Old Trafford
Trafford (Old Trafford), Greater Manchester, England
Old Trafford, Trafford (Old Trafford), England — opened 1910, 62 rugby league games hosted, home of Manchester United (football) — no permanent rugby league tenant; used as a big-occasion neutral venue for rugby league showpieces.
Ground facts
| Opened | 1910 |
| Home club | Manchester United (football) — no permanent rugby league tenant; used as a big-occasion neutral venue for rugby league showpieces |
| Games hosted (rugby league, on record) | 62 |
| Top recorded crowd | 74,468 (Rugby League — Final, 30 Nov 2013, 2013 Rugby League World Cup: Australia 34-2 New Zealand) |
| Test matches hosted | 5 |
| Grand Finals hosted | 7 |
| First rugby league match | Salford v Leeds, under floodlights, November 1958, attendance 8,000 (exact date not identified in sources found) |
| Years used | 1958–2025 |
| Location | Trafford (Old Trafford), Greater Manchester |
Name history
- Old Trafford — 1910–present
Rugby league history
Old Trafford's rugby league story began in November 1958, when Salford hosted Leeds there under floodlights in front of 8,000 fans, and it has since become the sport's premier showpiece venue in England, regularly hosting the Super League Grand Final (annually since 1998), Ashes/Kangaroo Tour Test matches (including the 1986 first Test, Australia 38-16 Great Britain, and second Tests on the 1990 and 1994 Kangaroo Tours), and multiple Rugby League World Cup finals — 2000 (Australia 40-12 New Zealand) and 2013 (Australia 34-2 New Zealand, 74,468). It also hosted a 1995 World Cup semi-final and the 1989 World Club Challenge. At the 2021 Rugby League World Cup (delayed to Oct–Nov 2022), Old Trafford hosted the final, with Australia beating Samoa 30–10 in front of 67,502 on 19 November 2022 to claim their 12th world title.
Old Trafford is primarily Manchester United's football stadium; a separate cricket ground of the same name (Emirates Old Trafford, home of Lancashire CCC) sits nearby but is a distinct venue.
Historic Test matches, Cup & Grand Finals hosted
- 1998 — Wigan Warriors 10-4 Leeds Rhinos, attendance 43,553 (first Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford)
- 2006 — St Helens 26-4 Hull FC, attendance 72,582
- 2013 — Wigan Warriors 30-16 Warrington Wolves, attendance 66,281
- 2015 — Leeds Rhinos 22-20 Wigan Warriors, attendance 73,512 (record Grand Final attendance at Old Trafford)
- 2017 — Leeds Rhinos 24-6 Castleford Tigers, attendance 72,827
- 2024 — Wigan Warriors 9-2 Hull KR, attendance 68,173
- 2025 — Hull Kingston Rovers 24-6 Wigan Warriors, attendance 68,853
- 25 October 1986 — Australia 38-16 Great Britain, attendance 50,583 (first Ashes Test at Old Trafford)
- 4 October 1989 World Club Challenge — Widnes 30-18 Canberra Raiders, attendance 30,786
- 2000 Rugby League World Cup Final — Australia 40-12 New Zealand, attendance 44,329
- 1995 Rugby League World Cup semi-final — England 25-10 Wales, attendance 30,042
- 2013 Rugby League World Cup Final — Australia 34-2 New Zealand, attendance 74,468 (world-record crowd for a rugby league international at the time)
Pre-dates the site's structured match-by-match records for these competitions, so listed here as sourced facts rather than linked match pages.
Notable games played here
| Date | Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Final, 19 Nov 2022 | 2021 Rugby League World Cup | Australia 30-10 Samoa |
| Final, 30 Nov 2013 | 2013 Rugby League World Cup | Australia 34-2 New Zealand |
| Final, 25 Nov 2000 | 2000 Rugby League World Cup | Australia 40-12 New Zealand |
| Semi-final, 21 Oct 1995 | 1995 Rugby League World Cup | England 25-10 Wales |
Only matches we have full, sourced records for are listed here — other historic games mentioned above may not have a dedicated match page built yet (World Cup coverage in particular is still expanding tournament by tournament).
Sources
Data last verified: 11 August 2026.
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