The Betfred Super League's Magic Weekend format has been retained for the 2024 season; The 12 clubs will face each other over the weekend of August 17 and 18 at Elland Road in Leeds; Watch every game of Magic Weekend 2024 live on Sky Sports and stream with NOW
Tuesday 21 November 2023 17:40, UK
Magic Weekend has been retained for the 2024 Betfred Super League season, with a new venue of Leeds United's Elland Road.
The event, which sees an entire round of Super League fixtures played over one weekend, will have a new late summer date as well. It will be played on August 17 and 18, with all six matches live on Sky Sports, to avoid a clash with the Betfred Challenge Cup final on June 8.
It will mark the first time since 2019 Magic Weekend will not be held at Newcastle's St James' Park, which has hosted a total of seven events but is unavailable next year, with the 37,000-capacity Elland Road instead being selected to host for the first time.
"Magic Weekend is going to have a different feel in 2024, as a result of the return to a date later in the summer to move away from the Betfred Challenge Cup final in June, and the non-availability of St James' Park which has proved such a popular venue for the last three years," Rhodri Jones, managing director of RL Commercial, said.
"We are delighted to have agreed a deal with Leeds United FC to stage Magic Weekend at Elland Road, one of the biggest and best stadia in the north of England - and with a rich rugby league history, having staged numerous big matches from the 1982 Challenge Cup final replay to the World Cup semi-final between Australia and New Zealand last year."
The headline fixture of Magic Weekend 2024 comes on the Saturday, when old rivals Wigan Warriors and St Helens face off in the second game of the day. It will be only the second time since 2012 they have clashed at the event, and will be a repeat of the 2022 Challenge Cup semi-final at Elland Road when Liam Marshall's spectacular try clinched victory for the Warriors.
London Broncos, promoted back to Super League for the first time since 2019, open Magic when they face Hull FC, while Day 1 comes to a close with Leeds Rhinos, playing at Elland Road for the first time since switching two home Super League fixtures in 2018 when Headingley was being redeveloped, taking on Warrington Wolves.
Sunday opens with this year's Challenge Cup winners Leigh Leopards going up against Salford Red Devils, followed by Grand Final runners-up Catalans Dragons taking on Super League play-off semi-finalists Hull KR.
All all-West Yorkshire clash between Huddersfield Giants and Castleford Tigers rounds off the weekend. Kick-off times for all matches will be confirmed when tickets for Magic Weekend 2024 go on sale next month.
"The fixtures formula we have used for Magic since 2019, which involves seeding teams into three groups of four based on their 2023 performance, has produced an intriguing line-up of matches," Jones said.
"And, with all clubs offering special pricing for Magic as part of their season tickets package, we would encourage fans to move quickly when tickets go on sale in the coming weeks."
Magic Weekend will form Round 22 of the 2024 Super League season. The full fixture list will be published on Thursday morning, with clubs revealing their opponents for the first two rounds on Wednesday evening.
Watch every match of the 2024 Betfred Super League season, including Magic Weekend, the play-offs, and men's, women's and wheelchair Grand Finals, live on Sky Sports. Also stream on NOW.
