NFL vs NRL:Which is more popular by branded search in New Zealand?
In August 2026, NRL had more branded searches than NFL among sports leagues in New Zealand. NRL was estimated to have 2.9M branded searches compared to NFL’s 77.9K, and held a 76.1% Share of Search versus NFL’s 2.1%.
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Which is more popular in search, NFL or NRL?
Compare the professional sports leagues New Zealand fans watch and follow. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of Search by month for NRL, NFL. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | NRL | Premier League | A-League | AFL | NFL | NBA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 14.4% | 24.8% | 15.2% | 0.52% | 16.8% | 28.2% |
| Nov 2025 | 3.5% | 24% | 16.2% | 0.27% | 14.9% | 41.1% |
| Dec 2025 | 1.8% | 30.8% | 20% | 0.13% | 14.3% | 33.1% |
| Jan 2026 | 2.2% | 27.8% | 19.9% | 0.16% | 16.9% | 33.1% |
| Feb 2026 | 10.7% | 34% | 21.2% | 0.32% | 3.4% | 30.4% |
| Mar 2026 | 34% | 23% | 14.5% | 1.8% | 0.61% | 26.2% |
| Apr 2026 | 38.4% | 19.1% | 11.9% | 2% | 0.91% | 27.7% |
| May 2026 | 33.8% | 20.9% | 10.8% | 1.7% | 0.28% | 32.6% |
| Jun 2026 | 56.7% | 1.3% | 0.86% | 2.4% | 0.57% | 38.2% |
| Jul 2026 | 85.2% | 3% | 1.8% | 4.2% | 0.72% | 5.1% |
| Aug 2026 | 76.1% | 11.5% | 5.7% | 2.9% | 2.1% | 1.8% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the NFL and NRL comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- The lead changed hands once in the 11 months ending August 2026: NRL took it in February 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, NFL’s estimated Share of Search among sports leagues in New Zealand moved from 16.8% to 2.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 435K to 77.9K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, NRL’s estimated Share of Search among sports leagues in New Zealand moved from 14.4% to 76.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 374K to 2.9M.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand sports leagues in August 2026?
2 changes

In August 2026, NFL overtook NBA to rank 5th among sports leagues in New Zealand, at 2.1%.
In August 2026, NRL lost estimated Share of Search among sports leagues in New Zealand, from 85.2% to 76.1%.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using NFL’s and NRL’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
NFL
27 branded search terms
- cowboys nfl
- espn nfl draft
- nfl
- nfl com
- nfl denver broncos
- nfl draft
- nfl draw
- nfl fantasy
- nfl fixtures
- nfl games
- nfl games today
- nfl jerseys
- nfl ladder
- nfl live
- nfl near me
- nfl nz
- nfl online
- nfl players
- nfl preseason
- nfl pro bowl
- nfl scores
- nfl super bowl
- nfl teams
- nfl tickets
- nfl today
- nfl vikings
- r nfl
NRL
21 branded search terms
- dolphin nrl
- nrl
- nrl com
- nrl draw
- nrl finals
- nrl fixtures
- nrl gf
- nrl gf tickets
- nrl ladder
- nrl matches
- nrl matches tonight
- nrl near me
- nrl nz
- nrl online
- nrl results
- nrl scores
- nrl standings
- nrl teams list
- nrl tickets
- nrl tonight
- nrl w

Put your own brand in this comparison
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