The long and gruelling NRL season has drawn to a close, with Brisbane claiming a drought-breaking premiership with a stunning comeback against Melbourne.
Yet fear not rugby league fans as plenty of games are still to look forward to upon the conclusion of the premiership race.
New Zealand, Samoa and Tonga will lock horns in a blockbuster Pacific Cup tournament. Meanwhile, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Cook Islands will face off in this year’s edition of the Pacific Bowl.
MORE: Pacific Championships - Full schedule, pools for international rugby league tournament
When does the Pacific Championships start in 2025?
The curtain has been brought down on the NRL season for 2025.
However, rugby league won’t be out of the headlines for long, with international footy now set to take over.
The opening round of the Pacific Championships will kick off on Saturday, October 18 in Port Moresby when the PNG Orchids face Cook Islands in the women's competition before the Bati meet with Cook Islands later in the afternoon.
Attention will then shift to Auckland where the Kiwi Ferns will host Samoa in the first game of a double-header, before the Kiwis and Samoa lock horns in a blockbuster clash between the men.
Pacific Championships 2025 opening schedule: First round of fixtures
| Date (Time) | Fixture | Venue |
| Sat. Oct. 18 (1:00pm) | PNG Orchids vs. Cook Islands Moana | Santos National Football Stadium |
| Sat. Oct. 18 (3:00pm) | Fiji Bati vs. Cook Islands Aitu | Santos National Football Stadium |
| Sun. Oct. 19 (1:00pm) | NZ Kiwi Ferns vs. Fetu Samoa | Go Media Stadium |
| Sun. Oct. 19 (3:00pm) | NZ Kiwis vs. Toa Samoa | Go Media Stadium |