Brandwave

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%.

Share of Search among sports leagues in New Zealand in August 2026Which is more popular in search, NFL or NRL?
NFL2.1%77.9K searches
vs
NRL76.1%2.9M searches

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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.

NFL and NRL among sports leagues in New Zealand, by month

Share of Search by month for NRL, NFL. The figures are in the table below the chart.

View monthly share of search table
MonthNRLPremier LeagueA-LeagueAFLNFLNBA
Oct 202514.4%24.8%15.2%0.52%16.8%28.2%
Nov 20253.5%24%16.2%0.27%14.9%41.1%
Dec 20251.8%30.8%20%0.13%14.3%33.1%
Jan 20262.2%27.8%19.9%0.16%16.9%33.1%
Feb 202610.7%34%21.2%0.32%3.4%30.4%
Mar 202634%23%14.5%1.8%0.61%26.2%
Apr 202638.4%19.1%11.9%2%0.91%27.7%
May 202633.8%20.9%10.8%1.7%0.28%32.6%
Jun 202656.7%1.3%0.86%2.4%0.57%38.2%
Jul 202685.2%3%1.8%4.2%0.72%5.1%
Aug 202676.1%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?

  • 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?

  1. In August 2026, NFL overtook NBA to rank 5th among sports leagues in New Zealand, at 2.1%.

  2. 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

How the Brand Demand Index is measured

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Put your own brand in this comparison

Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.