The Brisbane Broncos are set to be forced out of Suncorp Stadium for approximately six weeks in 2023, and it is reportedly set to mean rugby league will return to the Gabba for the first time in 67 years.
The Gabba last hosted rugby league in 1956, when Australia played New Zealand, but has never hosted an NRL fixture.
Suncorp Stadium will be off limits to all other codes during the women's FIFA World Cup - and with the stadium taken over by FIFA before and after the tournament, it means the NRL and other codes would likely be blocked for most of July and August.
The NRL will also lose access to Accor Stadium, the Sydney Football Stadium and AAMI Park during the tournament, displacing the Canterbury Bulldogs, South Sydney Rabbitohs, Sydney Roosters and Melbourne Storm alongside the Broncos and Dolphins.
It's tipped that there will be no impact on State of Origin, with the series likely brought forward by a week or two to wrap up before the stadium block begins.
However, The Courier Mail are reporting that the Broncos will shift up to three home games from Suncorp Stadium to the Gabba while their regular stadium is out of action.
The Dolphins, who announced seven home games would be played at Suncorp Stadium today, will play their home games during the period at Redcliffe's Moreton Daily Stadium, or on the Sunshine Coast, where Zero Tackle has learned they may play their final two home fixtures.
It's understood the Broncos had investigated a number of options, including their former home ground when Suncorp was last out of action - now known as the Queensland Sports and Athletics Centre - and holds a capacity of almost 50,000, but have decided the Gabba would be a better fit for the club's now 36,000 members.
The Women's FIFA World Cup also means that the 27 games to be held in Brisbane next year will need to be within approximately 18 rounds, with 19 of them falling over 17 rounds once magic round is taken out of the equation.
The Broncos will need to make a decision on venues before the NRL draw is released in October or November given the possible difficulties in booking that could emerge in a ground share situation with the Brisbane Lions who are regular tenants of the Gabba, but also the Queensland Reds, who will also be looking for a new venue to continue rugby union activities.
