The 2025 NRL season is truly upon us with the Round 2 fixture between the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and the Gold Coast Titans kicking off at Belmore Sports Ground on Sunday at 6.15pm.

President Luke Cevolani said that the positive impact the event has on local business was a big factor in terms of making a decision to ensure NRL games remain in Belmore.

“This is an incredible benefit for us that we get to have such a major event, which will drive dollars into our local economy,” Mr Cevolani said.

“The economic impact of the event on the local economy is inestimable. It really does help to put Belmore's best foot forward to promote the best of what the Canterbury-Bankstown district has to offer. The Belmore game isn't just any footy game – it's the local economic sports event of the year, an accelerator of local businesses of all sizes, and a cultural moment that brings the Canterbury-Bankstown community together.”

Patron Luke Brailey said the benefits of big-time footy coming to Belmore extended beyond just the games.

“Residents of the Canterbury-Bankstown area love their rugby league, and with two matches – one NRL and one NRLW – at the historic venue this year, there's never been a better time to catch elite football at the most beautiful sporting facility in the world,” Mr Brailey said.

“2025 marks twenty years since Back to Belmore was founded to advocate for the advancement of Belmore Sports Ground as a top-class sporting facility and ten years since NRL premiership games returned to the venue on a part-time basis. Since 2015, the Bulldogs have successfully staged fourteen first-grade competition fixtures at their spiritual home, generating over $5 million into the local economy fueled by direct spending by visitors and locals, indirect spending at local businesses in Belmore, employment and tax revenue. We are very proud of the pivotal role that we have consistently played as an apolitical non-profit community organisation over the past two decades to make it possible.”

The NRL match at Belmore Sports Ground is expected to pump over half a million dollars into the local economy this weekend. Traffic delays are anticipated to begin from Sunday early afternoon in Belmore and surrounds.