A total of 371,352 fans passed through the gates across the season, a 54 per cent increase on 2025. The season also finished on a high, with a sold-out final providing a fitting end to another year of provincial rugby.
The growth extended well beyond the stands, with audiences continuing to engage with the competitions across television, streaming and online platforms.
More than 2.1 million New Zealanders watched provincial rugby on Sky Sport and TVNZ during the season. This included 1.69 million viewers on TVNZ 1 and 1.2 million on Sky Sport, with some viewers watching on both platforms.
Streaming audiences also remained strong, with a combined 5.04 million streams recorded across Sky Sport Now, Sky Go and TVNZ+. This included 3.33 million streams across Sky's platforms and a further 1.71 million on TVNZ+.
Digital engagement continued to grow, with content across Facebook, Instagram and TikTok generating an impressive 118 million views throughout the season.
The provincial rugby social channels also attracted more than 39,000 new followers, helping connect the competitions with an even wider audience and providing more opportunities to celebrate the players, teams and communities at the heart of provincial rugby.
Meanwhile, the provincial rugby website, provincial.rugby, welcomed 213,000 visitors, a 148 per cent increase on the previous season. YouTube highlights also proved popular, attracting a further 2.2 million views.
The numbers reflect the growing appetite for provincial rugby and the collective efforts of the provincial unions, clubs, players, volunteers, partners, broadcasters and supporters who help bring the competitions to life.
From packed clubrooms and local grounds to national television audiences, provincial rugby continues to play an important role in connecting communities and celebrating the game right across New Zealand.