Here’s where to watch NRL Magic Round and State of Origin in Adelaide — from newly renovated sports bars to historic locals, beer gardens and big-screen pubs built for a proper footy night.

🏉 NRL Magic Round 2026 at Suncorp Stadium

Thu 14 May

Women’s State of Origin Game II — Queensland Maroons v NSW Blues

Fri 15 May

Sharks v Bulldogs · Rabbitohs v Dolphins — 5:30pm & 7:30pm

Sat 16 May

Tigers v Sea Eagles · Roosters v Cowboys · Eels v Storm — 2:30pm, 5pm & 7:15pm

Sun 17 May

Titans v Knights · Warriors v Broncos · Panthers v Dragons — 1:30pm, 3:30pm & 5:55pm

⚡ Ampol State of Origin 2026

Wed 27 May

Game I — NSW Blues v QLD Maroons · Accor Stadium, Sydney · Kick-off 7:35pm Adelaide time

Wed 17 Jun

Game II — QLD Maroons v NSW Blues · MCG, Melbourne · Kick-off  7:35pm Adelaide time

Wed 8 Jul

Game III — QLD Maroons v NSW Blues · Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane · Kick-off  7:35pm Adelaide time

Parkside Hotel is the footy pick for anyone who wants big screens without the sticky-floor sports bar situation. Freshly renovated, leafy and just minutes from the CBD, it brings together a lush beer garden, a sharp-looking front bar and an elevated pub menu.

Magic Round suits Parkside especially well because the weekend starts right on knock-off. Head in for Sharks v Bulldogs at 5:30pm, stay for Rabbitohs v Dolphins, and let the beer garden do the rest. With live sport on big screens, cold beers, spritzes and food that leans more polished than predictable, it’s a strong option for mixed groups — footy fans up front, casual watchers very happily fed.

For State of Origin, Parkside is the stylish-but-still-loud choice. Book the front bar, bistro or beer garden, get in early for dinner, and settle in before the first kick. 

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The Mile End Hotel has old-school Adelaide pub energy in the best possible way. It’s been around for more than 180 years, has an art-deco fit-out that nods to its history, and now has a brand-new beer garden.

For Magic Round, The Mile End is made for Friday knock-offs and Saturday commitment. Friday’s double-header starts right when the west-side workday is ready to be abandoned, while Saturday gives you the perfect excuse to claim a spot in the beer garden before Tigers v Sea Eagles and stay through Eels v Storm. That is not poor planning. That is rugby league self-care.

Origin at The Mile End is a proper local pub night: live sport across the screens, cold beers moving, pub food doing the heavy lifting, and enough history in the walls to handle whatever emotional damage the Maroons and Blues serve up. With kick-off around 7:35pm, you can do dinner first, then let the game slowly take over the room.

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Magic Round is the one to circle at Brighton Metro. The Sports Bar gives you the game-day setup, Charlie’s Diner has the food sorted, and the beer garden gives the crew somewhere to reset between matches before Roosters v Cowboys and Eels v Storm drag everyone straight back inside. It’s relaxed enough for a family meal, but still serious enough for the person in your group who has opinions about every call.

For Origin, Brighton Metro is a clean southern-suburbs win. The timing works beautifully for dinner and the Sports Bar brings the atmosphere.

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The Hope Inn is the kind of pub that makes a footy night feel like it has a bit of history behind it. First licensed in 1847, with an old-world front bar, a renewed bistro and a sun-soaked beer garden, it has that proper local feel.

Magic Round Friday lines up nicely with Happy Hour from 4pm to 6pm, which is exactly the sort of scheduling gift that should not be ignored. Get in before Sharks v Bulldogs, let the first round do its job, then roll straight into the second game like you planned it all along. On Saturday, The Hope Inn’s Lucky Loser draw gives punters a reason to keep their losing TAB tickets, with a chance to score a $25 pub voucher between 12pm and 4pm — because apparently even your bad tips can still contribute to Magic Round.

For State of Origin, The Hope Inn is for anyone who wants a proper local rather than a giant city scrum. A 7:35pm kick-off means you can catch Happy Hour (4 – 6pm), get dinner sorted, and be comfortably in position before the kick off.

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Payneham Tavern is not here to gently participate. Fresh off a major redevelopment and named AHASA’s Best Redeveloped Hotel in 2025, this is the eastern suburbs pick when you want the footy loud, the screens everywhere and the tap beers sitting at a very friendly $8.50 in the Sports Bar.

Magic Round Friday gets extra pub theatre with the meat tray raffle from 4pm. Nothing says “rugby league weekend” quite like trying to win dinner before Sharks v Bulldogs has even kicked off. Then it’s straight into the double-header, pint in hand, table claimed, group chat silenced. Saturday’s triple-header is just as dangerous, especially when the Sports Bar has wall-to-wall TVs, crystal-clear sound and very little interest in letting you miss a thing.

For State of Origin, Payneham should be a full-series booking. They’ve got every game live and loud and a special for a pint and parmi from $25, plus Happy Hour with $8.50 select pints or $7 house wines from 4pm–6pm.

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Mick O’Shea’s is where you go when you want the footy with a bit of Irish-pub warmth around it. There’s a cosy feel, a proper beer garden, old-school hospitality, and a cracking seasonal menu.

Magic Round works especially well here because Mick O’Shea’s is the sort of pub that can turn a game into a full afternoon without making it feel like hard work. Friday gets the weekend started, Saturday brings the biggest stretch of games, and Sunday’s Warriors v Broncos slot is perfectly timed for a late lunch that becomes a very serious footy session.

For Origin, Mick’s is the southern Adelaide pick with personality. It’s close enough for locals to make a midweek booking easy, but has enough atmosphere to make the night feel bigger than your standard Wednesday dinner. Order from the table, keep your eyes on the screen, and let the Blues and Maroons do what they do best: make everyone very tense for 80 minutes.

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Whether you’re after a leafy beer garden, a giant TV wall, a freshly rebuilt Sports Bar, a historic local or a family-friendly pub that still knows how to get loud, The Pass makes it easy to find the right spot and book ahead.

Check out our  Live Sports finder to see the best pubs and bars showing the footy near you — and don’t forget, members can get rewarded while they’re at it with 10% back, exclusive member discounts and $10 welcome credit when they join The Pass.